Deerfield, Mass. (May 6, 2016)---
On May 13, Historic Deerfield opens a new exhibition, "Natural Selections: Flora and the Arts" in the lobby of the Flynt Center of Early New England Life. The exhibition uses 28 objects to explore how nature has inspired, impressed, and enlightened society long before the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species in 1859. Grouped according to three themes, the exhibition delves into the subject of flora and how it inspired the decorative arts.
"Botanical Studies" looks at the movement to classify, study, and teach though a selection of educational books and prints detailing floral anatomy and stages of life. "Art in Nature" delves into the museum's rich collection of decorative arts to see how plants and flowers have influenced designers and craftspeople in fields as diverse as textiles, ceramics, furniture, and architecture. Finally, "Domesticating the Outdoors" showcases ceramic and glass vessels which brought colorful and fragrant flowers and plants indoors for personal enjoyment and study.
Featured objects include:
A covered cup by Gerrit Onckelbag (1670-1732):
The acanthus is the most common plant form to inspire foliage ornament on decorative arts. Its characteristic jagged leaves appear on architectural details, carved furniture, textiles, ceramics, and silver. This silver cup has embossed (a combination of repoussé and chased work) acanthus leaf decoration around the base and a rosette on the domed cover. This luxurious vessel, by one of New York's foremost early silversmiths, was used to serve syllabub, made with sweetened or flavored wine, cider, beer, or ale into which milk was whipped.
Waistcoat (1730s-1740s)
Probably Lyon, France
The most skilled designers of brocaded silks often trained as artists before turning their talents towards woven textile patterns. Directly studying flowers, often grown in purposefully-created gardens, allowed these designers many opportunities for careful study. This practice, combined with advances in drawloom weaving during the 1730s, allowed for a more realistic translation of nature into woven cloth.
Server, c. 1810
Carving attributed to a follower of Samuel McIntire (1757-1811)
Salem, Massachusetts
This server's carving and use of wood acknowledges the best nature could offer furniture craftsmen. The most visible parts, including the drawer fronts and apron, are made from highly figured mahogany. The carved legs feature stylized grapes and leaves, which aesthetically balance the columnar lower half of the legs.
"Natural Selections: Flora and the Arts" complements the decorative arts, paintings and furnishings in the historic houses on Deerfield's one-mile Main Street. A free summer lecture series celebrating the exhibition will be held in July. For more information about future programming related to this exhibition, please visit Historic Deerfield's website,
www.historic-deerfield.org. The exhibition will be on view until February 12, 2017
Visitors can see these objects daily beginning April 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, 37D Old Main Street, Historic Deerfield. Admission is $14 adults (18+), $5 children (6-17), and free for members, Deerfield residents, and children under 5. For more information, call (413) 775-7214 or visit
historic-deerfield.org.
About Historic Deerfield, Inc.
Historic Deerfield, Inc., is dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts, and the Connecticut River Valley. Its museums and programs provide today's audiences with experiences that create an understanding and appreciation of New England's historic villages and countryside.
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