Domestic Furnishings

Tiffany Floor Lamp

Washboards, armchairs, lamps, and pots and pans may not seem to be museum pieces. But they are invaluable evidence of how most people lived day to day, last week or three centuries ago. The Museum's collections of domestic furnishings comprise more than 40,000 artifacts from American households. Large and small, they include four houses, roughly 800 pieces of furniture, fireplace equipment, spinning wheels, ceramics and glass, family portraits, and much more.

The Arthur and Edna Greenwood Collection contains more than 2,000 objects from New England households from colonial times to mid-1800s. From kitchens of the past, the collections hold some 3,300 artifacts, ranging from refrigerators to spatulas. The lighting devices alone number roughly 3,000 lamps, candleholders, and lanterns.

Name: Sarony & Major

Highland Fling

Black and white print of a young girl in Scottish dress dancing. The image is in an ornate oval border.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of a young girl in Scottish dress dancing. The image is in an ornate oval border.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1846
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2661
catalog number
60.2661
accession number
228146

Washington

Color print, full length portrait of George Washington seated in an elaborate chair holding a quill pen. His arm rests beside a document on a table. Mount Vervon can be seen out a window in the right background.
Description (Brief)
Color print, full length portrait of George Washington seated in an elaborate chair holding a quill pen. His arm rests beside a document on a table. Mount Vervon can be seen out a window in the right background. A red heavy fringed drapery is behind him on the left and the chair rests on a patterned carpet.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1846
depicted
Washington, George
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.3179
catalog number
60.3179

Kate

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1845-1857
distributor
Sowle & Shaw
lithographer
Sarony & Major
artist
Sarony, Napoleon
ID Number
DL.60.2516
catalog number
60.2516
accession number
228146

Which of Us Will You Marry?

Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater w
Description
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class, and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
This colored print is a half portrait of two women,one with dark hair and brown eyes, the other with light hair and blue eyes. The hair on both women is parted in the center with ringlets. The darker haired woman has a flower in her hair and wears a heart pendant on a necklace. There is a plain background.
The print was produced by Sarony & Major. Napoleon Sarony (1821–1896) was born in Quebec and trained under several lithography firms including Currier & Ives and H.R. Robinson. Sarony was also known for his successful experiments in early photography, eventually developing a cabinet-sized camera. In 1846, Sarony partnered with another former apprentice of Nathaniel Currier, Henry B. Major and created Sarony & Major Lithography firm. Joseph F. Knapp joined the firm in 1857. Sarony, Major & Knapp earned a solid reputation for lithography and the company was especially known for its fine art chromolithography. Unfortunately, by the 1870s, the firm shifted focus to the more profitable area of advertising. It also expanded to become the conglomerate known as the American Lithographic Company, successfully producing calendars, advertising cards and posters. In 1930 they were bought out by Consolidated Graphics.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1846
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2250
catalog number
60.2250
accession number
228146

Fanny Elssler in the Shadow Dance

Black and white print of a ballet dancer (Fanny Elssler in her role as La Sylphide) on point beside a moonlit shore of a lake.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of a ballet dancer (Fanny Elssler in her role as La Sylphide) on point beside a moonlit shore of a lake.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1846
depicted
Elssler, Fanny
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2660
catalog number
60.2660
accession number
228146

The Declaration of Independence

Hand colored print; interior scene showing the composers and signers of the Declaration of Independence. The chairman, John Hancock, sits in an upholstered armchair at a table in the foreground. A group of men stand before the table.
Description (Brief)
Hand colored print; interior scene showing the composers and signers of the Declaration of Independence. The chairman, John Hancock, sits in an upholstered armchair at a table in the foreground. A group of men stand before the table. The rest of the men are seated or standing around the perimeter of the room. A man seated at a table at right appears to be taking notes. The original painting by Trumbull shows the drafting committee presenting their draft to the Continental Congress, which took place on June 28th, 1776 and not the signing which mostly took place on July 2. The print indicates the scene was from July 4th 1776. The drafters include John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. 42 of the 56 signers are depicted and a few of the participants who did not sign such as John Dickinson.
This recognizable image was used in classrooms, public buildings and textbooks throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries and was based on a reverse presentation of the 1817-1818 painting by John Trumbull in the US Capitol or the earlier painting currently owned by Yale.
Napoleon Sarony (1821–1896), the graphic artist and lithographer, was born in Quebec and trained under several lithography firms including Currier & Ives and H.R. Robinson. Sarony was also known for his successful experiments in early photography, eventually developing a cabinet-sized camera. In 1846, Sarony collaborated with another former apprentice of Nathaniel Currier, Henry B. Major and created Sarony & Major Lithography firm. Joseph F. Knapp joined the firm in 1857. Sarony, Major & Knapp earned a solid reputation for lithography and the company was especially known for its fine art chromolithography. Unfortunately, by the 1870s, the firm shifted focus to the more profitable area of advertising. It also expanded to become the conglomerate known as the American Lithographic Company, successfully producing calendars, advertising cards and posters. In 1930, Consolidated Graphics bought them out.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1843-1853
depicted
Hancock, John
Adams, John
Franklin, Benjamin
Jefferson, Thomas
maker
Sarony & Major
Sarony, Napoleon
ID Number
DL.60.2535
catalog number
60.2535
accession number
228146

The Lovers

Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater w
Description
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
Colored print; full length portrait of man and woman happily walking arm in arm near a river's edge. Both appear to be in fine riding costume and carry riding crops. The man wears a fitted coat, brocade vest, ascot, plaid trousers and a high silk hat. The woman wears a long skirt with train, fitted bodice, high stiff collar with bow tie, and a high silk hat. Several small sailboats and a canoe are on the river in a bucolic background scene while a group of homes and a church or large municipal building are on a hill overlooking the river..
The print was produced by Sarony & Major. Napoleon Sarony (1821–1896) was born in Quebec and trained under several lithography firms including Currier & Ives and H.R. Robinson. Sarony was also known for his successful experiments in early photography, eventually developing a cabinet-sized camera. In 1846, Sarony partnered with another former apprentice of Nathaniel Currier, Henry B. Major and created Sarony & Major Lithography firm. Joseph F. Knapp joined the firm in 1857. Sarony, Major & Knapp earned a solid reputation for lithography and the company was especially known for its fine art chromolithography. Unfortunately, by the 1870s, the firm shifted focus to the more profitable area of advertising. It also expanded to become the conglomerate known as the American Lithographic Company, successfully producing calendars, advertising cards and posters. In 1930 they were bought out by Consolidated Graphics.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
artist
Sarony, Napoleon
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2274
catalog number
60.2274
accession number
228146

The Two Martyrs

Black and white print with tint, full length portrait of two men (Joseph and Hyrum Smith) standing, holding canes, and facing each other. They are both in formal dress.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print with tint, full length portrait of two men (Joseph and Hyrum Smith) standing, holding canes, and facing each other. They are both in formal dress.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1847
depicted
Smith, Joseph
Smith, Hyrum
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.3208
catalog number
60.3208

Legend of Sleepy Hollow illustration

Black and white print after an etching.
Description (Brief)
Black and white print after an etching. Illustration from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow showing Ichabod Crane dancing with Katrina Van Tassel at a party under the eaves of the Van Tassel home.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1820 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acclaim in Europe and the U.S. over the course of his successful writing career. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was included in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent” while Irving was living in Europe. Thus, he was one of the earliest American authors to survive merely on his writing. Irving’s stories have remained an emblem of American culture as they were some of the first short stories that aimed to entertain rather than educate. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow story inspired artists to create beautiful illustrations like the one included in this print.
The gothic story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells of a man named Ichabod Crane who comes to Tarrytown, New York, known in the story as Sleepy Hollow, as a teacher. As he tries to win the heart of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, he ultimately finds himself being chased by the village’s feared legend, the Headless Horsemen. The story ends with a smashed pumpkin being found in the place where Ichabon disappeared, never to be seen again. This story is particularly popular around Halloween.
In this illustration Katrina Van Tassel is responding more positively to Ichabod’s affections as she dances with him and raises her eyes to the viewer. The setting is a party at the Van Tassel’s home, for which Ichabod was excited to receive an invitation. The background shows a crowd of people, some drunk, sleeping, dancing etc. But Brom Bones sits in the corner of the room all alone, evidently upset and jealous over Katrina’s relationship with Ichabod.
Sarony, Major, & Knapp was one of the largest lithographic firms at the end of the 19th and the early of the 20th centuries. However, before it achieved this success it started out small in 1843 when Napoleon Sarony and James P. Major joined together to start a business. Later in 1857, Joseph F. Knapp joined the company making it Sarony, Major, & Knapp. At the time that this was printed, Knapp was not a part of the business, so it was just Sarony & Major.
Felix O. C. Darley (1822-1888), the artist behind the twelve best-known illustrations for The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow, is considered one of America’s best illustrators. The publisher was the American Art Union, (1839-1857) a subscription organization created to educate the public about American art and artists while providing support for American artists. For $5.00 members would receive admissions to the gallery showing, a yearly report, and an engraving of an original work, as well as any benefits each chapter might provide. Two special editions of the story, each with a set of six of Darley’s illustrations were published; the special edition including this illustration was published in 1850. This print has been rebound with the five others at the back of the book and the cover is incorrectly from the earlier Rip Van Winkle edition published for the American Art Union, however the title page and text are of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
delete
1849
copyright holder, publisher
American Art Union
maker
Darley, Felix Octavius Carr
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2427
catalog number
60.2427
accession number
228146

Victorious Bombardment of Vera Cruz

Color print of a naval battle; three war ships flying American flags are bombarding a fort that flies the Mexican flag.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of a naval battle; three war ships flying American flags are bombarding a fort that flies the Mexican flag.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1847
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.3266
catalog number
60.3266

Mother's Joy

Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater w
Description (Brief)
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class, and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
This is a black and white print; full length, standing portrait of a young girl facing front in fancy dress with flowers in hair. Indoor scene depicts paneled walls, miniature tea service, tablecloth, ornate stool and rug. The companion print is "Father's Pride" (DL*60.2223)
The drawing was produced by Napoleon Sarony and lithographed and published by his firm of Sarony & Major. Sarony and his partner Henry B. Major were former employees of Nathaniel Currier prior to establishing their firm in New York City in 1846.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
distributors
Sowle & Shaw
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2224
catalog number
60.2224
accession number
228146

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1819 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acc
Description
Rip Van Winkle, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1819 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acclaim in Europe and the U.S. over the course of his successful writing career. Rip Van Winkle was included in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent” while Irving was living in Europe. Thus, he was one of the earliest American authors to survive merely on his writing. Irving’s stories have remained an emblem of American culture as they were some of the first short stories that aimed to entertain rather than educate. The two best known Irving stories- Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow have inspired artists to create beautiful illustrations like the one included in this print.
The gothic story Rip Van Winkle tells of an ordinary 19th century man who lives in the Dutch Kaatskills (currently the Catskills of New York). He struggles with his nagging wife, Dame Van Winkle, and in an effort to escape her on an especially bad day, he flees to the woods with his dog and his gun. While in the woods, he meets a stranger who is a representation of the spirits of Hendrick Hudson, and is instructed to serve these spirits a precious drink. Tempted, he tries the drink as well and ultimately becomes so drunk that he falls into a deep sleep. When he wakes, he thinks that it is merely the next morning, but it becomes clear that 20 years have passed. He is now an old widow with Loyalist sentiments that show he is living in the past, prior to the American Revolution. The story ends with Rip Van Winkle living a peaceful life in the home of his daughter, finally free from his wife’s nagging.
This print shows Rip Van Winkle sitting among four children of the village. Two of them are boys, while the other two appear to be girls, and they all gather around Rip Van Winkle who is balancing a toy sailboat in a tub of water. Two of the boys lie on the bench beside Rip Van Winkle while a young girl lies on his back. Also pictured are some animals, including Rip Van Winkle’s dog Woof, a cat curled up underneath the bench, and some type of bird with her chicks. The setting appears to be in some type of open or lean-to shed as there are tools leaning against the wall and the building is open to the elements, showing the forest and farmland of the region. At this point of the story, Rip Van Winkle is described as a man who was popular among the village children; he would spend time teaching them how to fly kites or recounting ghost stories with them gathered round.
Sarony, Major, & Knapp was one of the largest lithographic firms at the end of the 19th and the early of the 20th centuries. However, before it achieved this success it started out small in 1843 when Napoleon Sarony and James P. Major joined together to start a business. Later in 1857, Joseph F. Knapp joined the company making it Sarony, Major, & Knapp. At the time that this was printed, Knapp was not a part of the business, so it was just Sarony & Major.
Felix O. C. Darley (1822-1888), the artist behind the twelve best-known illustrations for The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow, is considered one of America’s best illustrators. The publisher was the American Art Union, (1839-1857) a subscription organization created to educate the public about American art and artists while providing support for American artists. For $5.00 members would receive admissions to the gallery showing, a yearly report, and an engraving of an original work, as well as any benefits each chapter might provide. Two special editions of the story, each with a set of six of Darley’s illustrations were published; the special edition including this illustration was published in 1850. This print is bound with five others at the back of a rebound book. The cover is of the earlier Rip Van Winkle edition published for the American Art Union but the title page and text are of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1848
maker
Sarony & Major
Darley, Felix Octavius Carr
ID Number
DL.60.2443
catalog number
60.2443
accession number
228146

"The Storming of Chapultepec"

This print depicts American forces attacking the fortress palace of Chapultepec on Sept. 13th, 1847. General Winfield Scott, on a white horse (lower left), led the southern division of the U.S. Army that successfully captured Mexico City during the Mexican American War.
Description
This print depicts American forces attacking the fortress palace of Chapultepec on Sept. 13th, 1847. General Winfield Scott, on a white horse (lower left), led the southern division of the U.S. Army that successfully captured Mexico City during the Mexican American War. The outcome of American victory was the loss of Mexico's northern territories, from California to New Mexico, by the terms set in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It should be noted that the two countries ratified different versions of the same peace treaty, with the United States ultimately eliminating provisions for honoring the land titles of its newly absorbed Mexican citizens. Despite notable opposition to the war from Americans like Abraham Lincoln, John Quincy Adams, and Henry David Thoreau, the Mexican-American War proved hugely popular. The United States' victory boosted American patriotism and the country's belief in Manifest Destiny.
This large chromolithograph was first distributed in 1848 by Nathaniel Currier of Currier and Ives, who served as the "sole agent." The lithographers, Sarony & Major of New York (1846-1857) copied it from a painting by "Walker." While the current location of that painting is unknown, when the print was created, the painting was owned by Captain B. S. Roberts of the Mounted Rifles, as indicated by an inscription below the image.
The original artist has previously been incorrectly attributed to William Aiken Walker as well as Henry A. Walke, as both worked at various times with Currier. The artist of the original painting however is James Walker (1819-1889), who created the "Battle of Chapultepec" 1857-1862 for the U.S. Capitol. This image differs from the painting commissioned for the U. S. Capitol by depicting the troops in regimented battle lines with General Scott in a more prominent position in the foreground. Variant copies of the image from different viewpoints were painted by Walker. James Walker was living in Mexico City at the outbreak of the Mexican War and joined the American forces as an interpreter. Attached to General Worth's staff, he was present at the battles of Contreras, Churubusco, and at Chapultepec was tasked as the artist. Captain Benjamin Stone Roberts, an engineer, was assigned by General Winfield Scott to assist Walker with recreating the details of the battle of Chapultepec. Roberts is depicted in the painting as leading the storming. When the painting was complete, Roberts purchased a copy of the painting for $250.00 (documented in letters and a diary). Captain George T. M. Davis, aide-de-camp to Generals Quitman and Shields also purchased a copy of the painting by Walker, in Mexico City, which was publicized in newspapers and made into a print. By 1848, James Walker had returned to a New York City studio in the same neighborhood as the print's distributor Nathaniel Currier and lithographers Napoleon Sarony and Henry B. Major.
This popular lithograph was one of several published to visually document the war while engaging the imagination of the public. Created prior to photography, these prints were meant to inform the public, while generally eliminating the portrayal of more gory details. Historians have been able to use at least some prints of the Mexican War for study and corroborate with the traditional literary forms of documentation. As an eyewitness, both Walke and Walker could claim accuracy of detail within the narrative. The battle is presented in the grand, historic, heroic style with the brutality of war not portrayed. The print depiction is quite large for a chromo of the period. In creating the chromolithographic interpretation of the painting, Sarony & Major used at least four large stones to produce the print "in colours," making the most of their use of color. They also defined each figure with precision by outlining each in black. This print was considered by expert/collector Harry T. Peters as one of the finest ever produced by Sarony & Major.
Description (Spanish)
Este grabado ilustra a las fuerzas americanas atacando la fortaleza del palacio de Chapultepec el 13 de septiembre de 1847. El General Winfield Scott, representado en la esquina inferior izquierda montando un caballo blanco, condujo la división sureña del ejército estadounidense que tomó con éxito la ciudad de México durante la guerra mexicoamericana. El resultado de la victoria americana se tradujo en la pérdida para México de los territorios al norte del país, desde California hasta Nuevo México. Estos términos quedaron establecidos en el tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo. Debe observarse que las dos naciones ratificaron diferentes versiones del mismo tratado de paz, con los Estados Unidos eliminando en última instancia cláusulas que reconocían títulos territoriales a los ciudadanos mexicanos recientemente asimilados. A pesar de la notable oposición de los americanos a la guerra, como Abraham Lincoln, John Quincy Adams y Henry David Thoreau, la Guerra Mexicoamericana evidenció ser considerablemente popular. La victoria de los Estados Unidos reforzó el patriotismo americano y la fe del país en el Destino Manifiesto.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1848
associated date
1847-09-13
distributor
Currier, Nathaniel
depicted
Scott, Winfield
lithographer
Sarony & Major
artist
Walker, James
ID Number
DL.60.2602
catalog number
60.2602
accession number
228146

Capitulation of Monterey

Black and white print; two generals (General Pedro de Ampudia and General Zachary Taylor) meeting between the lines of their respective troops. American encampment in background with tents, men and a flag.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print; two generals (General Pedro de Ampudia and General Zachary Taylor) meeting between the lines of their respective troops. American encampment in background with tents, men and a flag.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1846
depicted
Ampudia, Pedro de
Taylor, Zachary
maker
Sarony & Major
artist
Sarony, Napoleon
ID Number
DL.60.2556
catalog number
60.2556
accession number
228146

Caroline

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
maker
Sarony & Major
artist
Sarony, Napoleon
ID Number
DL.60.2521
catalog number
60.2521
accession number
228146

Legend of Sleepy Hollow illustration

Black and white print after an etching.
Description (Brief)
Black and white print after an etching. Illustration from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow showing Ichabod Crane on horseback encountering the "Headless Horseman" on a wooded, hilly, country road.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1820 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acclaim in Europe and the U.S. over the course of his successful writing career. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was included in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent” while Irving was living in Europe. Thus, he was one of the earliest American authors to survive merely on his writing. Irving’s stories have remained an emblem of American culture as they were some of the first short stories that aimed to entertain rather than educate. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow story inspired artists to create beautiful illustrations like the one included in this print.
The gothic story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells of a man named Ichabod Crane who comes to Tarrytown, New York, known in the story as Sleepy Hollow, as a teacher. As he tries to win the heart of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, he ultimately finds himself being chased by the village’s feared legend, the Headless Horsemen. The story ends with a smashed pumpkin being found in the place where Ichabon disappeared, never to be seen again. This story is particularly popular around Halloween.
In the illustration Ichabod finally comes into contact with the Headless Horseman, who rides a black horse and wears a black cloak concealing his head and face. The Horseman is holding an orange round pumpkin in front of him, which Ichabon perceives as the man’s head. Ichabod rides a white horse whose expression matches his own in terms of terror and surprise. At this point in the story, Ichabod was on his way home following the party at the Van Tassel’s. The two men and their horse’s are frozen in place, caught off guard by one another.
Sarony, Major, & Knapp was one of the largest lithographic firms at the end of the 19th and the early of the 20th centuries. However, before it achieved this success it started out small in 1843 when Napoleon Sarony and James P. Major joined together to start a business. Later in 1857, Joseph F. Knapp joined the company making it Sarony, Major, & Knapp. At the time that this was printed, Knapp was not a part of the business, so it was just Sarony & Major.
Felix O. C. Darley (1822-1888), the artist behind the twelve best-known illustrations for The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow, is considered one of America’s best illustrators. The publisher was the American Art Union, (1839-1857) a subscription organization created to educate the public about American art and artists while providing support for American artists. For $5.00 members would receive admissions to the gallery showing, a yearly report, and an engraving of an original work, as well as any benefits each chapter might provide. Two special editions of the story, each with a set of six of Darley’s illustrations were published; the special edition including this illustration was published in 1850. This print has been rebound with the five others at the back of the book and the cover is incorrectly from the earlier Rip Van Winkle edition published for the American Art Union, however the title page and text are of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1849
copyright holder; publisher
American Art Union
maker
Darley, Felix Octavius Carr
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2428
catalog number
60.2428
accession number
228146

Byron's First Love

Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater w
Description
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
This hand colored print is of a man and a woman seated on a wooden bench underneath a tree. The couple sits in a garden under the moon surrounded by flowers. The man is resting his head on the woman’s shoulder while they gaze intently at each other; they have their arms wrapped around each other. The man is dressed as a sailor, while the woman wears a long full-skirted dress with lace on the bodice, ruffles down the front, a lace veil and beads around both her neck and head.
The print was produced by Sarony & Major. Napoleon Sarony (1821–1896) was born in Quebec and trained under several lithography firms including Currier & Ives and H.R. Robinson. Sarony was also known for his successful experiments in early photography, eventually developing a cabinet-sized camera. In 1846, Sarony partnered with another former apprentice of Nathaniel Currier, Henry B. Major and created Sarony & Major Lithography firm. Joseph F. Knapp joined the firm in 1857. Sarony, Major & Knapp earned a solid reputation for lithography and the company was especially known for its fine art chromolithography. Unfortunately, by the 1870s, the firm shifted focus to the more profitable area of advertising. It also expanded to become the conglomerate known as the American Lithographic Company, successfully producing calendars, advertising cards and posters. In 1930 they were bought out by Consolidated Graphics.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1846
referenced
Byron, George Gordon
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2330
catalog number
60.2330
accession number
228146

The Cat - Astrophe

Colored print of a black and white cat with its front paws caught in an animal trap. A bowl of milk is tipping over, spilling its contents onto the floor. Brick wall in backgroundCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
Colored print of a black and white cat with its front paws caught in an animal trap. A bowl of milk is tipping over, spilling its contents onto the floor. Brick wall in background
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1846
maker
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2337
catalog number
60.2337
accession number
228146

Legend of Sleepy Hollow illustration

Black and white print after an etching.
Description (Brief)
Black and white print after an etching. Illustration from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow showing Ichabod Crane on horseback fleeing the "Headless Horseman" in terror through the woods.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1820 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acclaim in Europe and the U.S. over the course of his successful writing career. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was included in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent” while Irving was living in Europe. Thus, he was one of the earliest American authors to survive merely on his writing. Irving’s stories have remained an emblem of American culture as they were some of the first short stories that aimed to entertain rather than educate. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow story inspired artists to create beautiful illustrations like the one included in this print.
The gothic story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells of a man named Ichabod Crane who comes to Tarrytown, New York, known in the story as Sleepy Hollow, as a teacher. As he tries to win the heart of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, he ultimately finds himself being chased by the village’s feared legend, the Headless Horsemen. The story ends with a smashed pumpkin being found in the place where Ichabon disappeared, never to be seen again. This story is particularly popular around Halloween.
This print illustrates Ichabod Crane fleeing the Headless Horseman, whose body is angled in such a way to make him appear headless. Ichabod’s expression shows his fear, which matches the fear in his white horse’s eyes. The chase takes place in a dark and desolate wood. The Headless Horseman is just behind Ichabod, so it is clear that this takes place just before Ichabod was overtaken.
Sarony, Major, & Knapp was one of the largest lithographic firms at the end of the 19th and the early of the 20th centuries. However, before it achieved this success it started out small in 1843 when Napoleon Sarony and James P. Major joined together to start a business. Later in 1857, Joseph F. Knapp joined the company making it Sarony, Major, & Knapp. At the time that this was printed, Knapp was not a part of the business, so it was just Sarony & Major.
Felix O. C. Darley (1822-1888), the artist behind the twelve best-known illustrations for The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow, is considered one of America’s best illustrators. The publisher was the American Art Union, (1839-1857) a subscription organization created to educate the public about American art and artists while providing support for American artists. For $5.00 members would receive admissions to the gallery showing, a yearly report, and an engraving of an original work, as well as any benefits each chapter might provide. Two special editions of the story, each with a set of six of Darley’s illustrations were published; the special edition including this illustration was published in 1850. This print has been rebound with the five others at the back of the book and the cover is incorrectly from the earlier Rip Van Winkle edition published for the American Art Union, however the title page and text are of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1849
copyright holder, publisher
American Art Union
maker
Darley, Felix Octavius Carr
Sarony & Major
ID Number
DL.60.2429
catalog number
60.2429
accession number
228146

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1819 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acc
Description
Rip Van Winkle, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1819 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acclaim in Europe and the U.S. over the course of his successful writing career. Rip Van Winkle was included in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent” while Irving was living in Europe. Thus, he was one of the earliest American authors to survive merely on his writing. Irving’s stories have remained an emblem of American culture as they were some of the first short stories that aimed to entertain rather than educate. The two best known Irving stories- Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow have inspired artists to create beautiful illustrations like the one included in this print.
The gothic story Rip Van Winkle tells of an ordinary 19th century man who lives in the Dutch Kaatskills (currently the Catskills of New York). He struggles with his nagging wife, Dame Van Winkle, and in an effort to escape her on an especially bad day, he flees to the woods with his dog and his gun. While in the woods, he meets a stranger who is a representation of the spirits of Hendrick Hudson, and is instructed to serve these spirits a precious drink. Tempted, he tries the drink as well and ultimately becomes so drunk that he falls into a deep sleep. When he wakes, he thinks that it is merely the next morning, but it becomes clear that 20 years have passed. He is now an old widow with Loyalist sentiments that show he is living in the past, prior to the American Revolution. The story ends with Rip Van Winkle living a peaceful life in the home of his daughter, finally free from his wife’s nagging.
This print illustrates a young Rip Van Winkle in a domestic setting. He calmly attends to his pipe while an angry looking woman, presumably his nagging wife, scowls at him. Another woman with a calmer expression has the angry woman in an embrace, evidently taking the side of Rip Van Winkle with this particular squabble. Also depicted in the illustration are two children, likely the two children of the Van Winkle family, Rip Van Winkle’s dog Wolf, and some other animal that is obscured by the washbasin table on which the two women are working.
Sarony, Major, & Knapp was one of the largest lithographic firms at the end of the the end of the 19th and the early of the 20th centuries. However, before it achieved this success it started out small in 1843 when Napoleon Sarony and James P. Major joined together to start a business. Later in 1857, Joseph F. Knapp joined the company making it Sarony, Major, & Knapp. At the time that this was printed, Knapp was not a part of the business, so it was just Sarony & Major.
Felix O. C. Darley (1822-1888), the artist behind the twelve best-known illustrations for The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow, is considered one of America’s best illustrators. The publisher was the American Art Union, (1839-1857) a subscription organization created to educate the public about American art and artists while providing support for American artists. For $5.00 members would receive admissions to the gallery showing, a yearly report, and an engraving of an original work, as well as any benefits each chapter might provide. Two special editions of the story, each with a set of six of Darley’s illustrations were published; the special edition including this illustration was published in 1850. This print is bound with five others at the back of a rebound book. The cover is of the earlier Rip Van Winkle edition published for the American Art Union but the title page and text are of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1848
maker
Sarony & Major
Darley, Felix Octavius Carr
ID Number
DL.60.2442
catalog number
60.2442
accession number
228146

An Oasis in a Buddhist Desert by Ellen Huntly Bullard Mason and Sarony & Major

This colored print depicts a mission school at the American Baptist Missionary Union in Moulmein (now Mawlamyine), British Burma. This former colony became an independent republic in 1948.
Description
This colored print depicts a mission school at the American Baptist Missionary Union in Moulmein (now Mawlamyine), British Burma. This former colony became an independent republic in 1948. The ruling military leadership changed the British name for the country to Myanmar in 1988. The scene includes dormitories, teachers' residences, and classroom buildings. A variety of palm trees and shrubs are scattered about the grounds and along a central dirt path.
This print was created by Mrs. H.B. Mason(artist) and produced by Sarony & Major. Ellen Huntly Bullard Mason was the wife of the missionary clergyman Frances Mason (1799-1874). Mrs. Mason wrote and illustrated works about her missionary activities in Burma, including efforts aimed at Burmese women.
Napoleon Sarony (1821–1896) was born in Quebec and trained under several lithography firms, including Currier & Ives and H.R. Robinson. Sarony was also known for his successful experiments in early photography, and he eventually developed a cabinet-sized camera. In 1846, Sarony partnered with another former apprentice of Nathaniel Currier, Henry B. Major, and created Sarony & Major lithography firm. Joseph F. Knapp (1832-1891) joined the firm in 1857. Sarony, Major & Knapp earned a solid reputation for lithography, and the company was especially known for its fine art chromolithography. However, by the 1870s, the firm had shifted its focus to the more profitable area of advertising. It also expanded to become the conglomerate known as the American Lithographic Company, successfully producing calendars, advertising cards, and posters. In 1930 it was bought out by Consolidated Graphics.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850
publisher
Colby, Lewis
maker
Sarony & Major
artist
Mason, Mrs. H. B.
ID Number
DL.60.2488
catalog number
60.2488
accession number
228146

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