The Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum

The story of Henry du Pont and the museum of Americana he envisioned.

The incomparable Winterthur Museum collection of beautiful and distinct Federal period American furniture is described and illustrated in this book, first published in 1978. Todays printing technology makes this book even more stunning, presenting beautiful photos of 491 pieces. The text explores the maker, place of origin, size, materials, dimensions, details of design and, most importantly, an evaluation of the merits of each piece. It is a history of the entire process of furniture making in Federal America. This is a classic encyclopedia for Federal period furniture enthusiasts, and a mine of information for everyone interested in the social and cultural history of the formative years of the United States.

"The culmination of Henry Francis du Pont's lifelong vision and passion for collecting, the Winterthur Museum houses the premier collection dedicated to American decorative arts. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Winterthur, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, presents an incomparable selection of masterpieces chosen according to the very principles espoused by du Pont himself: rarity, beauty, historical association and provenance. The result, An American Vision, offers an array of the vast riches of this remarkable museum."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved