Furniture in Maryland Life Exhibition Opens In September

Furniture World Magazine

Furniture in Maryland Life, an exhibition exploring the manufacture, design, and function of furniture made and used in Maryland between 1634 and 2000, opens to the public on September 10, 2004 in the Maryland Historical Society's (MdHS) Dorothy Wagner Wallis Gallery in the Carey Center for Maryland Life. The exhibition, which will remain on permanent display, includes more than 100 pieces from the MdHS's extensive and nationally renowned furniture collection as well as paintings, silver, prints, and photographs that illustrate the history of furniture in the state. Nearly one-third of the objects on display in the exhibition have never before been seen by the public. The exhibition was made possible by a grant from the Wallis Foundation. Furniture in Maryland Life provides the first truly comprehensive and inclusive examination of one of Maryland's most significant and nationally influential art forms. The exhibition focuses on the aesthetic and economic influences and the skills and craftsmanship that shaped Maryland's furniture industry, the distinct styles that originated in the state, and the people who made and used Maryland furniture. Jeannine Disviscour, curator of Furniture in Maryland Life, presents the stories of those who played critical roles in the history of Maryland furniture- from the wealthy 19th-century patrons who commissioned lavishly decorated tables and chairs to the makers, importers, shop apprentices, and enslaved plantation workers-and the objects they created in ways that mark a true departure from traditional museum exhibitions about the decorative arts. Few museums are capable of providing an overview of American furniture as comprehensive as Furniture in Maryland Life. According to Disviscour, the Maryland Historical Society's furniture collection is widely recognized by curators and scholars as outstanding in quality and depth and reflective of Maryland's role as one of the nation's most important centers for furniture-making. Exhibition Highlights: The first objects encountered in the exhibit are unusual archeological fragments dating from the early 17th century, which were found in archeological sites in Southern Maryland and represent the earliest evidence of furniture in Maryland. Although furniture has been used in Maryland since its founding in 1634, pieces dating from the colony's earliest settlers no longer exist because of the state's warm, humid climate and the fact that few substantial dwellings were built before the 18th century. Also displayed is the earliest piece of locally made furniture in the collection, a banister back armchair, made in Maryland between 1710 and 1740 and used by the Cromwell family of Baltimore County. Also on display is a large oak and iron storage chest made c. 1700-1710 in Germany, brought to Maryland by ancestors of the Hatton family of Prince George County. Early settlers brought chests to Maryland filled with clothing and supplies to help them get started in the New World. Other forms on display include tables, chairs, tall clocks, settees, sideboards, cellarettes, chests of drawers, desks, bedsteps (with a hidden potty seat), beds, desks, and even a barstool. The most contemporary item, and a 2004 acquisition of the MdHS, is a set of nesting tables painted by Baltimore artist Tom Miller in 1995. Through these pieces, Furniture in Maryland Life tells the story of the state's growth, change, and the diversity of its inhabitants as expressed through the furniture produced in and used by Marylanders over the past four centuries. The exhibition also traces the economic, political, and geographical factors that determined the course of Maryland's furniture industry. Creating and Using Furniture Also explored in the exhibition is the evolution of processes used to create furniture in Maryland. Developments, such as the specialization of trades that occurred in Baltimore in the 1790s (when, for example, some craftsmen began calling themselves "chairmakers" and others became specialists in component parts, such as gilding or veneer), the introduction of ready-made furniture, and the advent of steam-powered technology, all changed the course of furniture production and its availability to people from different classes and of different economic means. One large section of the exhibition explores the use of furniture over the past 300 years allowing visitors to understand how Marylanders choices have changed over time. Examples of furniture are grouped by form and function, such as sitting, eating and entertaining, storing and sleeping, and working. Pieces from across the state, including the domed storage chest, mentioned earlier and used in Prince George County c. 1700, a shrank (a traditional Germanic wardrobe) made in Washington County c. 1790, a serpentine chest-on-cabinet attributed to William Camp and made in Baltimore c 1795-1815, and a blanket chest on a frame made in Howard County c. 1830-1840 are all part of this section. Some of the MdHS's better-known pieces include the Lady's Cabinet Dressing Table, c. 1800-1810 attributed to William Camp, examples of Baltimore painted furniture by Hugh and John Finlay, and an arm chair (traditionally referred to as the "Governor's Chair" and likely used in the Governor's Council Chamber in Annapolis) by John Shaw, c. 1797. Important recent donations of 20th century objects include the cabinetmaker's work bench, tools, full-scale patterns, and furniture designs of Enrico Liberti, c. 1930-1977, one of Baltimore's most noted custom cabinetmakers, a small labeled table by the Potthast Brothers, c. 1920, and an upholstered armchair made in Baltimore and purchased on Pennsylvania Avenue by Arthur and Rosa Lee Marshall. "There are many characteristics that make Maryland furniture unique," says Disviscour. "Furniture often did not have any marks identifying the maker, but pieces can still be attributed to Baltimore or Maryland by analyzing their construction, design, and decoration. Throughout the exhibit these distinctive Maryland attributes will be identified to give visitors insight as to what makes a Maryland piece. For example, Baltimore cabinetmakers were particularly renowned for their use of elaborate pictorial inlays. Distinctive Baltimore inlays include chains of graduated bellflowers, conch shells, ruffled pateras, tassels, eagles, grape vines, and a variety of other designs. The city's cabinetmakers were also skilled in the use of veneers and banding. Oval panels of highly figured mahogany set in mitred frames and edged with satinwood crossbanding were especially typical of local craft practice in the early- and mid-19th century." Dorothy Wagner Wallis Gallery "The opening of Furniture in Maryland Life is a milestone in the MdHS's expansion and renovation project, which began almost eight years ago," says MdHS director, Dennis Fiori. "The Dorothy Wagner Wallis Gallery on the third floor of the Carey Center is truly one of the most spectacular gallery spaces in Baltimore." Designed by the Baltimore architecture firm, Ziger/Snead LLP, the gallery encompasses 4000 square feet and has 20' ceilings. "Our furniture collection is well known," says Fiori. "This exhibition is the first time the Maryland Historical Society has been able to exhibit it in a comprehensive manner, providing an overview of its content and explaining how it fits into the larger context of Maryland's social and economic history and the state's connections to the rest of the country and world as evidence through design influences and trends as well as the trade and commerce. It provides a terrific and fascinating window through which we can understand the daily lives of Marylanders over the past three hundred plus years and Maryland's place in the world."