This sweeping exhibition explores how artists—from the Revolutionary era to today–have made visible the evolving story of America. Featuring over 200 powerful works across themed sections, American Stories reveals how illustrations—from the 18th century to today—have reflected and shaped what it means to be American.
The exhibition includes original paintings, prints, book illustrations, broadsides, posters, advertisements, and digital media, from the Museum’s expansive holdings as ... view more »
This sweeping exhibition explores how artists—from the Revolutionary era to today–have made visible the evolving story of America. Featuring over 200 powerful works across themed sections, American Stories reveals how illustrations—from the 18th century to today—have reflected and shaped what it means to be American.
The exhibition includes original paintings, prints, book illustrations, broadsides, posters, advertisements, and digital media, from the Museum’s expansive holdings as well as major loans from important institutions and private collectors across the country, including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. From iconic masterpieces to everyday media, these works chart the nation’s ambitions, struggles, and enduring pursuit of freedom.
The exhibition places Rockwell’s iconic images in a broader national context, spotlighting illustration’s role in illuminating America’s ambitions, achievements, and struggles. Alongside Rockwell’s work, visitors will discover pieces by Virginia Lee Burton, Margaret Hoening French, Rockwell Kent, Jacob Lawrence, J.C. Leyendecker, Roy Lichtenstein, Howard Pyle, Paul Revere, Norman Rockwell, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Jessie Wilcox Smith, Arthur Szyk, Andy Warhol and many more, which appear alongside early engravings, illustrated books, and contemporary works, underscoring the enduring power of visual culture. Bringing the exhibition into today’s moment will be works by some of the country’s top contemporary artists including Scott Bakal, George Barker, Bo Bartlett, Bascove, Shonto Begay, Rabbett Before Horses Strickland, Guy Billout, Irina Borisova, Charles Burchfield, Rebecca Burr, Robert Carter, Christo, Leslie Cober, Alan E. Cober, Bryan Collier, Jonathan Crow, Maily Degnan, Jane Feldman, Lisk Feng, Timothy Goodman, R.C. Gorman, Steven Guarnaccia, Rudy Gutierrez, Stephen Hannock, Susan Hudson, Frances Jetter, Anders Johansson, Anita Kunz, Peter Kuper, Charles Lilly, Wendell Minor, Kadir Nelson, Tim O’Brien, Patrick Oliphant, Lynn Pauley, Paul Scott, Jim Schantz, Whitney Sherman, Yuko Shimizu, Burton Silverman, Kim Saul, Gary Taxali, Shar Tui’asoa, and Kara Walker among others.
Each chapter of the exhibition addresses a major theme that has shaped the United States and its critical fortunes. One section explores how artists have helped form our understanding of the natural world—from Audubon’s early bird studies to illustrations of gargantuan infrastructure projects that reshaped the land. Another highlights the role of illustration in capturing the excitement of new technologies, from Edison’s lightbulb to the jet age. A third examines how images have fueled social change and shaped public opinion, tracing a path from Revolutionary-era prints to today’s viral memes. Together, these themes reveal how illustration has not only reflected American life but actively influenced it—making this exhibition both a visual journey through history and a fresh look at the power of images to tell our collective story.
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