Peeking around the Back Side

The Art Doctor

“A look at the reverse of a painting can reveal a lot about its structure and stability; it’s a bit like examining the foundation of a house.”

Artist Attributed

Ruth Henshaw Bascom's Pastels

“The surviving volumes of Bascom’s diary accumulate references to over 1,100 likenesses, and the more than two hundred extant portraits demonstrate her sensitivity to nuances of physiognomy and dress and her facility with a range of materials.”

Artists unknown, American Scrimshaw Corset Busks, c. 1845. Ivory and baleen, ink. Various dimensions. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ellerton M. Jetté, American Heritage Collection 1956.103

A Second Skin

Scrimshaw Corsest Busks

Men drawn to the whaling life were promised adventure, but scrimshaw attests that excitement did not dominate the months or years they were out at sea.

Two men hanging art

Handle With Care

A Conversation with the Museum's Operations Team

“One of the biggest parts of our jobs is solving problems, because we’re doing things, in many instances, where no one has ever done it before.”