Friday, February 3 through Sunday, March 25
Valentines cards have been popularly printed, mailed and received in Europe and America since the 1800s. Printing innovations of the Industrial Revolution and the professionalization of the U.S. postal service ushered in a large number of card manufacturers. The design of early Valentines cards drew from popular art forms of the day decorated with the iconic Valentine decorative motifs of flowers, hearts and cupids.
Collapsible three-dimensional, or “pop-up” cards, became especially popular with the addition of delicate layers of brightly-colored tissue paper and a sculptural quality that were easily mailed. The Biggs Museum is pleased to present a large sample of the late 19th- and early 20th-century pop-up Valentine card collection of Ann Marcus. Mrs. Marcus has been collecting these delicate art forms for over fifteen years and has amassed a collection of hundreds of cards.
Friday, March 2 through Sunday, June 24
When Dover merchant, Vincent Loockerman, died in 1785 he was probably Dover’s single largest land owner and unrivaled collector of Delaware and Philadelphia-made furniture of the 18th century. For the last 200 years, Vincent’s descendants have lived with the riches of the past while adding treasures from their own times. The museum’s founder, Sewell C. Biggs, was an avid collector and admirer of the objects accumulated by Vincent Loockerman.
In tribute, the Jewels of the Generations exhibition features Loockerman’s material legacy while discussing over 200 years of art collecting by his descendants, the Bradfords. The jewels that have left the house, and are being borrowed back for this important exhibition, include a wealth of early American clothing, fashionable Victorian jewelry, European and Asian ceramics, American and European silver, important American and European portraits, and Delaware and Philadelphia furniture.
Monday, March 27 through Sunday, June 24
Celebrate youth talent in the arts by being the first to look at the installment of local school children’s artwork. The featured pieces were created by students of Campus Community School of Dover, DE. Within the exhibition there will be a focus on artwork inspired by Biggs Museum permanent collection objects.
Friday, April 6 through Sunday, April 29
As the Poet Paints features the literary and visual artworks of the 1979-2001 Delaware Poet Laureate E. Jean Lanyon:
“As a Fine Artist I paint what I cannot write, and I write what I cannot paint.”
The dual nature of this artist’s personal expression will take form in a comprehensive exhibition of her artistic career in Delaware. The opening reception for this exhibition will take place on Friday, April 6, 2012 from 5 to 8 p.m. The April 6 reception will feature a short exhibition tour and reading from the artist, E. Jean Lanyon, and exhibition curator, Ryan Grover, at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, May 4 through Sunday, June 24
In a time before televisions or even the widespread use of radio, Americans received their news and entertainment from popular magazines and illustrations. Among Delaware’s most famous illustrators of the early 20th century, Frank E. Schoonover (1877-1972) and Gayle Porter Hoskins (1887-1962) painted hundreds of images during their careers to illuminate current articles and popular stories.
These artists were commissioned by one of America’s most popular magazines, The Ladies Home Journal, to illustrate key events and scenes from World War I for thousands of readers. Picturing WWI features several Hoskins and Schoonover paintings, created between 1917 and 1919, of the experiences of World War I soldiers. The exhibition is a rare opportunity to see this exceptional collection owned by the Delaware National Guard.