Page content
Current Exhibits
at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
Tramp Art
Explore this intriguing art form through the study of six objects ranging from a 7-foot tall cheval glass to a doll-sized roll-top desk. Notch or chip carving required few tools and little training. In the most common form of tramp art, notches were carved into the edges of cigar box wood, usually with a penknife, and the carved wood was then stacked and fastened with small nails or glue to create detailed, three dimensional designs. Men with spare time in the evenings created wonderfully layered objects that decorated the homes of family and friends. Furniture pieces like the cheval glass were made from large chunks of wood but with the same notched/chip carved technique. Through September 7, 2014
American Folk Portraits
This exhibition of folk art portraits in the Gladys & Franklin Clark Foundation Gallery, highlights the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum's superb collection of primarily19th-century images of children, adults and families. The exhibition focuses on the period 1700-1850. Old favorites such as Baby in Red Chair, one of the earliest pictures to enter the collection, and a group portrait of the Smith family of Richmond, Virginia, the most recent addition to the collection, join more than 40 other portraits to offer a rich and diverse look at a period before photography changed the way people saw each other and themselves. Ongoing exhibit.
Quilts in the Baltimore Manner
This exhibition in the Foster and Muriel McCarl Gallery features 19th-century quilts made in and around the Baltimore area. The exhibition showcases 12 fine examples of the Baltimore quilt tradition with a sampling of quilts made in nearby counties as well as in parts of Virginia. Some of the most highly treasured quilts of the 19th century are the distinctive appliquéd album quilts made in Baltimore between 1845 and 1855. The third largest city in the U.S. during the 1840s, Baltimore also boasted the largest seaport and had a strong textile industry. These colorful, elaborately designed bed coverings are a feast for the eyes. This exhibition is underwritten in part by multiple gifts to the Quilt Exhibition Fund. Open through May 11, 2014.
Steve Harley: An Original Life
This exhibition showcases the life and work of Steve Harley (1863-1947) who traveled to the Pacific Northwest and was inspired by such places as Wallowa Lake, Wind River and Mount Hood. His paintings capture the natural beauty of the places in stunning color. Only five paintings survive, all of which are owned by the museum and are shown in the exhibition along with sketches and photographs. Through September 2, 2013.
