Page 9 - Demo SS Fall 2016

Fig. 1
Winterthur Museum
Renfrew Institute Director of Textile Studies and faculty member
about Winterthur:
about the Images:
Almost 60 years ago, collector and horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969) opened his childhood home, Winterthur, to the public.
Fig. 1: Exhibit catalog cover.
PrOFessIOnaL deveLOPMent: by Beth Skroban
Fig. 3
Among many lovely things, we saw several 18th- century decorated trunks, wardrobes, beds, tables and chairs, all beauti- fully painted.
In one gallery there was an ex- hibit of Tiffany stained glass lamps, with pictures of their New York factory and store, along with a display of the history of Tiffany’s and information about their family.
Last December (2015), my colleagues Pam Rowland and Doris Goldman and I traveled to Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, Delaware to see the exhibit, A Colorful Folk: Pennsylvania Germans &
In addition, there were many examples of textiles decorated with quilting and embroidery, and
Of special interest was a display that showed how to tell a real Tiffany piece from a fake one. It was set up like a guessing game— “can you pick out the real one from the fake?” Very interesting and fun.
the Art of Everyday Life.
We had our own private tour
The day was wonderful and we learned a lot about so many aspects of Pennsylvania German culture, as well as about the historic Du Pont family’s home and collections.
with a wonderful guide who showed us floors of the museum not regularly open to the public. When we explained where we worked and what we do, she tailored our tour specifically for us.
One really unique floor included architectural items salvaged from different old houses, such as an open hearth with a beehive bake oven. We also saw a variety of windows,
I felt so lucky to be able to take advantage of
Fig. 2
samplers done by school age girls— such minute stitches!
front doors, and stone floors. From the mid-19th
this excursion —sometimes I pinched myself, thinking, “I’m actually getting paid to go to a museum—one of my favorite places to be!”
century, Winterthur was the home of the famous Du Pont family. Our tour included the house, beautifully decorated for Christmas, and we learned
about the family’s Christmas traditions.
Fig. 4
Winterthur Christmas tree
Today, Winterthur is the premier museum of American decorative arts, with an unparalleled collection of nearly 90,000 objects made or used in America between about 1640 and 1860.
Fig. 3: Chest for Johannes Miller, decoration attributed to Henrich Otto (1733–ca. 1799), Millbach area, Lebanon County, Pa., 1783.
The collection is displayed in the magnificent 175-room house, much as it was when the du Pont family lived here, as well as in per- manent and changing exhibition galleries.
Fig. 4: Drawing of a schoolmaster, attributed to Conrad Gilbert (1734– 1812), Berks County, Pa., ca. 1800.
Fig 2: Sampler made by Elisa Kulp, Franconia area, Montgomery County, Pa., 1816. Silk embroidery on linen, 171⁄2 x 11 inches. Private collection.
Source: www.winterthur.org
Professional development oppor- tunities are possible with the generous support of Nancy & Jim Hall, Richard & Peggy Walsh, Waynesboro Lioness Club, Donna & Tony Haugh, and Karen &
Ed Herald.
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