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: 1940s

Alexander Day Surles

European-African Middle Eastern Campaign, Order of Abdon Calderón, Gold Medal for Distinguished Service Medal (El Salvador), WWI Victory, and a Unknown Ribbon (solid light blue possibly Order of the Elephant).
Description
European-African Middle Eastern Campaign, Order of Abdon Calderón, Gold Medal for Distinguished Service Medal (El Salvador), WWI Victory, and a Unknown Ribbon (solid light blue possibly Order of the Elephant). Surles wears a khaki service coat with officer pins on his label and possibly a green and gold cord below his right breast pocket. He has grey hair and blue eyes. Surles signature is at the bottom right corner of the portrait.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1945
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47005
catalog number
47005
accession number
166217

Robert P. Patterson

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson. Patterson wears a Distinguished Service Cross lapel pin on his personal jacket. He also wears a blue tie. Patterson sits in front of a light brown background.Currently not on view
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson. Patterson wears a Distinguished Service Cross lapel pin on his personal jacket. He also wears a blue tie. Patterson sits in front of a light brown background.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.46981
catalog number
46981
accession number
166217

Fiesta

Homer Laughlin China Company, who manufactured the infamous “Fiesta ware” line, began as a partnership between the two Laughlin brothers, Homer and Shakespeare, in 1873.
Description
Homer Laughlin China Company, who manufactured the infamous “Fiesta ware” line, began as a partnership between the two Laughlin brothers, Homer and Shakespeare, in 1873. The company sold primarily Rockingham and yellow ware then later expanded their market to make semi-vitreous dinner, hotel, and toilet wares as well as white granite products. After the Great Depression the market for inexpensive dinner wares increased, and the “Fiesta ware” line was available for purchase in 1936. Designed by Frederick Hurten Rhead, an English potter from Staffordshire, “Fiesta ware” became highly popular for their bright colors, streamlined design, and mix-and-match capabilities for the everyday household.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca. 1936-46
user
Boughton, George Henry
maker
Homer Laughlin China Co.
ID Number
1999.0136.14
accession number
1999.0136
catalog number
1999.0136.14

Homer L. Wise

Oil on thick illustration board. Portrait of Sergeant Honer L. Wise. Wise wears a olive drab field uniform with a artillery belt. He holds a M1 rifle in his left hand (on his hand there is a gold wedding band) and rests his right hand on his hip.
Description
Oil on thick illustration board. Portrait of Sergeant Honer L. Wise. Wise wears a olive drab field uniform with a artillery belt. He holds a M1 rifle in his left hand (on his hand there is a gold wedding band) and rests his right hand on his hip. Wise has brown hair, blue eyes, and is clean shaven. His uniform has been gone over with a thin coating of the color blue (common for most Chase Medal of Honor portraits). His signature in pencil is in the bottom right corner of the portrait.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47019
catalog number
47019
accession number
166217

Ben Kuroki

Oil on illustration board in a card board frame. Portrait of Sergeant Ben Kuroki.
Description
Oil on illustration board in a card board frame. Portrait of Sergeant Ben Kuroki. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: American Campaign, European-African Middle Eastern Campaign with four gold oak leaf clusters, Good Conduct Medal, unknown medal (alternating bands of yellow and light blue), Air Medal with four gold oak leaf clusters, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign with two gold leaf clusters. Army Aviation Bage includes the Aerial Gunner Badge. Kuroki wears a Air Force Presidential Unit Citation above his right breast pocket. He wears two 8th AF insignia and two Technical Sergeant 2d Grade patches on both sleeves. Kuroki wears a gold ring on his right hand and is sitting in a chair.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1945
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47012
catalog number
47012
accession number
166217

Simon Boliver Buckner, Jr

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of three star General Simon Boliver Buckner, Jr. Buckner wears a long sleeve olive shirt with shoulder loops. His necktie is tucked into the shirt between the second and third buttons.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of three star General Simon Boliver Buckner, Jr. Buckner wears a long sleeve olive shirt with shoulder loops. His necktie is tucked into the shirt between the second and third buttons. Bucker also wears a officer pin on his collar and a overseas cap. He is in front of a blue background.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
maker
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.46984
catalog number
46984
accession number
166217

print

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1944
maker
Kline, Franz
ID Number
2013.0057.01
accession number
2013.0057
catalog number
2013.0057.01

Brehon B. Somervell

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Brehon B. Somervell.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Brehon B. Somervell. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Spanish War Service, WWI Victory (with two gold stars), Army of Occupation of Germany, American Defense Service, Europeon-African Middle Eastern Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, and Unknown Ribboon (begining and ending in red, blue band in middle with two white bands on either side. resembles Bronze Star but bands of white are too large). Somervell wears a service coat with gold officer pins on his lapels and Army Service Forces patch insignia on the shouder of his left arm sleeve. He has slicked back grey/white hair and a thin moustache. Somervell sits with his hands folded. He is in front of a brown backgroup. His signature in pencil is in the bottom right corner.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1945
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47002
catalog number
47002
accession number
166217

Chung IL-Kwon

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Chung IL-Kwon. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Cross. IL-Kwon wears two unknown Republic of Korea Merit Ribbons above his right breast pocket.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Chung IL-Kwon. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Cross. IL-Kwon wears two unknown Republic of Korea Merit Ribbons above his right breast pocket. He possibly wears a Korean medal of merit (in the shape of a sun) below his left breast pocket. IL-Kwon wears a blue and white shoulder tab that says "KOREA" above a blue and white triangle patch insignia (inside are three small white stars at the triangle's points and one large white star in the middle of the triangle). He also wears a black tie and glasses.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1951 - 1953
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.58381M
catalog number
58381M
accession number
211728

Willie

Mounted gelatin silver print of Edward Weston's Willie, 1941. The photograph was printed by Edward's son Cole Weston from his father's original negative.Edward Weston was influential in the modern photography movement beginning in the 1930s.
Description (Brief)
Mounted gelatin silver print of Edward Weston's Willie, 1941. The photograph was printed by Edward's son Cole Weston from his father's original negative.
Edward Weston was influential in the modern photography movement beginning in the 1930s. He is well known for photographing the natural surroundings of his home on the California coast. Weston created striking works of art, some abstract, some more traditional images. A leader in American photography of the 20th century, Weston's prints were first exhibited at the Smithsonian in 1947. Afterwards, he remained interested in the national photography collection. At times, Weston recommended photographers to curators for collecting opportunities, and eventually donated a selection of his work and several cameras to the Photographic History Collection.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1941
maker - negative
Weston, Edward
maker - print
Weston, Cole
ID Number
PG.69.137.09
catalog number
69.137.9
accession number
288850

shaker

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1936-40
ID Number
CE.77.547Bab
accession number
1978.0033
catalog number
77.547Bab

Guard Between Two Statues

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949
maker
Erwitt, Elliott
ID Number
PG.72.13.61
accession number
2001.0310
catalog number
72.13.61

Jonathan M. Wainwright

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Jonathan M. Wainwright.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Jonathan M. Wainwright. Army Serivce Ribbons for Decorations and Medals: Medal of honor, Marine Corps Brevet, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Serice Medal with oak leaf cluster, Mexican Boarder, Victory with three gold stars, Army of Occupation of Germany, American Defense Service with a gold star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, WWII victory, Order of White Lion, Unknown Ribbons (solid green with a red rosette), Unknown Ribbon (light blue with dark blue bands at ends), Unknown Ribbon (large red block in center with two small blue and white bands on either side), Unknown Ribbon (solid red with gold device in center). Wainwright wears a Distinguished Unit Badge Army with two silver devices above his right breast pocket and a War Department General Staff Identification pin on his right breast pocket, and officer pins on his lapels. He also wears a service cap with ornamentation and U.S. insignia. A blue/green background is above his left shoulder. Wainwright's signature in pencil is in the bottom right corner.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47009
catalog number
47009
accession number
166217

Lucian King Truscott, Jr.

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of three star General Lucian King Truscott.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of three star General Lucian King Truscott. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, WWI Victory, American Defense Service, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign with two silver stars, and WWII Victory. Truscott wears a service jacket with a 5th Army-2d Design insignia on the shoulder of his upepr left arm sleeve, eight overseas service bars on his lower left arm sleeve, and officer pins on his lapels. He is holding a burning cigarette in his left hand and is in front of a light brown background. Truscott is clean shaven and has grey hair. His signature is in the bottom right corner.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47008
catalog number
47008
accession number
166217

Thomas J. Kelly

Oil on thick pressboard. Portrait of Sergeant Thomas J. Kelly. Kelly wears a Medical Department noncomissioned officers pin with a silver Geneva cross (possibly a hospital stewards insignia) above his left breast pocket.
Description
Oil on thick pressboard. Portrait of Sergeant Thomas J. Kelly. Kelly wears a Medical Department noncomissioned officers pin with a silver Geneva cross (possibly a hospital stewards insignia) above his left breast pocket. He wears a 7th Armored Division insignia patch and the chevrons of a Sergeant 4th Grade on his upper left arm sleeve. Kelly wears a overseas cap and rests his right arm on a medic M1 helmet that sits on his right knee.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47011
catalog number
47011
accession number
166217

Douglas MacArthur

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of five star General Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur wears a long sleeved khaki field uniform with a five star General pin on his collar. He also wears a peaked cap with ornamintation.Currently not on view
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of five star General Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur wears a long sleeved khaki field uniform with a five star General pin on his collar. He also wears a peaked cap with ornamintation.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
depicted (sitter)
MacArthur, Douglas
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.46979
catalog number
46979
accession number
166217

Alan P. Tappan

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of Colonel Allan P. Tappan. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, WWII Victory, Mexican Boarder Service, Victory, and European-African Middle Eastern Campaign.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of Colonel Allan P. Tappan. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, WWII Victory, Mexican Boarder Service, Victory, and European-African Middle Eastern Campaign. Tappan wears a khaki service coat with officer and Air Corps pins on his lapels, a insignia of a Colonel on his shoulder loops, a US AAF patch insignia on the shoulder of his left arm sleeve, and a pilot aviation badge above his service ribbons and left breast pocket. Tappan has blonde hair, brown eyes, and is clean shaven. His signature in pencil is at the bottom of left corner of the portrait.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47006
catalog number
47006
accession number
166217

Willard S. Paul

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of two star General Willard S. Paul. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star, and Legion of Merit.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of two star General Willard S. Paul. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star, and Legion of Merit. Paul wears the 26th Infantry Division patch insignia on the shoulder of his left arm sleeve, a overseas cap with two silver stars (indicating his rank), and officer pins on his lapels. He wears a gold watch on his left wrist and a gold ring on the ring finger of his right hand. Paul is sitting in a chair with his hands folded. A green background is painted behind his chair.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47000
catalog number
47000
accession number
166217

H. S. Aurand

Oil painting on white illustration board. Painting is a bust portrait of Major General Henry Spiese Aurand. The painting is a profile view, and he is facing to the left.
Description
Oil painting on white illustration board. Painting is a bust portrait of Major General Henry Spiese Aurand. The painting is a profile view, and he is facing to the left. The insignia on his jacket are: a Distinguished Service Medal ribbon (awarded three times), a Bronze Star ribbon, a Gold Lifesaving Medal ribbon, and three unidentifiable awards. The two stars on Aurand's shoulder indicate that he is a Major General, and the "U.S." insignia on his collar indicate that is an officer.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1945
associated date
1917 - 1918
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.46982
catalog number
46982
accession number
166217

George C. Kenney

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General George C. Kenney.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General George C. Kenney. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Cross with one gold oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Medal with a Gold Star, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Army of Occupation of Germany, Army of Cuban Pacification, American Defense Service, American Campaign, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Knight of the British Empire, Order of St. Micheael and St. George, Unknown Ribbon (yellow ribbon with green and red bands possibly Asiatic-Pacific Campaign), Unknown Ribbon with two gold leaf clusters (ending and begining in red with two small bands of blue and white in the middle), and a Unknown Ribbon (begining and ending in small white bands, mostly blue, and a additional white band in the middle flanked by two thin red bands). Kenney wears the Air Force Presidencial Unit Citation Badge above his right breast pocket and a unknown aviation badge above his service ribbons. He also wears officer pins on his lapels.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.46993
catalog number
46993
accession number
166217

Joseph Warren Stilwell

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Joseph Warren Stilwell. Stilwell wears a khaki service jacket with officer pins on his lapels. He has a military flattop haircut and is clean shaven. Stilwell also wears glasses.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of four star General Joseph Warren Stilwell. Stilwell wears a khaki service jacket with officer pins on his lapels. He has a military flattop haircut and is clean shaven. Stilwell also wears glasses. He is in front of a light blue background.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47004
catalog number
47004
accession number
166217

William F. Tompkins

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of two star General William F. Tompkin.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of two star General William F. Tompkin. Army Service Ribbons for Decorations and Medals include: Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Mexican Service, Victory with gold stars, American Defense Service, European-African Middle Eastern Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, American Campaign, WWII Victory, and Philippine Liberation Medal. Tompkin has grey hair, blue eyes, and is clean shaven. A beige background is behind the Major General's left shoulder. Tompkins signature in pencil is in the right hand corner.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1945
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47007
catalog number
47007
accession number
166217

Jacob Loucks Devers

A three-quarters portrait of General Jacob Loucks Devers depicted as Commanding General, Armoured Force, European Theatre of Operations, 6th Army Group Army Ground Forces. An oil painting on an illustration board.
Description
A three-quarters portrait of General Jacob Loucks Devers depicted as Commanding General, Armoured Force, European Theatre of Operations, 6th Army Group Army Ground Forces. An oil painting on an illustration board. A white man with gray and brown hair, General Devers is facing right wearing a brown service uniform. He has seventeen ribbons on his left chest, four stars on his shoulder pads indicating his rank as a General, U.S. officer insignia on his collar, and a blue/white/red shoulder sleeve insignia indicating the Army Ground Forces. His signature can be seen on the bottom of the portrait.The identification of the seventeen ribbons are given below proceeding from the top row to the bottom and from left to right: Distinguished Service Cross with two gold miniature oak leaves, Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star, Victory (World War I), Possibly Purple Heart, American Defense Service, American Campaign, European-African-Middle eastern Campaign with one silver and one gold star, Victory (World War II), and Army of Occupation Medal, Possibly Order of the Bath (UK), possibly Order of Military Merit (Brazil), French Legion of Honor, French Croix de Guerre (with four palms), unknown, and unknown. The unknown ribbons might be awards from foreign services and governments that are unable to be identified.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
maker
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.46987
catalog number
46987
accession number
166217

Hulon B. Whittington

Oil on thick illustration board. Portrait of Sergeant Hulon B. Whittington. Whittington wears a olive drab field uniform with a green and yellow scarf around his neck. In his right hand, and resting on his right knee, is a US M3 submachine gun.
Description
Oil on thick illustration board. Portrait of Sergeant Hulon B. Whittington. Whittington wears a olive drab field uniform with a green and yellow scarf around his neck. In his right hand, and resting on his right knee, is a US M3 submachine gun. Whittington sits with his left shoulder to the viewer and is in front of a white and green background. He has brown hair and is clean shaven. Whittington's signature in pencil is inthe top left corner.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1941 - 1945
associated person
Chase, Joseph Cummings
Chase, Joseph Cummings
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.47018
catalog number
47018
accession number
166217

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