The White House Collection of American Crafts

Monroe, Michael W.; Diamonstein, Barbaralee; Taylor, John Bigelow; National Museum of American Art (U.S.)

ISBN 10: 0810940353 / ISBN 13: 9780810940352

Published by Harry N Abrams Inc, Boston, Massachusetts, 1995

About this Item

Very Good/Very Good Condition. No internal markings of any kind.; 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall.

Seller Inventory # 6660

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The White House Collection of American Crafts
• Publisher: Harry N Abrams Inc, Boston, Massachusetts
• Publication Date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0810940353
• ISBN 13: 9780810940352
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • All
  • Antiques and Collecting

About this title

Synopsis

Michael W. Monroe, Curator-in-Charge of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American Art, selected this collection of fine contemporary crafts specifically for the interiors of the White House, to be viewed and admired alongside the works of the past.
Prepared in conjunction with an exhibition at the National Museum of American Art, this volume features ninety-two full-color photographs - some showcasing the pieces in the private quarters and public spaces of the White House - taken expressly for this book by John Bigelow Taylor. In addition to an introduction to the collection and commentaries on each piece by Michael Monroe, the book includes an essay on the significance and cultural value of crafts by Barbaralee Diamonstein, a foreword by Elizabeth Broun, Director of the National Museum of American Art, and brief biographies of each artist.

Reviews

Just as some people dismiss antiques and collectibles as secondhand recyclables, many others perceive American crafts as newfangled objects. But a thing of beauty, regardless of origin, is a joy forever, and preserved for generations to come in this paean to U.S. artisans represented in the White House Collection of American Crafts. Seventy-seven practitioners in glass, metal, ceramic, fiber, and wood were asked to contribute a piece or two illustrative of their repertoire. Informative essays by Monroe, Barbaralee Diamonstein, and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton set the stage for a dazzling array of color photographs showcasing 72 items, from a clock and teapots to a fabric sculpture ("man in lion costume" ) and quilts. For each object, Monroe provides a brief description of the artist's intent as well as of the piece's medium, dimensions, etc. Barbara Jacobs