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.

Place: France

St. Louis 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.
Glass production at Saint Louis was authorized by Louis XV in 1767. By 1782 the firm was creating high quality glass crystal, progressing into pressed glass in the 1800s. St. Louis produced paperweights from 1845 to about 1867.
This St. Louis paperweight features a six-pointed star pattern millefiori on a red ground. Millefiore paperweights, first manufactured in Venice, consist of sections from rods of colored glass encased in a clear, colorless sphere. By the mid-nineteenth century, glass factories elsewhere in Europe were emulating the millefiore style.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1845-1850
maker
St. Louis
ID Number
CE.66.19
catalog number
66.19
collector/donor number
168
accession number
268356

The Paint Shop

Ink wash sketch on paper. Interior scene of a building with exposed rafters; barrels grouped and stacked in various places. Women working on the left. A soldier stands among some barrels on the right.
Description
Ink wash sketch on paper. Interior scene of a building with exposed rafters; barrels grouped and stacked in various places. Women working on the left. A soldier stands among some barrels on the right. The catalog card reads "Sketch showing the paint shop in the central American camouflage depot at Dijon."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
associated person
War Department
artist
Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
ID Number
AF.25883
catalog number
25883
accession number
64592

Double Escape

Oil painting on canvas shows an American balloon flying over a small village. Two airplanes, one American and one German, are engaged in combat around the balloon. The American plane has red, blue, and white roundels on its wings.
Description
Oil painting on canvas shows an American balloon flying over a small village. Two airplanes, one American and one German, are engaged in combat around the balloon. The American plane has red, blue, and white roundels on its wings. The German plane, with German insignia on the wings, has been shot and is plummeting to the ground. The plane is in pieces and smoke and flames rise into the air.
The slow-moving observation balloons were easy prey for enemy fighter planes and had to be protected by allied planes. If a balloon was hit in battle, the gas in the balloon would catch fire and the balloon pilot would be forced to jump out of the balloon with his parachute. The descending pilot would then have to avoid two dangers: being hit by the burning balloon as it fell to the ground, or being hit by enemy fire from the enemy airplane. Thus, by shooting down the German plane before it could hit the balloon, the American plane gave the balloon pilot a "double escape."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
associated date
1917 - 1918
associated person
War Department
Townsend, Harry
artist
Townsend, Harry
ID Number
AF.26130
catalog number
26130
accession number
64592

Verdun, from the River

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-11
artist
Smith, J. Andre
ID Number
AF.26085
catalog number
26085
accession number
64592

A.D. Lanskoi, Catherine A L'Amitie

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
graphic artist
Tardieu, Pierre Alexandre
ID Number
GA.15779.33
catalog number
15779.33
accession number
94830

Untitled

Pencil with ink wash sketch on paper of a landscape of a town along the banks of a river. At center on the far bank is a large building, possibly a cathedral or castle, which has apparently been damaged by shell fire.
Description
Pencil with ink wash sketch on paper of a landscape of a town along the banks of a river. At center on the far bank is a large building, possibly a cathedral or castle, which has apparently been damaged by shell fire. To the right of this along the river are several other tall buildings, some with spires and towers. Below the town is a river wall and below that is a set of stairs leading to a walking path along the river. Indistinct figures can be seen along the river's edge. Signed at bottom left by the artist, "Peixotto, 1918".
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
associated person
Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
artist
Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
ID Number
AF.25865
catalog number
25865
accession number
64592

"Lame Ducks," Issoudun

Pencil sketch on paper. The sketch depicts part of an airfield in Issoudun, France. There are disassembled planes in the foreground and several more aircraft in a large hangar. Aviators and mechanics walk around the air field. The Third Aviation Instruction Center, the U.S.
Description
Pencil sketch on paper. The sketch depicts part of an airfield in Issoudun, France. There are disassembled planes in the foreground and several more aircraft in a large hangar. Aviators and mechanics walk around the air field. The Third Aviation Instruction Center, the U.S. Air Service's largest training base in Europe during World War I, was located at Issoudun.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
associated date
1917-1918
associated person
War Department
artist
Smith, J. Andre
ID Number
AF.26009
catalog number
26009
accession number
64592

Paris porcelain coffeepot

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1810-1815
ID Number
CE.P-574ab
catalog number
P-574ab
accession number
225282

Cleaning Out Boche Machine Gun Nest

Crayon and charcoal on paper. The work depicts a tank overrunning a German machine gun emplacement. There are American soldiers behind the tank. In the foreground, two German soldiers, with multi-colored camouflaged helmets, man their machine gun.
Description
Crayon and charcoal on paper. The work depicts a tank overrunning a German machine gun emplacement. There are American soldiers behind the tank. In the foreground, two German soldiers, with multi-colored camouflaged helmets, man their machine gun. The German soldier on the right holds a rifle. A barbed-wire entanglement is visible on the right.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-09-12
associated date
1917-1918
associated person
War Department
artist
Harding, George Matthews
ID Number
AF.25740
catalog number
25740
accession number
64592

Sèvres porcelain soup plate

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1839
ID Number
CE.P-379
catalog number
P-379
accession number
225282

Sketch Near Essey

A charcoal and watercolor sketch on paper of an overturned wagon and dead horse near Essey, France, on September 13, 1918. The overturned caisson (wagon designed to carry ammunition) lies at the opening of a barbed wire fence at center.
Description
A charcoal and watercolor sketch on paper of an overturned wagon and dead horse near Essey, France, on September 13, 1918. The overturned caisson (wagon designed to carry ammunition) lies at the opening of a barbed wire fence at center. A dead horse can be seen to the right of the caisson and its blood is seen trickling down the hill. A tree is seen in the upper left part of the sketch. The sketch is roughly done and only red, blue and brown are used as colors. Written at bottom left in pencil by the artist is "Sept 13. Sketch near Essey (German guns and casion [sic])"
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-09-13
associated date
1917 - 1918
associated person
Dunn, Harvey Thomas
artist
Dunn, Harvey Thomas
ID Number
AF.67521M
catalog number
67521M
accession number
229290

Baccarat 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 French firm, Baccarat, was originally founded as the Verrerie Renaut in 1764, by request of the Bishop of Metz to the King of France, Louis XV. After the French Revolution, the company was re-named Verrerie de Baccarat. Peak production of Baccarat paperweights was between 1846 and1855.
Bright red Gentians highlight this star-cut base Baccarat paperweight.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1845-1850
maker
Baccarat
ID Number
CE.66.16
catalog number
66.16
accession number
268356
collector/donor number
166

Chateau Thierry and the Valley

Pencil sketch (with other media) of the Valley of the Marne. Hills and Chateau Thierry in the background. Shell torn trees and building in foreground.Currently not on view
Description
Pencil sketch (with other media) of the Valley of the Marne. Hills and Chateau Thierry in the background. Shell torn trees and building in foreground.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-08
associated date
1917-1918
associated person
War Department
maker
Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
ID Number
AF.25818
catalog number
25818
accession number
64592

Sevres porcelain dish

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1839
ID Number
CE.P-766A
catalog number
P-766A
accession number
225282

At the Camouflage Factory in Dijon

A pastel, charcoal, and watercolor sketch on brown paper of a camouflage factory in Dijon, France. An open air building, several women are working on machines sewing cloth in front of a tall stack of brown material rolls. Wooden columns and beams on the roof can be seen.
Description
A pastel, charcoal, and watercolor sketch on brown paper of a camouflage factory in Dijon, France. An open air building, several women are working on machines sewing cloth in front of a tall stack of brown material rolls. Wooden columns and beams on the roof can be seen. A large brown tarp covers part of the right part and two women are working on a net below the tarp. Cloth in different colors are found on the left. Several buildings can be seen in the distance in the right as well as several people.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-06
associated date
1917 - 1918
associated person
War Department
Smith, J. Andre
artist
Smith, J. Andre
ID Number
AF.25912
catalog number
25912
accession number
64592

Sept. 26, The Argonne

A charcoal and watercolor drawing on paper of a machine gun encampment formerly occupied by the Germans and now taken over by the Americans. At center are three dead German soldiers in forest green uniforms lying on the ground in front of a small doorway.
Description
A charcoal and watercolor drawing on paper of a machine gun encampment formerly occupied by the Germans and now taken over by the Americans. At center are three dead German soldiers in forest green uniforms lying on the ground in front of a small doorway. A machine gun (MG 08/15) is lying on top of one of the Germans. In the background at right, several American soldiers wearing olive drab uniforms are coming through a trench headed towards the encampment. Scattered throughout the encampment are discarded pieces of German military equipment. At left is a box of stick grenades (Model 24 Stielhandgranate). Below that is a shovel and a rifle (possibly a Gewehr 98). At bottom center is a helmet and a German officer's hat. At bottom right is an ammunition belt for a machine gun along with a knife that was probably a bayonet (Seitengewehr). Written in pencil at bottom left by the artist is: "Study - Sept 26 (The Argonne)"
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
artist
Dunn, Harvey Thomas
ID Number
AF.67525m
accession number
229290
catalog number
67525M

Paris Porcelain milk or cream pitcher (part of a service)

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 18
early nineteenth century
maker
unknown
ID Number
CE.P-100
catalog number
P-100
accession number
225282

Relief Entering Nesle. (Detachment Fourth Infantry, U.S.A.)

Charcoal, crayon, ink wash, and gouache on beige card. The work depicts American infantry soldiers entering the town of Nesle, France. The men march with their gear, while a soldier in the foreground looks on, with his back to the viewer.
Description
Charcoal, crayon, ink wash, and gouache on beige card. The work depicts American infantry soldiers entering the town of Nesle, France. The men march with their gear, while a soldier in the foreground looks on, with his back to the viewer. The town's buildings are damaged from shelling. There is rubble in the street.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
associated person
War Department
artist
Aylward, William James
ID Number
AF.25663
catalog number
25663
accession number
64592

Chaumont American Headquarters

Mixed media drawing on paper. The focal point of this view of Chaumont, France is the castle of the Counts of Champagne, which looms over the town in the drawing. Chaumont was the location of the American Expeditionary Force's Headquarters during World War I.Currently not on view
Description
Mixed media drawing on paper. The focal point of this view of Chaumont, France is the castle of the Counts of Champagne, which looms over the town in the drawing. Chaumont was the location of the American Expeditionary Force's Headquarters during World War I.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1918
associated date
1917-1918
associated person
War Department
artist
Smith, J. Andre
ID Number
AF.25970
catalog number
25970
accession number
64592

Django

White on black lithograph of Belgian-born Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer Jean Reinhardt (1910-1953), known by his stage name Django Reinhardt. The image is of Django playing guitar. The print is mounted on a cardboard backing.
Description

White on black lithograph of Belgian-born Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer Jean Reinhardt (1910-1953), known by his stage name Django Reinhardt. The image is of Django playing guitar. The print is mounted on a cardboard backing. The lithograph is marked:

[printed along bottom]

DJANGO

[in script at top]

Django R

[in script]/p>

Charles Delauney
3[ ]

This print is from a set of 15 lithographs of jazz musicians, entitled Hot Iconography, first printed in 1939.

Charles Delaunay (1911–1988) was a French author and jazz expert. Delaunay was the co-founder and long-term leader of the Hot Club de France, a French organization of jazz fans dedicated to the promotion of "traditional" jazz, swing, and blues. In 1931, the Jazz Club Universitaire was founded, and later became the Hot Club de France in 1932.

Location
Currently not on view
date made
1939
depicted
Reinhardt, Django
maker
Delaunay, Charles
ID Number
2001.0182.05
accession number
2001.0182
catalog number
2001.0182.05

The Homecoming

Charcoal, oil, pastel, and watercolor drawing on paper of a French soldier returning to his war-torn home.
Description
Charcoal, oil, pastel, and watercolor drawing on paper of a French soldier returning to his war-torn home. The scene shows a French solider dressed in a blue uniform with a blue steel helmet leaning on his rifle (probably a Berthier Model 1916 Infantry Rifle or a Lebel Model 1886) with bayonet attached. An American soldier in uniform is standing behind the French soldier. The men are standing in the doorway of the French soldier's house which has recently been occupied by the retreating German Army. The house is in ruins with vases, chairs, a clock, and other objects scattered on the floor. One door has been partially shattered and the other has been torn from its hinges and is propped against the wall. Signed at the bottom left by the artist, "Harvey Dunn, AEF"
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1918
associated date
1917 - 1918
associated person
Dunn, Harvey Thomas
maker
Dunn, Harvey Thomas
ID Number
AF.25721
catalog number
25721
accession number
64592

Charles P. Summeral

Oil on illustration board. Portrait of two star General Charles P. Summerall. Summerall possibly wears the Legion of Merit around his neck and officer pins on his collar.
Description
Oil on illustration board. Portrait of two star General Charles P. Summerall. Summerall possibly wears the Legion of Merit around his neck and officer pins on his collar. The Medal is on a wreath of green laurel joined at the bottom by a gold bow-knot (rosette), a five-pointed white star bordered crimson, points reversed with v-shaped extremities tipped with a gold ball. In the center is a gold circle. Summerall is clean shaven and has grey hair. His signature is at the bottom center of the portrait in red crayon.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1919
Associated Date
1919
depicted (sitter)
Summerall, Charles P.
artist
Chase, Joseph Cummings
ID Number
AF.37724
catalog number
37724
accession number
117218

Sevres porcelain cup

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1840
ID Number
CE.P-766D
catalog number
P-766D
accession number
225282

St. Louis Paperweight Wafer Dish

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.
Glass production at Saint Louis was authorized by Louis XV in 1767. By 1782 the firm was creating high quality glass crystal, progressing into pressed glass in the 1800s. St. Louis produced paperweights from 1845 to about 1867.
This St. Louis glass wafer dish features a paperweight base consisting of scrambled millefiori and a blue and white torsade (twisted ribbon) around the upper rim. Wafer dishes such as this would have been used to hold wax letter seals, and often had paperweight bases. Millefiore paperweights, first manufactured in Venice, consist of sections from rods of colored glass encased in a clear, colorless sphere. By the mid-nineteenth century, glass factories elsewhere in Europe were emulating the millefiore style.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1845-1850
maker
St. Louis
ID Number
CE.67.220
catalog number
67.220
accession number
213138

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.