Inventing Childhood | Spencer Museum of Art

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Exhibition

Inventing Childhood

Inventing Childhood

Cassandra Mesick Braun, curator

October 15, 2016–February 19, 2017

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

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

A Midsummer Night's Dream XVII (after William Shakespeare), 2001

untitled sampler, Elisabeth Pitcher — Elisabeth Pitcher

untitled sampler, 1720

untitled sampler — Elisabeth Pitcher

untitled sampler, circa 1800

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

sampler with the sacrifice of Isaac (Ecclesiastes, Chapter XII), 1809

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

untitled sampler (From Principles of Friendship), 1815

Laughing Girl, Robert Henri — Robert Henri

Laughing Girl, circa 1913

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

untitled sampler (Janna 1770 Faro), 1770

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

untitled sampler (Jesus permit thy gracious name to stand), 1800

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

untitled sampler (Industry taught in early days), circa 1800

untitled sampler (Polly Hix's Sampler), Polly Hix — Polly Hix

untitled sampler (Polly Hix's Sampler), 1834

untitled sampler, Roza Jaso — Roza Jaso

untitled sampler, 1820–1860

untitled sampler, Rosa Andreu — Rosa Andreu

untitled sampler, 1846

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

5th Day, 5th Month, Boy's Day Festival (untitled pentaptych of five annual festivals), circa 1800, Edo period (1600–1868)

Goldfish, Kitagawa Utamaro — Kitagawa Utamaro

Goldfish, circa 1802, Edo period (1600–1868)

Facts of Life, Norman Rockwell — Norman Rockwell

Facts of Life, circa 1950

Vesperbild (Pietà) — Norman Rockwell

Vesperbild (Pietà), late 1400s–early 1500s

Madonna and Child with Saint John, Filippo da Verona — Filippo da Verona

Madonna and Child with Saint John, early 1500s

Mrs. Stiles and Grandchild, Samuel Bell Waugh — Samuel Bell Waugh

Mrs. Stiles and Grandchild, 1843

Two Women and Their Children, Kitagawa Utamaro — Kitagawa Utamaro

Two Women and Their Children, 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)

The Annunciation, Master of the Die — Master of the Die

The Annunciation, mid 1500s

The Barefooted Child, Mary Cassatt — Mary Cassatt

The Barefooted Child, circa 1896–1897

untitled alphabet sampler, Martha Mynott — Martha Mynott

untitled alphabet sampler, 1844

Tomoko and Mother in the Bath, W. Eugene Smith — W. Eugene Smith

Tomoko and Mother in the Bath, 1972

Baby's Back, Mary Cassatt — Mary Cassatt

Baby's Back, 1890

The Manicure, Mary Cassatt — Mary Cassatt

The Manicure, circa 1908

makishi mask, unrecorded Chokwe artist — unrecorded Chokwe artist

makishi mask, late 1800s–early 1900s

carved chair rung, unrecorded Chokwe artist — unrecorded Chokwe artist

carved chair rung, late 1800s–1914

doll cradleboard, unrecorded Cheyenne artist — unrecorded Cheyenne artist

doll cradleboard, late 1800s

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

child's beaded jacket, early 1900s

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

pair of beaded child's boots, late 1800s–1912

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

child's dress, early 1900s

cradleboard, unrecorded Cheyenne artist — unrecorded Cheyenne artist

cradleboard, late 1800s–1925

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

mother with children figure, mid 1900s

male doll, unrecorded Lakota artist — unrecorded Lakota artist

male doll, late 1800s–1925

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

pair of child's beaded moccasins, early 1900s

Child Taken by Mermaid, Melania Mazinyani — Melania Mazinyani

Child Taken by Mermaid, 1988–1996

Bwoom mask, unrecorded Kuba artist — unrecorded Kuba artist

Bwoom mask, 1900s

American Citizen #1, Roger Shimomura — Roger Shimomura

American Citizen #1, 2006

American Citizen #2, Roger Shimomura — Roger Shimomura

American Citizen #2, 2006

water pot, unrecorded Makonde artist — unrecorded Makonde artist

water pot, 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