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Friday, September 27, 2013

About place, for The Imaginary Garden

Margaret has introduced us to the collection of 69 miniature rooms gifted to the Art Institute of Chicago in the 1940s by Mrs. James Ward Thorne.

The scale is 1 inch to 1 foot, so that the 19-foot length of a room is built in miniature, using materials identical to the originals, in 19 inches.  HERE is a link to all 69 rooms.

 
I have chosen a Georgian drawing room, and am using one photo taken by Margaret (looking toward the left of the room) and another from the above link, showing the fireplace and pianoforte again, but also the righthand wall with the bow window and window seat, and the curio shelf above the small table.

A Proper Sense of Place

Georgian rooms are sparse and spare
but elegant withal,
a tea set waits beside a chair
in case someone should call.

No Victorian fussiness here
nor Tudor suits of armor.
Ming vases, though, are very dear,
and the pianoforte’s a charmer.







Posted for
An Imaginary Garden with Real Toads

19 comments:

Kay said...

Very nice, Kay. As a matter of fact I know the Thorne rooms well and have seen them many times in Chicago. They are very interesting.

jabblog said...

A lovely poem to accompany such sweet photos. Miniaturisation is always fascinating. Queen Mary's dolls' house on display at Windsor Castle is a delight.

kaykuala said...

This is elegant, Kay! Makes a house proud owner very proud! Nicely!

Hank

L. Edgar Otto said...

Ahhh, very nice and yes Ming vases fill our room that makes it our home all the more with things of faraway places.

I am always amazed over these snapshots of time how some of them can exist together in time but not in space... How is it in the simple act of sharing tea while universal is that in one particular place we tend to stay bound, or if leaving surely long to return?

Maude Lynn said...

Delightful, Kay!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Oh very cool!

Marian said...

YOU, dear Kay, are a charmer. :)

Peggy said...

Love your description of this lovely miniature room. Fun!

Unknown said...

This is great Kay we went in different directions but ... maybe the night starts at you place and ends at mine :)

Susan said...

Nicely played. I hear the charm of the pianoforte in the rhythm of your words.

Margaret said...

So charming. I believe you must have English blood! The curio is exactly like one I inherited from my grandmother!

Kerry O'Connor said...

Such a wonderful focus on details here, kay.

Phil Slade said...

Such amazing intricacy, and so much patience in creating a masterpiece like that. I could never do anything like that!

Ella said...

Kay yours should be a song :D
Fun to read, as always!

hedgewitch said...

This room suits your rhyme, and vice versa--it is elegant but comfortable, bright and rich without ostentation. Lovely, Kay.

Sumana Roy said...


this is so nice.....love the rhythm,words.....

Susie Clevenger said...

Love the elegance you have written in the piece. The room just seemed to warrant that touch.

Lolamouse said...

I'd take a Ming vase and piano before a suit of armor myself!

Jennifer Wagner said...

This one sings. It rolls off the tongue so nicely!