An American Vision

The culmination of Henry Francis du Pont's lifelong vision and passion for collecting, Winterthur Museum houses the premier collection dedicated to American decorative arts. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Winterthur, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, presents an incomparable selection of masterpieces chosen according to the very principles espoused by du Pont himself: rarity, beauty, historical association and provenance. The result, An American Vision, offers a stunning array of the vast riches of this remarkable museum.Born at Winterthur in 1880, H.F. du Pont played an integral part in the rising tide of interest in early American craftsmanship that took hold in the early twentieth century. Over the course of his lifetime, he succeeded in establishing a comprehensive collection that now comprises some 85,000 objects. Winterthur remains the greatest centre for the study of decorative arts made or used in America between 1640 and 1860.An American Vision explores the Winterthur collection, highlighting the fruits of du Pont's all-consuming appetite for the most beautiful and meaningful reminders of America's past. With chapters devoted to both specific time periods and themes, this volume illustrates the most prized pieces of a true connoisseur.