Currier & Ives : Americana
An American Panorama
Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield Massachusetts
November 18 2005 - June 4, 2006
Title: Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, VA., 1852
Artist: Nathaniel Currier (American 1813-1888)
Medium: Hand-colored lithograph
Gift of Lenore B. and Sidney A. Alpert
Supplemented with Museum of Fine Arts Collections Funds
2004.D03.565
Image Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Massachusetts
Americana! That is the legacy left by the artistry of Nathaniel Currier and James Merritt Ives.
Currier began the lithograph business at a time when photography was in its
infancy but the quest for news and images was real and needed to be fulfilled.
In 1835 the first Currier lithograph print was made depicting the great fire in
New York City's business district. Within days Currier had printed thousands of
copies of his work to satisfy the public's demand to see the destruction.
Title: Terrific Combat Between the "Monitor" 2 Guns
and "Merrimac" 10 Guns:
The First Fight Between Iron Clad Ships of War, 1862
Artist: Nathaniel Currier (American 1813-1888)
and James Merritt Ives (American 1824-1895)
Medium: Hand-colored lithograph
Gift of Lenore B. and Sidney A. Alpert
Supplemented with Museum of Fine Arts Collections Funds
2004.D03.499
Image Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Massachusetts
Ives was originally hired as a bookkeeper however he had an art education and focused his energies on the
artistic portion of the business.
Title: The Leaders, 1888
Artist: Nathaniel Currier (American 1813-1888)
and James Merritt Ives (American 1824-1895)
Medium: Chromolithograph
Gift of Lenore B. and Sidney A. Alpert
Supplemented with Museum of Fine Arts Collections Funds
2004.D03.528
Image Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Massachusetts
The innovative Currier and Ives added color to the traditional black and white prints. They hired women to color
each image by hand. The business flourished and it is believed that Currier & Ives created and published over
seven thousand works.
Title: Great Fire at Boston, 1872
Artist: Nathaniel Currier (American 1813-1888)
and James Merritt Ives (American 1824-1895)
Medium: Hand-colored lithograph
Gift of Lenore B. and Sidney A. Alpert
Supplemented with Museum of Fine Arts Collections Funds
2004.D03
Image Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Massachusetts
Currier & Ives: An Americana Panorama will explore the artistry behind the prints showing some of their most beloved subjects
such as American Scenic wonders, leisure activities, portraits of the famous, heroic activities and important historical events.
Title: The Happy Family, 1874
Artist: Nathaniel Currier (American 1813-1888)
and James Merritt Ives (American 1824-1895)
Medium: Hand-colored lithograph
Gift of Lenore B. and Sidney A. Alpert
Supplemented with Museum of Fine Arts Collections Funds
2004.D03.650
Image Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Massachusetts
The exhibition will inaugurate the Lenore B. and Sidney A. Alpert Currier & Ives Gallery which is the United States' only permanent
museum gallery that is devoted to Currier & Ives. It will include 175 of the 787 hand-colored lithographs that were acquired from the Alperts.
Title: The Rocky Mountains, undated
Artist: Nathaniel Currier (American 1813-1888)
and James Merritt Ives (American 1824-1895)
Medium: Hand-colored lithograph
Gift of Lenore B. and Sidney A. Alpert
Supplemented with Museum of Fine Arts Collections Funds
2004.D03.605
Image Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Massachusetts
Currier & Ives: An American Panorama
Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield Massachusetts:
November 18 2005 - June 4, 2006
|