Overview

Artist Charles Willson Peale was making detailed drawings of fossilized bones when a relative’s off-hand comment sparked an idea in his mind—why not turn his art gallery into a museum of the natural world? People would come. People might even pay! His reputation as a portrait painter was growing, but so was the number of people living under his roof. Charles Willson Peale turned from his career as a successful portrait artist to become the proprietor of America’s first public museum. Then (nearly) all of it disappeared, and (nearly) everyone forgot about it. What was Peale’s Museum? And where did it go? Unlike the wealthy person’s “cabinet of curiosity” that came before, Charles wanted the museum to be organized by the latest ideas in scientific thinking. He believed useful knowledge should be available to the public, and hoped that his museum might offer Americans a sense of their emerging identity as citizens of a new nation. He dreamed that his museum would become a national, public institution, countering European views of American inferiority. Home to groundbreaking innovations in paleontology, taxidermy, and the role of scientific order, the museum survived yellow fever, multiple moves, and ongoing financial challenges before eventually closing. Today it’s largely forgotten. Yet Peale’s legacy lives on in the very idea of a museum as a space combining education and entertainment

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9781955041645

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Webber condenses this decades-long journey into a digestible, tween-friendly tale filled with twists and personality. [I]t's an impressively comprehensive overview of an incredible life. The art and inserts are visually engaging and educational, making the book feel like a modern museum exhibit--which, of course, wouldn't exist without Charles Willson Peale.""-- ""Booklist"" ""An inspiration for newcomers and Peale enthusiasts alike, rich with resources and enticements to learn more about this fascinating family of artists and their museums. ... For Peale enthusiasts, reading this book is like strolling through a gorgeous garden with an old friend, rediscovering familiar paths and delighting in new growth. For newcomers to the Peales' stories, it is 'a chain of flowers, ' leading readers through the connections among a surprising array of historic people and moments as if guided by Charles Willson Peale himself.""--Nancy Proctor, Re-founding Director of The Peale, Baltimore's Community Museum ""Slip behind the curtain into a world of wonder, history, and determination. Its own cabinet of curiosities, Charles Willson Peale's journey to creating the Philadelphia Museum is a fascinating, well-researched read!""--Leah Henderson, author of many critically-acclaimed books for young readers including The Courage of the Little Hummingbird, Your Voice, Your Vote, The Magic in Changing Your Stars, A Day for Rememberin', and Together We March ""Like a great museum, An Artist and His Museum brings the past vividly to life, revealing a story richer and more surprising than one might see at first glance. The book stands as a testament to the creativity and initiative of the artist Charles Willson Peale--and of its author, Diane Webber--inviting that same spirit of curiosity to be passed on to young readers.""--Dana VanderLugt, author of Enemies in the Orchard

""An inspiration for newcomers and Peale enthusiasts alike, rich with resources and enticements to learn more about this fascinating family of artists and their museums. ... For Peale enthusiasts, reading this book is like strolling through a gorgeous garden with an old friend, rediscovering familiar paths and delighting in new growth. For newcomers to the Peales' stories, it is 'a chain of flowers, ' leading readers through the connections among a surprising array of historic people and moments as if guided by Charles Willson Peale himself.""--Nancy Proctor, Re-founding Director of The Peale, Baltimore's Community Museum ""Slip behind the curtain into a world of wonder, history, and determination. Its own cabinet of curiosities, Charles Willson Peale's journey to creating the Philadelphia Museum is a fascinating, well-researched read!""--Leah Henderson, author of many critically-acclaimed books for young readers including The Courage of the Little Hummingbird, Your Voice, Your Vote, The Magic in Changing Your Stars, A Day for Rememberin', and Together We March ""Like a great museum, An Artist and His Museum brings the past vividly to life, revealing a story richer and more surprising than one might see at first glance. The book stands as a testament to the creativity and initiative of the artist Charles Willson Peale--and of its author, Diane Webber--inviting that same spirit of curiosity to be passed on to young readers.""--Dana VanderLugt, author of Enemies in the Orchard

Author Information

For decades, Diane Webber has been inviting young people ages five to eighteen to dig deep into history. As an educator, she’s devoted to the integration of history into the study of the arts, literature, science, mathematics—nothing truly makes sense without the backstory. A Philadelphia-area resident and museum aficionado, Diane holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults and in Creative Nonfiction from Spalding University.

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