January 26 - April 18, 2010
Free with Museum Admission

The Winter Exhibition is sponsored by:

Martin Johnson Heade, An Orchid with Nesting Shear-Tails, ca. 1875, Private Collection.

Throughout the 19th century American artist-explorers braved many hardships to reach and document some of the most remarkable terrain, flora, and fauna in the world. Their views of jungles, erupting volcanoes, ancient archeology, and exotic species from Central and South America and Florida stimulated interest in travel to the New World Tropics, and incited a passion for exotic species such as orchids and hummingbirds.

This exhibition includes rare paintings, drawings, prints, and illustrated books created by intrepid artist-explorers such as Frederick Catherwood, George Catlin, Frederic Edwin Church, Martin Johnson Heade, George Inness, Louis Mignot, Thomas Moran, William Aiken Walker, and Laura Woodward. While some artist-explorers were motivated by a romantic desire for escape from civilization, many were true scientists, inspired to travel to the tropics by the recently published work of Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Darwin. The exhibition juxtaposes examples of romantic, soulful representations of tropical landscape by artists such as Mignot, Moran, Inness, and Woodward, with more scientifically motivated works by Catlin, Church, Heade, Catherwood, and Walker.

During the second half of the 19th century, the American Tropics became more attractive to greater numbers of artists, scientists, writers, tourists, and also entrepreneurs like Henry Flagler. The once difficult journey to Florida, Mexico, and Latin America became less dangerous and uncomfortable via newly established railway and steamship services. Works by artist-explorers documenting the unspoiled paradise allowed curious viewers to experience strange and unfamiliar tropical features. In addition to paintings and literature, New World Eden will also present jewelry, hair ornaments, and decorative objects, by makers such as Tiffany & Co., which document the wild popularity of these strange and fascinating discoveries.

Image captions:

Aboive left: Martin Johnson Heade, Hummingbirds and Nest, Courtesy Eaton Fine Art, Private Collection

Above right: Orchid Brooch, Tiffany & Co. Archives

Exhibition Reviews:

Palm Beach ArtsPaper: A "Wow!"
By Gretel Sarmiento

Palm Beach Daily News Review
By Jan Sjostrom

The Winter Exhibition is sponsored by:

Children’s Exhibit Activity
February 6, 2010
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Free with Museum Admission

The Museum invites children to tour the exhibition with the Education Director. Afterwards children use mixed-media to create a tropical landscape collage inspired by the works of Gilded Age artist-explorers.

Gallery Talk
February 23, 2010
12:15 p.m.
Free with Museum Admission

Tour New World Eden with curator Tracy Kamerer as she discusses the artists and inspirations behind the beautiful and exotic works included in the winter exhibition.

Due to the Gallery Talk on Tuesday, February 23, Docent-led tours of the Museum will be 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.