American Fancy: Exuberance in the Arts, 1790-1840

 

 

A new decorating style has emerged with the help of the book, American Fancy: Exuberance in the Arts, 1790-1840 by Sumpter Priddy (Chipstone Foundation/Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI, $75, c2004, 302 pages). Not only painted “fancy chairs,” but also wall paintings, furniture, tinware, glass, quilts, pottery, paintings, and other imaginatively decorated pieces from the period are included. The book is filled with color photographs and the scholarly research expected for a museum publication.