American Stories: Paintings of Everyday Life, 1765–1915

The December holiday season is a time of giving, which also makes it, for many, a time of shopping. For several months advertisers have bombarded us with gift ideas, ranging from cars and electronics to the latest fashions. Selling fashion is big business, and many of the most prominent retailers in New York set up lavish window displays every year to entice holiday shoppers. I went on a recent excursion to see some of the city’s window displays—(see some of my photos)—and the experience reminded me of several paintings in American Stories that relate to buying and selling clothes. Read more »

How do artists depict art? It’s a fascinating question, and in today’s post I’d like to consider a few examples of paintings within paintings in American Stories. How are the figures depicted in relation to works of art, and how do the depicted works themselves function within the overall narratives? There are many examples in the exhibition’s more than one hundred iconic paintings, but let’s start with depictions of art in museums: Read more »

Welcome to the blog that accompanies “American Stories: Paintings from Everyday Life, 1765–1915,” the special exhibition now on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The show’s outstanding selection of more than one hundred American narrative paintings—assembled by curators H. Barbara Weinberg and Carrie Rebora Barratt—includes works that depict ordinary people engaged in life’s tasks and pleasures. Because the exhibition is arranged chronologically, this blog will address some of the persistent themes—such as courtship, country and city life, and even consumer culture—that have captivated American artists across time. I will also discuss some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of planning the exhibition and will respond to your comments and questions. Read more »