PORTRAIT MINIATURES: THE BIG DEAL ABOUT LITTLE PICTURES

Truman B. Crisler, Owner, Truman B Crisler Fine Portrait Miniatures, LLC; and

Sarah Campbell Drury, Vice President of Fine and Decorative Arts, Case Antiques Inc.

Long before smartphones, portrait miniatures offered a way for early Tennesseans to keep images of their loved ones close at hand. This lecture will provide a look at the history and techniques involved in painting miniature portraits, along with the artists who practiced it in Tennessee during the 19th century and their patrons. This presentation will also explore the proper care and keeping of these delicate treasures. 

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UNCOVERING A FORGOTTEN KNOCH & SCHLEICHER FRESCO

Grace Abernethy, Director of Preservation, Historic Franklin Masonic Hall Foundation, and Independent Historic Paint Finishes Contractor

Theodore Knoch and John Schleicher strategically used German-American and Masonic networks to become 19th century Nashville’s premier fresco painters. Ms. Abernethy has researched the lives, careers, and partnership of these two influential German-Americans and will unveil the recent discovery of a Knoch & Schleicher fresco at the Franklin Masonic Hall.

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ADELICIA'S SARTORIAL BIOGRAPHY: UNDERSTANDING THE WOMAN THROUGH HER PORTRAITS AND A SURVIVING DRESS

Karin Bohleke, Director, Fashion Archives & Museum of Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Through the analysis of portraits and photographs of the mistress of Belmont, Dr. Bohleke will discuss Adelicia’s self-representation through dress within the context of the fashions of the day. As the conservator of Adelicia’s surviving silk day dress, Dr. Bohleke will also show what close “sleuthing at the seams” reveals about the woman who wore it.  

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EARLY TENNESSEE MAPS AS DOCUMENTS AND AS EVIDENCE

Charles A. Sherrill, Tennessee State Librarian and Archivist, Tennessee State Library and Archives; and Zachary Keith, Archival Assistant, Tennessee State Library and Archives

Maps are invaluable components of historical and genealogical research, and documentary records often cannot be fully understood without referring to maps.

The Tennessee Library & Archives has the largest and most significant collection of historical maps in the state available for public use and is actively digitizing those records to increase their accessibility. This session will address the value of these maps but also how to work with and understand historic mapping practices.