Art

Panorama of the Army of the Cumberland

The National Museum of American History is not an art museum. But works of art fill its collections and testify to the vital place of art in everyday American life. The ceramics collections hold hundreds of examples of American and European art glass and pottery. Fashion sketches, illustrations, and prints are part of the costume collections. Donations from ethnic and cultural communities include many homemade religious ornaments, paintings, and figures. The Harry T Peters "America on Stone" collection alone comprises some 1,700 color prints of scenes from the 1800s. The National Quilt Collection is art on fabric. And the tools of artists and artisans are part of the Museum's collections, too, in the form of printing plates, woodblock tools, photographic equipment, and potters' stamps, kilns, and wheels.

Date: 1870s

A Quiet Nook

Signed and dated watercolorCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
Signed and dated watercolor
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1877
original artist
Blum, Robert Frederick
ID Number
GA.16637
catalog number
16637
accession number
119780

Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean Sept 1871. Plate 5.

Black and white print of whaling ships and small whaling boats. The whaling ships are receiving the captains, officiers and crews of the abandoned whalers. The seven whaling ship names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships and small whaling boats. The whaling ships are receiving the captains, officiers and crews of the abandoned whalers. The seven whaling ship names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3260
catalog number
60.3260

Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean Sept 1871. Plate 1.

Black and white print of whaling ships; three whaling vessels are anchored in the ice while one, the bark Roman, is trapped and sinking. Men are escaping to the other ships. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships; three whaling vessels are anchored in the ice while one, the bark Roman, is trapped and sinking. Men are escaping to the other ships. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
maker
Newell, J.P.
ID Number
DL.60.3256
catalog number
60.3256

Right whaling in Beheringsic Straits & Arctic Ocean with its Varieties.

Color print of a whaling scene; five rigged whaling vessels wait while men in two smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities. Walrus on ice on left and right foreground.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of a whaling scene; five rigged whaling vessels wait while men in two smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities. Walrus on ice on left and right foreground.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1871
maker
Bufford, John Henry
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3252
catalog number
60.3252

Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean Sept 1871. Plate 2.

Black and white print of whaling ships; nine whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field while one, the Awashonks, is trapped. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships; nine whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field while one, the Awashonks, is trapped. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3257
catalog number
60.3257

Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean Sept 1871. Plate 4.

Black and white print of six small whaling boats in open water between the ice and shore. Numerous canoes are pulled up on shore and people, campfires, and tents are visible in the background.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of six small whaling boats in open water between the ice and shore. Numerous canoes are pulled up on shore and people, campfires, and tents are visible in the background.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3259
catalog number
60.3259

Sperm Whaling with its Varieties

Color print of a whaling scene; four rigged whaling vessels wait while men in smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of a whaling scene; four rigged whaling vessels wait while men in smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1870
maker
Bufford, John Henry
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3251
catalog number
60.3251

Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean Sept 1871. Plate 3.

Black and white print of whaling ships; seventeen whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships; seventeen whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3258
catalog number
60.3258

Philadelphia in the Olden Time.

Color print of a large panoramic view of Philadelphia. The New Jersey shore is in the foreground. A key identifies aspects of the view. Three small vignettes, below the main image above the title, are of the State House, Old Courthouse and Friends Meeting House, and the prison.
Description (Brief)
Color print of a large panoramic view of Philadelphia. The New Jersey shore is in the foreground. A key identifies aspects of the view. Three small vignettes, below the main image above the title, are of the State House, Old Courthouse and Friends Meeting House, and the prison.
Date made
1875
maker
Wade, F. J.
ID Number
DL.60.3752
catalog number
60.3752

Warrior Killing a Soldier

Unknown artist, about 1894“Cheyenne Picture. Warrior Killing a Soldier.”Ink and watercolorThis drawing shows the victory of a Cheyenne warrior over a U.S. Army soldier.
Description
Unknown artist, about 1894
“Cheyenne Picture. Warrior Killing a Soldier.”
Ink and watercolor
This drawing shows the victory of a Cheyenne warrior over a U.S. Army soldier. The artist depicts the warrior counting coup on his enemy by touching the fallen soldier with his riding whip (quirt). Counting coup - in this instance touching an adversary in battle - was considered an act of bravery that could gain war honors. This single event took place during a larger battle against many adversaries, as indicated by the large number of rifles at the left.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1875
date made
ca 1894
original artist
unknown
ID Number
GA.08111
accession number
1897.031963
catalog number
GA*08111
accession number
1897.31963

Engraved woodblock of "Marble Canyon"

This engraved woodblock of "Marble Canyon” was prepared by engraver Edward Bookhout (1844-1886) and the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1875 as Figure 26 (p.77) in Report of the Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and Its Tribu
Description
This engraved woodblock of "Marble Canyon” was prepared by engraver Edward Bookhout (1844-1886) and the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1875 as Figure 26 (p.77) in Report of the Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and Its Tributaries. Explored in 1869, 1870, 1871, and 1872, under the direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution by John Wesley Powell (1834-1902). Thomas Moran (1837-1926) accompanied Powell on his expedition and drew the original image.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1875
1875
original artist
Moran, Thomas
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Powell, John Wesley
graphic artist
Bookhout, Edward
block maker
V. W. & Co.
ID Number
1980.0219.0259
catalog number
1980.0219.0259
accession number
1980.0219

dish

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
about 1879
ID Number
CE.75.125J
catalog number
75.125J
accession number
317832

L'Antichambre

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1874
original artist
Fortuny y Carbo, Mariano
graphic artist
Ferris, Stephen James
ID Number
GA.14518.02
catalog number
14518.02
accession number
94830

Devil's Way, Algiers

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1879
graphic artist
Ferris, Stephen James
original artist
Mouilleron, Adolphe
ID Number
GA.14468.03
accession number
94830
catalog number
14468.03

dish

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
about 1879
ID Number
CE.75.125A
catalog number
75.125A
accession number
317832

Engraved woodblock of "Climbing the Grand Canyon"

This engraved woodblock of “Climbing the Grand Canyon” was prepared by F. S.
Description
This engraved woodblock of “Climbing the Grand Canyon” was prepared by F. S. King and the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1875 on page 98 of John Wesley Powell's Report of the Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and Its Tributaries. Explored in 1869, 1870, 1871, and 1872, under the direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Thomas Moran (1837-1926) was the original artist.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1875
1875
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Powell, John Wesley
original artist
Moran, Thomas
graphic artist
King, Francis Scott
maker
V. W. & Co.
ID Number
1980.0219.0474
accession number
1980.0219
catalog number
1980.0219.0474

dish

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
about 1879
ID Number
CE.75.125F
catalog number
75.125F
accession number
317832

Indians discovery U.S. Cavalry

Koba aka Wild Horse (Kiowa),drawn between 1875 and 1878 at Fort Marion, Florida"Indian Discovery of U.S. Cavalry"Collected by Richard Henry Pratt about 1878Colored pencil, ink, and watercolorThe focus of this drawing by Koba is a Kiowa warrior coming down from his lookout hill.
Description
Koba aka Wild Horse (Kiowa),
drawn between 1875 and 1878 at Fort Marion, Florida
"Indian Discovery of U.S. Cavalry"
Collected by Richard Henry Pratt about 1878
Colored pencil, ink, and watercolor
The focus of this drawing by Koba is a Kiowa warrior coming down from his lookout hill. He carries a pair of field glasses (either a trade item or possibly taken from an enemy combatant) which assisted him in the discovery of the cavalry unit riding nearby. The Kiowa camp below is at rest; tribesmen welcome the scout's return and warning.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1875-1878
original artist
Koba
ID Number
2008.0175.52
catalog number
2008.0175.052
accession number
2008.0175

Minton porcelain cabinet plate

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1879
ID Number
CE.P-288
catalog number
P-288
accession number
225282

Arab Luggage Carrier

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1877
graphic artist
Ferris, Jean Leon Gerome
ID Number
GA.14427.01
accession number
94830
catalog number
14427.01

The Schism

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1876
publisher
Wanderlich, Hermann
graphic artist
Ferris, Stephen James
original artist
Vibert, Jehan Georges
ID Number
GA.14513
catalog number
14513
accession number
94830

New England Glass Company Paperweight

In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter.
Description (Brief)
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter. By the mid-1800s, decorative paperweights produced by glassmakers in Europe and the United States became highly desired collectibles.
Decorative glass paperweights reflected the 19th-century taste for intricate, over-the-top designs. Until the spread of textiles colorized with synthetic dyes, ceramics and glass were among the few objects that added brilliant color to a 19th-century Victorian interior. The popularity of these paperweights in the 1800s testifies to the sustained cultural interest in hand craftsmanship during an age of rapid industrialization.
The New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded about 1818 by Deming Jarves along with three wealthy businessmen, and probably began producing paperweights by the mid 1850s. In 1888 the business moved to Ohio, under the name Libbey Glass Company.
This New England Glass Company paperweight features a single Poinsettia on a latticinio (latticework) ground. Small bubbles in the glass give the appearance of dew drops on the flower.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850-1878
maker
New England Glass Company
ID Number
CE.66.32
catalog number
66.32
accession number
268356
collector/donor number
203

Argus Spoon Holder

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1850-1870
c. 1860-70
ID Number
CE.383811
catalog number
383811
accession number
170852

Sèvres reticulated teapot and cover

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1875
maker
Sevres
ID Number
CE.P-679ab
catalog number
P-679ab
accession number
225282

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