A new exhibition at Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art – The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick – showcases modernist wood furniture crafted by the Paoli artist, writes Julia Shipley for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
In the late 1930s, Esherick was a struggling artist who barely sold any paintings. At the time, he was living with his wife and three children near Paoli, and decided to turn to woodworking to help support his family.
The first chairs he crafted became part of Hedgerow Theatre Company, introducing Esherick to wealthy theatergoers who later commissioned his innovative furniture for their homes. Esherick later built a studio and workshop on his Malvern homestead, both furnished with his creations, including sofas, beds, and wastebaskets.
For over five decades, the site has been open to the public as the Wharton Esherick Museum. Now, visitors to the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford get the opportunity to explore 70 examples of Esherick’s work on display through Jan. 19.
“We are bringing Esherick to a bigger audience,” said Emily Zilber, the exhibit’s curator and Wharton Esherick Museum’s director of curatorial affairs and strategic partnerships.
Read more about the Wharton Esherick Museum exhibition in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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