Empire of Things
Exhibition
Exhibition Overview
Empire of Things
Kris Ercums, curator
Kate Meyer, curator
Kate Meyer, curator
Gallery 401, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Why do we collect things? Where do the prized objects and artwork in museums come from? Empire of Things asks these questions and more by exploring the relationships among objects, the people who made them, and the people who collected, studied, and displayed them. The exhibition includes a range of artworks, including architectural fragments, ceramics, jewelry, furniture, paintings, and sculpture.
Exhibition images
Works of art
Franz Ludwig Catel (1778–1856)
circa 1823
Dutch School
circa 1730
400s, Sasanian dynasty (224–651)
Victor Durand Jr. (1870–1931); Vineland Flint Glass Works (active 1897–1931)
circa 1926–1928
late 600–early 500 BCE
1700–1735
1800s, Qajar period (1794–1925)
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
circa 1700s
1200s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
1000s–1100s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
probably after 1877
late 1800s
late 1800s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
mid 1700s, mark and reign of Qianlong period (1736–1795), Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1700s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Qianlong period (1736–1795), Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1700s–1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
mid 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)
1800s, Qajar period (1795–1925)
1800s, Qajar period (1795–1925)
1800s, Qajar period (1794–1925)
circa 1800s, Qajar period (1795–1925)
Bi Rongjiu (active late 1800s)
1890–1920, Qing dynasty (1644–1911) to Republic of China (1911–1949)
1850–1875, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Tetsugendō Naofusa (active 1700s)
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Kinai School
1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Hirata School
1600, Edo period (1600–1868)
Tsu Jinpo (1720–1761)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Ishiguro Masakatsu (active 1800s)
1850s, Edo period (1600–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
Umetada (Okada) Zenzaemon Nobumasa (1642–1720)
late 1600s, Edo period (1600–1868)
circa 1850s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Ōtsuki Mitsuhiro (1795–1841)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Gōto School
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Mitsunaka
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Ptolemaic Period, 305–30 BCE
Yan Yutian (active 1895–1918)
1895, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1200–1300s, Ilkhanid dynasty (1256–1353)
Elie Nadelman (1882–1946)
mid 1900s
late 1800s
Roman Bronze Works (founded 1899)
early 1900s
Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd. (founded 1759)
circa 1769–1795
circa 1855–1890
Middle Bronze Age (2000–1600 BCE)
Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd. (founded 1759)
1860–1891
Neo–Assyrian Empire, 911 BCE–612 BCE
late 600–early 500 BCE
200s–300s, Roman Empire, 27 BCE–476 CE
Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom
1800s
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Belleek Pottery Works Company Ltd (founded 1884)
circa 1890
1920–1922
John Vanderbank (1694–1739)
1720s
mid 1700s
Circle of Ignaz Günther (active late 1700s)
circa 1750–1765
Circle of Ignaz Günther (active late 1700s)
circa 1750–1765
Circle of Bernard Bellotto (active late 1700s)
1723–1780
circa late 1800s
William Tyler (active late 1600s)
1694
Gillis van Tilborgh (circa 1625–circa 1678)
1660–1670
Robert Gibb (1801–1837)
circa 1826
circa 1700
circa 1775–1780
circa 300 BCE, Ptolemaic Kingdom, 332 BCE–30 CE
early 1500s
1500s or 1800s
Niccoló Fiorentino (circa 1404–1471)
circa 1465–1469
early 1100s
Michael Henry Spang (active begining 1756; died 1762); Edward Burch (1730–1814)
after 1761
late 1500s
circa 100 CE, Roman Empire (27 BCE–476 CE)
early 1500s
1700s
Andrea Riccio (1470–1532)
circa 1500–1530
late 300s–200s BCE, Hellenistic period (323–146 BCE)
Bernardino Ludovisi (circa 1693–1749)
circa 1735–1740
Thomas Cole (1801–1848)
1843
1500s–1700s
1100s
early 1400s
Master of the Apollini Sacrum (active 1480–1500)
late 1400s
Domenico Gaggini (circa 1425–1492)
mid 1400s
Giovanni Francesco Rustici (1474–1554)
circa early 1500s
circa 1500
circa 1500
300s–mid 400s, late Roman Empire (27 BCE–395 CE) or Early Christian (100–500 CE)
circa 300 BCE, Ptolemaic period (330–30 BCE)
late 1500s
circa 1710
circa 100 BCE–100 CE, Roman Empire
(27 BCE–395 CE)
circa 100s CE
early 1900s
late 1890s–early 1900s
late 1400s
Cristoforo Monari (1667–1720)
late 1600s–early 1700s
Durand Art Glass (active 1924–1931)
1924–1931
Robert Garrard I (1758–1818)
1812
circa 1920s, Republic period, (1923–present)
Friedrich Nerly (1807–1878)
1828–1835
Carl Spitzweg (1808–1885)
mid-late 1800s
circa 1870
circa 200s CE, Roman Empire (27 BCE–395 CE)
circa 1780
late 1600s–early 1700s
late 1600s–early 1700s
late 1500s
early 1500s
early 1600s
circa 2500 BCE, Old Kingdom (circa 2575 BCE–2150 BCE)
1850–1900
mid 1900s
1800s, Qing dynasty, 1644–1911
1100s–1200s, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)
1882
Henri Jacobs (1864–1935)
circa 1900–1910
late 1800s, Ottoman Empire (1299–1923)
circa 1630
Adelheid Lange Roosevelt (1878–1962)
circa 1913
Jan van Vucht (1603–1637); Anthonie Palamedesz. (1601–1673)
circa 1625–1632
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE)
circa 300 BCE, Warring States period (BCE 481–BCE 221)
Philip James de Loutherbourg (1740–1812)
circa 1770
circa 1638–1640
late 1800s
mid 1800s–early 1900s
1905–1910
early 1900s
Irene Bishop (1880–1925); Rookwood Pottery (active 1880–1967)
1907
Dirck Santvoort (1610–1680)
1643
early 1900s
Eric Pape (1870–1938)
1891
1830–1840
Bernard Palissy and Workshop (active circa 1510–1590)
circa 1570–1590
Lilla Cabot Perry (1848–1933)
circa 1899
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Coalport Porcelain Works (founded circa 1795)
mid 1800s
Coalport Porcelain Works (founded circa 1795)
mid 1800s
1700s
Greco–Roman Empire, 800s BCE–400s CE
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1200 BCE–1000 BCE, late Shang dynasty (circa 1600–1046 BCE) to early Western Zhou dynasty (circa 1120–770 BCE)
early 1900s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
1750s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1700s or 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Black, Starr and Frost (active 1874–1929)
late 1800s
1900s
John Edward Terrey & Co. (active 1800s)
circa 1810
1900s
early 1800s
1700s
late 1700s
1800s
unrecorded Chokwe artist
late 1800s–1914
unrecorded Ife artist
mid 1900s
unrecorded A:shiwi (Zuñi) artist
1900–1940
unrecorded Mojave artist
1850–1890
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Mumuye artist
late 1800s
unrecorded Asante artist
1800s
unrecorded Asante artist
1700s
unrecorded Native Alaskan artist
1875–1925
unrecorded Ifugao artist
1950s
1960s–1970s
unrecorded Bassa artist
mid-late 1900s
unrecorded Kongo artist
circa 1900
November 1, 1895, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Peter Hutchinson (born 1930)
1969
1800s
late 1400s, Lodi dynasty (1451–1526)
Benjamin Martin (1704–1782)
mid 1700s
circa 1997
2009
1800s, Edo Period (1600–1868)
200–300s, Roman Empire, 27 BCE–476 CE
200–300s, Roman Empire, 27 BCE–476 CE
300–400s, Roman Empire, 27 BCE–476 CE
late 1900s
1700s
circa 1670
circa 1670
Karen LaMonte (born 1967)
2010
circa 1920s, Republic Period (1923–present)
Events
February 19, 2017
Talk
2:00–3:30PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Gallery 401, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery
March 11, 2017
Activity
1:00–4:00PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Gallery 406, John and Linda Stewart Gallery
April 9, 2017
Talk
2:00–3:30PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Gallery 401, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery
October 26, 2017
Talk
10:00–11:00AM
Spencer Museum of Art, Gallery 401, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery
February 11, 2018
Talk
2:00–3:00PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery, 401
March 11, 2018
Talk
2:00–3:00PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery, 401
November 18, 2018
Talk
2:00–3:00PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery, 401
December 13, 2018
Talk
10:15–11:15AM
Spencer Museum of Art, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery, 401
May 18, 2019
Activity
1:00–3:30PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery, 401
February 23, 2020
Talk
2:00–3:00PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Lester "Dusty" Loo Gallery, 401