Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

Sargent on Sargent

View some 150 items, mostly letters, written by Dr. Fitzwilliam Sargent, a prominent surgeon who spent most of his life in Europe, to relatives in America about the personal and artistic development of his artist son, John Singer Sargent.

September 1, 1973 – September 15, 1973

Portrait Gallery

High School Graphics III

Visit the third annual exhibition of graphics by students of D.C. public high schools. Sponsored by NCFA*.

May 6, 1973 – September 13, 1973

American Art Museum

The Arts and Crafts Movement in America, 1876-1916

See the first major exhibition to feature the American Arts and Crafts Movement, which developed as a protest against the general decline in craftsmanship that resulted from the machine age.

June 1, 1973 – September 9, 1973

Renwick Gallery

If We're So Good, Why Aren't We Better?

Enjoy a delightful and instructive encounter with America's pursuit of productivity.

December 20, 1972 – September 7, 1973

American History Museum

Catlin's Indians

Visit a gallery of art by George Catlin. About 30 paintings of Indians and Western scenes are on view.

February 1, 1973 – September 6, 1973

American Art Museum

Lilly Martin Spencer (1822-1902): The Joys of Sentiment

See the first exhibition of the works of one of America's formost 19th century woman artists, including some 30 paintings, 28 drawings and 10 prints, all of pretty, sentimental and anecdotal subjects.

June 15, 1973 – September 3, 1973

American Art Museum

Divergent Representation: Five Contemporary Artists

Focus on the very divergent directions of these 5 representational American artists - Joseph Shannon, Robert Gordy, Ralph Goings, Gage Taylor and Darryl Abraham.

June 15, 1973 – September 3, 1973

American Art Museum

Mrs. Julian James

See examples of the contributions (her gift founded the costume collection) of this early Smithsonian benefactress, such as silver, jewelry, and furniture.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Fire Fighting Memorbilia

From the Division of Transportation come examples of equipment used by fire fighters in parades, such as torches and hats.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Geometric Models

See 3-dimensional paper or plastic models from the collection of A. Harry Wheeler, teacher and professor in Worcester, MA.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Women in Politics

The role of women is traced from supportive to active, through the suffrage struggle to current activities.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Shaving Through the Ages

Trace the history of shaving from the shark's teeth used by cavemen to the razors used today.

June 4, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Baskets

View 19th century woven baskets, some of them patented, made of a variety of materials.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Fourth of July

Objects and music set the mood of the holiday; a color slide presentation guides the visitor to exhibits of interest inside the museum.

July 1, 1973 – August 15, 1973

American History Museum

Five Years Later

The 5th anniversary of the founding of the Federal City College Art Department is celebrated in a two-room environmental production: paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, ceramics and photos are blended with tape-recorded sounds, real city objects and projected images.

June 25, 1973 – August 5, 1973

American Art Museum

A Measure of Beauty: The Diffusion of Style in Early 19th-Century America

Visit about 80 prints, drawings, watercolors, bank notes, bandboxes and pieces of wallpaper by artists of the early 1800s, who emulated the standards of the antique works of Greece and Rome.

July 6, 1973 – August 5, 1973

American Art Museum

Anacostia Today: The Evolution of a Community, Part 2: Continued

Originally shown in 1972 as part of Museum’s fifth anniversary, this exhibit continues its focus on five major topics of deep concern to the residents of Anacostia, a neighborhood in southeast Washington, DC.

March 1, 1973 – July 31, 1973

Anacostia Community Museum

Three Contemporary Printmakers: Jacob Kainen, Albert Christ-Janer, Tadeusz Lapinski

View recent lithographs by 3 American artists showing their highly original personal reaction to images, ideas, and the surrounding world.

June 1, 1973 – July 1, 1973

American Art Museum

2500 Years of Persian Art

See decorative work from manuscripts, metalwork, ceramics and architectural decorations.

February 1, 1973 – June 30, 1973

Asian Art Museum, West Building

The Design Necessity

See photographic panels, texts and a film that document case histories of good design in Federal projects, including restoration of the Renwick and the Fine Arts and Portrait Galleries.

April 5, 1973 – June 30, 1973

Renwick Gallery

The Dusseldorf Academy and the Americans

Organized by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, this exhibition presents 150 watercolors and drawings by major American artists and their German instructors at an art school prominent nearly 150 years ago.

April 27, 1973 – June 24, 1973

American Art Museum

5 Sense Store: An Aesthetic Design for Education

An experiential exhibition, planned for groups of 30 children, is divided into 3 areas of exploration: Sound/Image Society, the Activity Area and the Space Place.

April 10, 1973 – June 17, 1973

American Art Museum

Chaim Goldberg's Shtetl

See paintings, drawings, and prints by the artist on his childhood in a Polish-Jewish community.

March 1, 1973 – June 15, 1973

American History Museum

Masterpieces of Eskimo Ivory Carving

See examples of ivory carving in this exhibit prepared in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art's show The Far North: 2000 Years of American Eskimo and Indian Art.

April 1, 1973 – June 10, 1973

Natural History Museum

New Zealand - A Nation's History in Stamps

See an exhibition from the Postal Administration of New Zealand.

April 1, 1973 – June 4, 1973

American History Museum