In Miniature

January 31- July 23, 2017

Lower Level Galleries

There is something enchanting about anything that is small but perfectly formed. It is magic that knows no class barrier and belongs to every period in history. Miniature objects of a small or reduced scale are produced for a variety of reasons, both aesthetic and practical: as demonstration of skill, as a status symbol, to carry something so precious that it can be owned only in small quantities, to make a functional object more beautiful, and to encourage looking more closely.

In Miniature will include items from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art collection boasts a variety of small-scale objects, and our miniature baskets, portraits, netsuke, and snuff bottles will be on view. Also displayed will be a Thorne room from a private collector; African gold weights from the Albany Museum of Art; Zuni carvings and eye portrait miniatures from private collections in Birmingham; and portraits, furniture, and snuff bottles from the Louisiana State University Museum of Art. Magnifying glasses will be provided and enlarged images will be installed on the walls so visitors can take a closer look at these small objects with enormous appeal.