Inventing Childhood | Spencer Museum of Art

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Exhibition

Inventing Childhood

Inventing Childhood

Cassandra Mesick Braun, curator

Gallery 404, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

This exhibition explores how children have been intellectually, philosophically, and practically treated differently across time and across cultures. Inventing Childhood acknowledges that the range of cultural conceptions of childhood is incredibly diverse; some works reveal an artist’s own memories of childhood, while other works speak to the cultural expectations of young people.

Exhibition images

Works of art

Tim Rollins + K.O.S. (Kids of Survival) (active 1982–2017), A Midsummer Night's Dream XVII (after William Shakespeare) — A Midsummer Night's Dream XVII (after William Shakespeare)

Tim Rollins + K.O.S. (Kids of Survival)

2001

Elisabeth Pitcher, untitled sampler — untitled sampler

Elisabeth Pitcher

1720

untitled sampler — untitled sampler

circa 1800

Betty Evans, sampler with the sacrifice of Isaac (Ecclesiastes, Chapter XII) — sampler with the sacrifice of Isaac (Ecclesiastes, Chapter XII)

Betty Evans

1809

Leah Townsend, untitled sampler (From Principles of Friendship) — untitled sampler (From Principles of Friendship)

Leah Townsend

1815

Robert Henri (1865–1929), Laughing Girl — Laughing Girl

Robert Henri

circa 1913

Janna Faro, untitled sampler (Janna 1770 Faro) — untitled sampler (Janna 1770 Faro)

Janna Faro

1770

Mary Ann Melten, untitled sampler (Jesus permit thy gracious name to stand) — untitled sampler (Jesus permit thy gracious name to stand)

Mary Ann Melten

1800

Sarah Mills, untitled sampler (Industry taught in early days) — untitled sampler (Industry taught in early days)

Sarah Mills

circa 1800

Polly Hix (1819–1898), untitled sampler (Polly Hix's Sampler) — untitled sampler (Polly Hix's Sampler)

Polly Hix

1834

Roza Jaso, untitled sampler — untitled sampler

Roza Jaso

1820–1860

Rosa Andreu (1800s), untitled sampler — untitled sampler

Rosa Andreu

1846

Kitagawa Utamaro (1754–1806), 5th Day, 5th Month, Boy's Day Festival (untitled pentaptych of five annual festivals) — 5th Day, 5th Month, Boy's Day Festival (untitled pentaptych of five annual festivals)

Kitagawa Utamaro

circa 1800, Edo period (1600–1868)

Kitagawa Utamaro (1754–1806), Goldfish — Goldfish

Kitagawa Utamaro

circa 1802, Edo period (1600–1868)

Norman Rockwell (1894–1978), Facts of Life — Facts of Life

Norman Rockwell

circa 1950

Vesperbild (Pietà) — Vesperbild (Pietà)

late 1400s–early 1500s

Filippo da Verona (active 1509–1514), Madonna and Child with Saint John — Madonna and Child with Saint John

Filippo da Verona

early 1500s

Samuel Bell Waugh (1814–1885), Mrs. Stiles and Grandchild — Mrs. Stiles and Grandchild

Samuel Bell Waugh

1843

Kitagawa Utamaro (1754–1806), Two Women and Their Children — Two Women and Their Children

Kitagawa Utamaro

1800s, Edo period (1600–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)

Master of the Die (active circa 1532), The Annunciation — The Annunciation

Master of the Die

mid 1500s

Mary Cassatt (1844–1926), The Barefooted Child — The Barefooted Child

Mary Cassatt

circa 1896–1897

Martha Mynott, untitled alphabet sampler — untitled alphabet sampler

Martha Mynott

1844

W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978), Tomoko and Mother in the Bath — Tomoko and Mother in the Bath

W. Eugene Smith

1972

Mary Cassatt (1844–1926), Baby's Back — Baby's Back

Mary Cassatt

1890

Mary Cassatt (1844–1926), The Manicure — The Manicure

Mary Cassatt

circa 1908

unrecorded Chokwe artist, makishi mask — makishi mask

unrecorded Chokwe artist

late 1800s–early 1900s

unrecorded Chokwe artist, carved chair rung — carved chair rung

unrecorded Chokwe artist

late 1800s–1914

unrecorded Cheyenne artist, doll cradleboard — doll cradleboard

unrecorded Cheyenne artist

late 1800s

unrecorded Cree artist, child's beaded jacket — child's beaded jacket

unrecorded Cree artist

early 1900s

unrecorded Cheyenne artist, pair of beaded child's boots — pair of beaded child's boots

unrecorded Cheyenne artist

late 1800s–1912

unrecorded Cheyenne artist, child's dress — child's dress

unrecorded Cheyenne artist

early 1900s

unrecorded Cheyenne artist, cradleboard — cradleboard

unrecorded Cheyenne artist

late 1800s–1925

unrecorded Oyo artist, mother with children figure — mother with children figure

unrecorded Oyo artist

mid 1900s

unrecorded Lakota artist, male doll — male doll

unrecorded Lakota artist

late 1800s–1925

unrecorded Wazhazhe (Osage) artist, pair of child's beaded moccasins — pair of child's beaded moccasins

unrecorded Wazhazhe (Osage) artist

early 1900s

Melania Mazinyani, Child Taken by Mermaid — Child Taken by Mermaid

Melania Mazinyani

1988–1996

unrecorded Kuba artist, Bwoom mask — Bwoom mask

unrecorded Kuba artist

1900s

Roger Shimomura (born 1939), American Citizen #1 — American Citizen #1

Roger Shimomura

2006

Roger Shimomura (born 1939), American Citizen #2 — American Citizen #2

Roger Shimomura

2006

unrecorded Makonde artist, water pot — water pot

unrecorded Makonde artist

mid 1900s

Events

October 30, 2016

Talk

Inventing Childhood

2:00–3:00PM

Spencer Museum of Art, Gallery 404, Larry and Barbara Marshall Family Balcony