GIFTS BEYOND MEASURE

The role of a very special organization responsible for many amazing additions to the museum

This volume celebrates the history and contributions of the Art Institute's oldest support group, the Antiquarian Society. Focusing on sixty-two outstanding artworks, this book conveys the unique beauty of European decorative arts in The Art Institute of Chicago. Fine, full-colour reproductions and sprightly text evoke a sense of the time, place, and taste that inspired the creation of each object. The exciting selection represents a plethora of media and types, among them furniture, glass, ivory, porcelain, and silver. Art Institute Curator Ghenete Zelleke explores each object in brief, lively entries, while an introductory essay by Chicago historian Celia Hilliard illustrates and illuminates activities of the Antiquarian Society.