Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Something of Splendor: Decorative Arts from the White House
October 1, 2011 – May 6, 2012
This exhibition, organized in honor of the 50th anniversary of the White House Historical Association, traces the history of the decorative arts in the nation's foremost home. It features some 90 objects—furniture, ceramics, metals, glass and textiles—from the White House collection, along with archival prints and photographs of the interiors that reveal life in the president's official residence. Many of these objects were made by the most celebrated craftsmen of their time and some have never been seen outside of the White House. Highlights include a box lined with wallpaper used in the White House prior to its burning in 1814, a gilded Herter Brothers armchair from 1875, a coverlet embroidered by First Lady Grace Coolidge between 1925 and 1927, and a service plate from the 1982 Reagan state china.
At Home in the White House, in which first families offer their memories about living in America's most famous home, runs continuously.
Related publication
Armchair, 1818, mahogany, made by William King Jr., Georgetown, DC, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Ford Sollers, Sr., 1986, photo courtesy White House Historical Association
