This groundbreaking exhibition presents a comprehensive survey of Rhode Island furniture from the colonial and early Federal periods, including elaborately carved chairs, high chests, bureau tables, and clocks. Drawing together more than 130 exceptional objects from museums, historical societies, and private collections, the show highlights major aesthetic innovations developed in the region. In addition to iconic, stylish pieces from important centers of production like Providence and Newport, the exhibition showcases simpler examples made in smaller towns and for export. The exhibition also addresses the surprisingly broad reach of Rhode Island’s furniture production, from the boom of the export trade at the turn of the 17th century and its steady growth throughout the 18th century to the gradual decline of the handcraft tradition in the 19th century. Reflecting on one of New England’s most important artistic traditions, Art and Industry in Early America encourages a newfound appreciation for this dynamic school of American furniture making. To view a video of a tour given by exhibition curator Patricia E. Kane as well as other videos related to Art and Industry in Early America, visit https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqJmQZgy9f_dFPp_5ugEsSB2fu8uiU9oh.
Exhibition: Art and Industry in Early America: Rhode Island Furniture, 1650--1830
Christopher Townsend, cabinetmaker, and Samuel Casey, silversmith, Desk and Bookcase, Newport, 1745–50. Mahogany (primary); sabicu(?) and mahogany (secondary); silver hardware. Private collection [RIF242]
Carver Chair, Kingstown or Westerly, Rhode Island, 1670–1710. Soft maple; rush seat. Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library, Del., Museum Purchase [RIF1748]
High Chest of Drawers, probably Providence, 1710–30. Maple (primary); pine, yellow poplar, and chestnut (secondary). Private collection [RIF5336]
Exhibition organized by Patricia E. Kane, Friends of American Arts Curator of American Decorative Arts. Made possible by generous support from an anonymous donor; Lulu C. and Anthony W. Wang, B.A. 1965; Jeanie Kilroy Wilson; Jane P. Watkins, M.P.H. 1979, and Helen D. Buchanan; and the Henry Luce Foundation. Additional support provided by Jerald Dillon Fessenden, B.A. 1960; Judith and John Herdeg; Sarah Jeffords Radcliffe; Gayle and Howard Rothman; the National Endowment for the Arts; the Wunsch Americana Foundation; the Friends of American Arts at Yale Exhibition and Publication Funds; and the David and Rosalee McCullough Fund.
Related Publication
Art and Industry in Early America: Rhode Island Furniture, 1650–1830
Patricia E. Kane With Dennis Carr, Nancy Goyne Evans, Jennifer N. Johnson, and Gary R. Sullivan