The White House collection of American crafts

About this book

Michael W. Monroe, Curator-in-Charge of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American Art, selected this collection of fine contemporary crafts specifically for the interiors of the White House, to be viewed and admired alongside the works of the past. Prepared in conjunction with an exhibition at the National Museum of American Art, this volume features ninety-two full-color photographs - some showcasing the pieces in the private quarters and public spaces of the White House - taken expressly for this book by John Bigelow Taylor. In addition to an introduction to the collection and commentaries on each piece by Michael Monroe, the book includes an essay on the significance and cultural value of crafts by Barbaralee Diamonstein, a foreword by Elizabeth Broun, Director of the National Museum of American Art, and brief biographies of each artist.