American Decorative Arts

Ralph Earl: Portrait of Roger Sherman

Maker: Boston and Sandwich Glass Works, American, 1826–88
Decanter
Mold-blown lead glass
Bottle with stopper: 10 5/8 × 4 7/8 in. (26.99 × 12.38 cm) Bottle: 8 5/8 × 4 7/8 in. (21.91 × 12.38 cm) Stopper: 3 1/8 × 2 5/8 in. (7.94 × 6.67 cm)
Mabel Brady Garvan Collection
American Decorative Arts

Audio: Julia Carabatsos

YUAG - Decanter

Maker, attributed to: McCarty & Torreyson, American, active 19th century
Jenny Lind Flask
Mold-blown soda-lime glass
7 1/4 × 4 3/4 × 2 1/8 in. (18.42 × 12.07 × 5.4 cm)
Mabel Brady Garvan Collection
American Decorative Arts

Audio: Nolan Crawford

YUAG - Jenny Lind Flask

Maker: Boston and Sandwich Glass Works, American, 1826–88
Pair of Candlesticks
Pressed lead glass
20 5/8 × 3 3/4 × 3 3/4 in. (52.32 × 9.53 × 9.53 cm)
Mabel Brady Garvan Collection
American Decorative Arts

Audio: Alexandra Ward

YUAG - Pair of Candlesticks

Maker: Unknown
Flask
Mold-blown potash-lime glass
8 1/8 × 6 1/2 × 3 in. (20.6 × 16.51 × 7.62 cm)
Mabel Brady Garvan Collection
American Decorative Arts

Audio John Stuart Gordon

YUAG - Amber Flask

Designer: Frank Lloyd Wright, American, 1867–1959
Window from the B. Harley Bradley House, Kankakee, Illinois
Leaded plate glass
framed: 34 1/4 × 17 7/8 in. (87 × 45.4 cm) sight in frame: 29 3/4 × 13 3/4 in. (75.57 × 34.93 cm)
Gift of Edward Byron Smith, Jr., B.A. 1966
American Decorative Arts

Audio: Mari Melin

YUAG - Window from the B. Harley Bradley House

Join Kelsey Wingel, Associate Conservator of Paintings, and Mark D. Mitchell, the Holcomb T. Green Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture, as they discuss the fascinating conservation history and meticulous restoration plan for Ralph Earl's iconic painting of Roger Sherman. Discover the painting's journey through time, from its life in New Haven to its various treatments, and learn about the innovative techniques and collaborative efforts involved in preserving this important piece of American art. Listen to this in-depth discussion of the process of art conservation and the exciting plans for Roger Sherman's return to the Gallery.

Part 3: Restoring Roger Sherman: Planning Conservation Treatment

Kelsey Wingel, Associate Conservator of Paintings, and Mark D. Mitchell, the Holcomb T. Green Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture, delve into the importance of Ralph Earl's painting of Roger Sherman. Discover why this piece is an icon of early American art and hear about its materials and techniques and the intricate plans for its ambitious restoration. Learn about the painting's historical significance, its journey through multiple conservation efforts, and the meticulous process of bringing it back to its original strength and power. Join us for an insightful exploration of art conservation and the enduring legacy of Roger Sherman.

Part 2: Painting History: The Creation and Preservation of Roger Sherman's Portrait

In this insightful discussion, Kelsey Wingel, Associate Conservator of Paintings, and Mark D. Mitchell, the Holcomb T. Green Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture, delve into the rich history and significance of Ralph Earl's iconic portrait of Roger Sherman. Learn about Sherman's pivotal role in American history, his contributions to foundational documents, and his journey from Massachusetts to becoming New Haven's most famous revolutionary. Discover the painting's historical importance, its provenance, and its place as an anchor in the Yale University Art Gallery's American collection. Explore the intricate details of the painting, the artist's techniques, and the ambitious conservation efforts to preserve this quintessential piece of early American art. Join us for a deep dive into the legacy of Roger Sherman and the enduring power of his portrait.

Part 1: The Legacy of Roger Sherman: A Portrait of Revolutionary America

Welcome to the Asian collections of the Yale University Art Gallery! I’m Kirie Stromberg, Postdoctoral Associate at the Archaia Program for the Study of Global Antiquity. I’m an archaeologist and art historian of early East Asia, and I am so excited that you’ve decided to come on this journey with us.

The tour you are about to take was created entirely by undergraduates and masters’ students, under the guidance of both me and Dr. Denise Leidy, the Ruth and Bruce Dayton Curator of Asian Art and head of the Department of Asian Art. These students are enrolled in a course I’ve been lucky enough to teach this semester, titled “The Archaeology of East Asia.” In this class, we’ve built a foundation for understanding the lifeways and visual traditions of cultures that lived across regions within the boundaries of modern-day China, Japan, and Korea. Of course, the national borders that are drawn on maps today did not exist in the ancient world, so students have explored connections across early East Asia, focused on objects from about 3000 B.C.E. in China through the first millennium C.E. in the Japanese archipelago. One theme to note across all the objects in this tour is that they would likely have first been found in mortuary contexts and reflect the importance of funerary ritual across the diverse cultures of early East Asia.

The students you’ll hear from come from a wide variety of majors, from history to molecular biophysics and biochemistry. Their observations will bring you not only information but also their unique perspectives on the objects you see. I hope you’ll learn a thing or two, but most importantly, I hope you’ll have as much fun as we have in this class!

2 Tsz Mei Li_1955_1

1 Salvatore Izzo 1986_78_4

5 Henry Shang ILE2017_13_7

7 Ara Gargiulo 1968_66_2

8 Yuanchi Zhang_1928_382

6 Kamini Purushothaman 2009_206_2

0 Kirie Stromberg Intro

3 Valerie Henriquez_1954_26_2

4 Elizabeth Lin_1969_55_4

Bracelet
Silver and cloisonné
3 × 2 3/4 × 3 in. (7.6 × 7 × 7.6 cm)
Gift of Labelle Prussin, Ph.D. 1973
African Art
2010.124.11

Daniella Sanchez, Yale College Class of 2025 and currently a Bartels Intern in the Gallery’s Department of African Art.

Bracelet

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