Lecture Series: Art and Music for a New Democracy
When
Where
Description
The second of three lectures presented by Museum Director, Andrew Connors and inspired by the exhibition “Making American Artists: Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1776-1976.”
American Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
How does a general public get to know its national iconic images and tunes? In an era of few public museums, fewer books illustrated with works of art, and no recordings of music, the public could purchase and share mass-produced printed interpretations of works of art and commercially printed sheet music. Better technology to produce art prints, the establishment of studios and workshops producing multiples of sculptors’ works and the arrival of the phonograph meant that all types of art and music could be available to a wide population. This lecture will focus on the 19th and early 20th century dissemination of iconic works of art through individual engraved prints, lithographs, and printed magazines, as well as plaster and marble sculptures available through catalogue sales, and early United States music published as sheet music.
The final lecture will be August 7, 10 am.
Price
LEFT: William Rush, (1756-1833), “Eagle” ca.1810, painted pine, 30 3/8 x 32 x 12 5/8 in., Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia Gift of Wilson Mitchell, 1922.12. RIGHT: Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755-1828), “George Washington (The Landsdowne Portrait),” 1796, oil on canvas, 96 x 60 in., Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia Bequest of William Bingham, 1811.2, photo by Barbara Katus.