11.12.2008

Thorne Miniature Rooms

When our relationship began, I was living in Utah and Tony was attending Northern Illinois University. So our first official date took place when I visited Tony and we spent the entire day in Chicago. My favorite by far was the Art Institute of Chicago. One of Tony's favorite parts of the Art Institute is the Thorne Miniature Rooms collection downstairs. The rooms are set into the wall at eye level so that you can peek into them. They are fascinating, intricately-detailed rooms depicting European and American interiors from specific time periods (with a scale of one inch to one foot). Here's a Massachusetts parlor from 1818. Notice the tree that you can see through the window. Which is your favorite?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think my new goal in life should be to make one of those. It looks really hard. Maybe my goal should just be to go see them.

ANNE said...

I think your goal should be to make one life-sized... for me... one day when I have a house...

Anonymous said...

Hi Anne,
I thought the room and furniture pieces looked familiar. Where I live, the Phoenix Art Museum also has a Thorne Exhibit. And I've gone there many times by myself or with my childern. And we all absolutely love the miniature pieces, my family can spend almost an hour just studying the individual rooms. The details are exquisite. Thanks for sharing your museum's collection.

ANNE said...

Rochelle - I didn't know that there were Thorne collections elsewhere! I may have to travel to Phoenix! (In the winter when it's not 110 degrees...)