Everyday Gems
Celebrating the everyday gems of life, from nature and art, to travel - and creating our best lives…
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
A poignant line form John Lennon’s song “Beautiful Boy” - which sums up the first part of 2024 for me. I had every intention of writing about my wonderful art-filled trip to Boston and Salem, MA., as soon as I returned from that trip at the end of 2023 - but…. one thing after another led my attention away from it, and my priorities needed to be elsewhere. I am now on the other side of all that and able once again to focus on my blog and adventures.
So here goes!
A few of my favorite things at the Peabody Essex Museum…
Also known as the PEM, this gem of a museum, located in Salem, Massachusetts, has its roots dating back to the East India Marine Society which was created in 1799 - and is considered to be “America’s oldest continuously operating and collecting museum.”
“At its origins was a group of twenty-two sea captains and traders who wished to help people understand the world.”
Through the East India Marine Society, they put their collection of worldly curiosities on display for the public to see - and this was the humble beginnings of the Peabody Essex Museum. Many of those original pieces are still on display.
The PEM today is an amalgamation of several societies and organizations that have come together over the last couple of centuries to create an institution that “…include approximately one million works of art, natural specimens, historic structures and gardens, publications, and archival materials.” It hosts a wealth of art and culture from around the world while also spotlighting the history of its home town, Salem, Massachusetts.
To say it’s worth a visit is an understatement. Simply go!
Traveling with my friends and needing to be on the road to Newport, RI by mid afternoon, we only had a few hours to take in as much as we could. We each focused on the galleries that most interested us but also enjoyed exploring galleries together. We all found treasures that delighted us and shared our “finds” over a delicious lunch at the Atrium Cafe, as the sunshine poured in. We all agreed it was a fantastic day at the museum!
Next time, I would allow for a whole day or perhaps divide the museum between two days. There is plenty to explore in Salem, so I could see spending a few days there, easily.
Portrait of Silk Merchant Eshing, 1809 by Guan Zuolin (Spoilum), Guangzhou, China
“Philidelphia merchant William Trotter described Chinese silk merchant Eshing as ‘the most intelligent and best informed person in China’ and ‘unbiased by any narrow prejudices.’” Painted by Chinese artist Spoilum, in the Western style, it is one of the earliest Chinese paintings recorded to enter the East India Marine Society collection.
Personally, I was very drawn to this portrait for its honest feeling of character and depth. Beautiful.
From left to right:
East India Marine Society punch bowl, 1800-1801 (glazed creamware) Gift of Captain George Hodges, 1801
Tea Service based on Meissen porcelain, 1735-45 (loved the coloring, gold embellishment and simple design of this set)
Commemorative plate of the American ship “Friendship” of Salem, MA - Jingdezhen, China, 1832
From left to right:
The quirky yet sophisticated designs of fashion icon Iris Apfel - I’ve been a big fan of hers since seeing her groundbreaking exhibition “Rara Avis” at the Met Costume Institute in 2005
Leather and steel shoe, 1892 (Hazen B. Goodrich & Co.) Is it just me or does this shoe seem incredibly current?!
Two dresses - Love the juxtaposition of these dresses made of imported Chinese silk from two very different periods of fashion!
left: Chinese silk dress, late 1830’s (look closely to see the intricate Buddhist symbols in the design)
right: Chinese silk dress with metallic thread and glass beads, 1920’s, probably from the House of Patou, France
Portrait of Susan Burlingame, 1834 by Charlotte Barber
The sitter, only 16 at the time, is portrayed in the typical flat style of early New England portrait painters, with its concise yet slightly abstracted style, which I find most appealing in its humble folk-like way. The young woman apparently of wealth, with her fine dress finished with imported lace and decked in long ropes of pearls.
From left to right:
Aquamarine and gold Demi-parure (earrings, brooch and pendant), c. 1820 - Earrings of this period could typically be 3-4 inches long.
Gold bracelet, 1875-1890, probably from Zanzibar - It was not uncommon to have matching pairs of bracelets, worn on each wrist during the 19th century and indeed much earlier.
Lava and gold bracelets, mid 19th century (lava cameos probably by Italian artisans) - Lava cameos were often purchased in Italy when travelers were on the Grand Tour through Europe. Once home, they would have their local jeweler fashion them, and other gems, such as micro-mosaics, into fashionable jewelry and sets (Parure).
Yin Yu Tang Home, 18th century.
It’s hard to imagine walking through an 18th century Chinese home located on the grounds of an American museum - but you can at PEM! Owned and occupied by the Huang family for more than 200 years in the southeastern Huizhou region of China, the Yin Yu Tang home, which translates to “Hall of Plentiful Shelter” has 16 bedrooms surrounding a central terraced courtyard. The last descendants of the family left the village in the 1980’s.
“In the 1990s, as part of a mutually beneficial cultural exchange, the home and its contents were carefully dismantled and transported to Massachusetts for eventual installation on PEM’s campus. Over the course of seven years, a team of museum curators and educators working in concert with preservation architects and traditional Chinese and American craftspeople re-erected the home.” It opened to the public in 2003.
I particularly enjoyed looking out the windows of the Yin Yu Tang home onto the ornate tiled roof - and the modern and historical buildings of Salem, beyond.
Image courtesy of Peabody Essex Museum
Gold filigree bracelet, c. 1840 (probably retailed by Cutshing, Guangzhou, China) presented to merchant Joseph Coolidge’s wife.
Notice the elaborate butterfly motif and the intricately woven gold strap work. The bracelet is based on the popular cannetille designs of Europe in the early 19th century -but this example celebrates the fine jewelers of China at that time.
From left to right:
View of the inscription on inside of bracelet.
Another view, my pic a bit blurry, of the exquisite bracelet.
“All the flowers are for me”, 2015 by Anila Quayyum Agha
The lacquered laser-cut steel installation by Pakistani-American artist Anila Quayyum Agha, takes your breath away as you enter the room devoted to her piece that plays with shadow and light and creates a shared and immersive experience for all to enjoy. Stunning!
So, spend a day or two at the Peabody Essex Museum and enjoy a beautiful and historical journey around the globe!
Peabody Essex Museum
-Wendy (aka: gemsatourguide)
-All images are my own unless otherwise noted.