Expressions of Innocence and Eloquence: Selections from the Jane Katcher Collection of Americana
American folk art and decorative arts from the early years of the Republic are telling indicators of family traditions, aesthetic values, and household customs of the young nation. Showing us how creative and consumer cultures from the old world were transformed in the new, Expressions of Innocence and Eloquence presents more than two hundred examples of American folk art and decorative arts created in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the 18th and 19th centuries. Drawn...
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American folk art and decorative arts from the early years of the Republic are telling indicators of family traditions, aesthetic values, and household customs of the young nation. Showing us how creative and consumer cultures from the old world were transformed in the new, Expressions of Innocence and Eloquence presents more than two hundred examples of American folk art and decorative arts created in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the 18th and 19th centuries. Drawn from the extraordinary Jane Katcher Collection, the book features familiar expressions of American folk art—portraits and carvings, quilts and needlework, weathervanes and whirligigs, family records and calligraphy, ceramics, furniture, baskets, and toys—as well as the unexpected—valentines, friendship albums, and keepsakes woven from the hair of loved ones. A distinguished group of scholars discuss these objects within the context of historical, economic, and social issues as well as aesthetics.. There are also explorations of craft methods and artistic strategies practiced by the artists and artisans represented in the collection. Separate essays on the Shaker and the Pennsylvania-German communities concentrate on the unique features of their material cultures and their religious and social orientations. With more than 100 previously unpublished works, this generously illustrated book is essential for anyone interested in American folk art or decorative arts.Nadine Dalton Speidel - Library JournalOftentimes, a catalog of works collected by an individual tells more about the individual than about the works themselves. Such is the case with this book, which might easily be retitled Expressions of Love. Editor Katcher has a good eye for nuance in American folk and decorative arts created in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the 18th and 19th centuries, and she obviously delights in sharing her collection with readers. She writes that the combination of the art's utility and beauty breaks down barriers to the art itself. These items are meant to be touched. Physical aspects of the book reinforce this notion: each page has a matte texture, and a background color accents each item shown. Contributing scholars encourage other connections e.g., connections to England with the essay on American Windsor chairs, connections to history and the earth with the essay on baskets, and connections to future research in the essay on mocha and spatter wares, which apparently have not yet been studied in depth. A 100-page catalog follows, listing details, provenance, and whether the item was ever published very helpful for scholars. For larger libraries and libraries with a demand for early American art.
\ Library JournalOftentimes, a catalog of works collected by an individual tells more about the individual than about the works themselves. Such is the case with this book, which might easily be retitled Expressions of Love. Editor Katcher has a good eye for nuance in American folk and decorative arts created in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the 18th and 19th centuries, and she obviously delights in sharing her collection with readers. She writes that the combination of the art's utility and beauty breaks down barriers to the art itself. These items are meant to be touched. Physical aspects of the book reinforce this notion: each page has a matte texture, and a background color accents each item shown. Contributing scholars encourage other connections—e.g., connections to England with the essay on American Windsor chairs, connections to history and the earth with the essay on baskets, and connections to future research in the essay on mocha and spatter wares, which apparently have not yet been studied in depth. A 100-page catalog follows, listing details, provenance, and whether the item was ever published—very helpful for scholars. For larger libraries and libraries with a demand for early American art.\ —Nadine Dalton Speidel\ \
