AFA 22nd Anniversary

2022 Antiques & Fine Art 83 Sign from the first U.S. Custom House, Salem, Samuel McIntire (1757–1811), Salem, Mass., 1805. Wood, paint, pine wood, and gilding. H. 36, W. 115, D. 12 in. Gift of Joseph F. Tucker, 1907 (100754). Courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum. Photo by Jeffrey Dykes and Mark Sexton. All cargoes imported at Salem’s wharves in the nineteenth century were subject to the duties established by the US Customs Service. The government taxed many luxury commodities procured by local merchants from Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Europe. American maritime trade was so essential to the nation’s growing economy after the Revolutionary War that customs taxes accounted for nearly 90 percent of the federal budget. Samuel McIntire, Salem’s preeminent designer, architect, and cabinetmaker, carved this sign to adorn the newly built Salem Custom House at 6 Central Street. McIntire’s confident execution of the eagle with wings outspread and head actively turned mid-cry exemplifies his mastery of carved ornament. The eagle, holding a shield, bundle of arrows, and olive branch, signals the federal government’s presence in Salem. PEM’s American art collection showcases creative expression in America spanning four centuries, telling rich stories of American life and the ongoing cultural exchange between the people of New England, the nation, and the wider world. The museum was among the first in the country to collect decorative arts, including finely crafted furniture, interior furnishings, and everyday objects that reflect the material culture of New England. In 2003 PEM was at the forefront of rethinking conventional installations of American art by integrating painting and sculpture with decorative arts in its new American art galleries. Our forthcoming installation of Native American and American art explores vibrant expressions of what it means to belong and not belong—to a community, place, family, and nation. The United States, while founded on the notion of freedom, was realized through colonization and oppression. These brutal legacies continue to shape the nation’s laws, access to resources, and our sense of identity. Distinct sections feature the strengths of each collection, but they also converge to explore certain themes in greater depth. Placing these collections on equal ground emphasizes that the American experience is unimaginable without the inclusion of Native American art, history, and culture. Art has the power to transform how we think and see. The new installation of these collections will build upon this interdisciplinary approach, pushing further at efforts to draw out themes of American identity through diverse categories of objects. A chorus of voices—artists, poets, scholars, community members, and activists—demonstrate that multiple truths can coexist and that what we don’t see in a work of art is sometimes just as important as what we do see. By rethinking America’s histories, how might we envision a better future together?  Karen Kramer, curator of Native American and Oceanic Art and Culture, and S arah Chasse, associate curator, co-curated the installation with support from assistant curator Lan Morgan. text continued from page 74