Winter 2016

2016 Antiques & Fine Art 167 Helen Vreeland Cadmus (182–1891), artist unidentified , probably New Jersey, ca. 1841. Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 in. DAR Museum, Washington, D.C. A theorem-painted face screen, which women used to shield their faces from the heat of a fireplace fire, is seen in this portrait of Helen Vreeland painted by an unknown New Jersey artist in 1841. On the reverse of the painting, a family member wrote, “She is painted in a bridesmaid’s dress at the age of eighteen. She made the fan.” An exhibit at the Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York, The Instruction of Young Ladies: Arts from Private Girls’ Schools and Academies in Early America , curated by Robert Shaw, focuses on such works created during this time, while exploring the history of private female education in the United States and the key role of women educators in the growth of this country’s educational system. The exhibition is on view through December 31, 2016. For information call 888.547.1450 or visit www.fenimoreartmuseum.org. Robert Shaw is an independent scholar and curator specializing in folk art and studio crafts.