The great American hall of wonders : art, science, and invention in the nineteenth century / Claire Perry.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Perry, Claire, 1954-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arts, American.

Themes, motives.

Creative ability.

History.

Civilization.

United States--Civilization--19th century--Exhibitions.

United States.

Creative ability--United States--History--19th century--Exhbitions.

Arts, American--19th century--Themes, motives--Exhibitions.

Genre:

Exhibition catalogs.

Physical Description:

xii, 242 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : Smithsonian American Art Museum ;. London : In association with D Giles Ltd.

Summary:

Published in conjunction with a 2011 exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this volume celebrates the energetic waves of 19th-century-American ingenuity in a variety of cultural endeavors. Perry, who initiated and curated the exhibition, begins with Charles Wilson Peale's famous Philadelphia museum--the first American "Hall of Wonders." She then discusses democracy, Niagara Falls, the buffalo, trains, and big trees, among other topics--all of which were foci of American imagination, curiosity, energy, activity, and inventiveness. Paintings, photographs, advertising broadsides, and patent designs support the narrative. The book is oversize (9.75x11.75"). Distribution in North America is by ACC Distribution. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

Introduction : The Hall of wonders

Democratic time

Niagara Falls

The peacemaker

The buffalo

A locomotive people

The big tree

Epilogue.

Notes:

"Published in conjunction with the exhibition Great American Hall of Wonders, on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., from July 15, 2011 through January 8, 2012."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1904832970

9781904832973

9780979067891

0979067898

OCLC:

703623559

Publisher Number:

99943943517

2011.