McInnis, Maurie D.. "Little of Artistic Merit? The Problem and Promise of Southern Art History." American Art 19, no. 2 (2005): 11-19.
This article by Maurie McInnis discusses the art from the American south during the eighteenth century. There are many who believe that there is just very little artistic merit to be found in the southern region of America. Joseph Downs, the curator of the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art even makes the statement that “Little of artistic merit was made south of Baltimore.” The author of this article discusses why this opinion is held, if it is a correct conclusion, and expresses the importance of exploring this understudied portion of art history. Both the south and the Caribbean trail in scholarship and funding opportunities. Firstly, one reason for these facts might be that the first history, History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States by William Dunlap largely neglects this region. Dunlap is living in New York and, therefore, most of the works discussed are from the New York area. The author of the article states that it is important to study the south and Caribbean art because it shows how many different cultures have influenced American art. These influences come from French, English, Spanish, Dutch, and Native American settlements. Some scholars state that there is a lack of art from the south because their agrarian population is incapable of such intellectual and artistic materials. There are several reasons that the south may have a smaller surviving collection of art, but this is probably not the biggest reason. These reasons include disasters such as fires, hurricanes, and the Civil War. The south also has a hot and humid climate that is particularly devastating to material culture. There is also the plundering of the south ’s treasures by art collectors and dealers that occurred during the early twentieth century that caused a loss of provenance. Interestingly, the great wealth of the south made it possible for southerners to decorate their houses lavishly with fine arts. Some scholars have tried to rectify the overlook of southern art history and have realized that often southern art, especially furniture, may also be ignored because it does not look “American” enough. This is because the definition of American furniture is skewed toward a northern appreciation. Southern furniture may appear to be too British, or too French. The wealthiest of southern planters can eat off porcelain from China and sit on chairs from Britain. They might also have portraits done by the leading British portraitists instead of an American painter. It is, therefore, difficult to understand a formation of American art and cultural identity from a group that so closely followed British fashions. In conclusion the author states that even though these tastes may be outside of what many think to be “American” it is important to study them because it makes up a unique, although may it be hard to define, picture of a more complete American art history.
This article by Maurie McInnis discusses the art from the American south during the eighteenth century. There are many who believe that there is just very little artistic merit to be found in the southern region of America. Joseph Downs, the curator of the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art even makes the statement that “Little of artistic merit was made south of Baltimore.” The author of this article discusses why this opinion is held, if it is a correct conclusion, and expresses the importance of exploring this understudied portion of art history. Both the south and the Caribbean trail in scholarship and funding opportunities. Firstly, one reason for these facts might be that the first history, History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States by William Dunlap largely neglects this region. Dunlap is living in New York and, therefore, most of the works discussed are from the New York area. The author of the article states that it is important to study the south and Caribbean art because it shows how many different cultures have influenced American art. These influences come from French, English, Spanish, Dutch, and Native American settlements. Some scholars state that there is a lack of art from the south because their agrarian population is incapable of such intellectual and artistic materials. There are several reasons that the south may have a smaller surviving collection of art, but this is probably not the biggest reason. These reasons include disasters such as fires, hurricanes, and the Civil War. The south also has a hot and humid climate that is particularly devastating to material culture. There is also the plundering of the south ’s treasures by art collectors and dealers that occurred during the early twentieth century that caused a loss of provenance. Interestingly, the great wealth of the south made it possible for southerners to decorate their houses lavishly with fine arts. Some scholars have tried to rectify the overlook of southern art history and have realized that often southern art, especially furniture, may also be ignored because it does not look “American” enough. This is because the definition of American furniture is skewed toward a northern appreciation. Southern furniture may appear to be too British, or too French. The wealthiest of southern planters can eat off porcelain from China and sit on chairs from Britain. They might also have portraits done by the leading British portraitists instead of an American painter. It is, therefore, difficult to understand a formation of American art and cultural identity from a group that so closely followed British fashions. In conclusion the author states that even though these tastes may be outside of what many think to be “American” it is important to study them because it makes up a unique, although may it be hard to define, picture of a more complete American art history.
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