{"product_id":"americas-collection-isbn-9780847873272","title":"America's Collection","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe first volume in more than 20 years tells a new and modern story of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms, one of the top collections of American fine and decorative arts in existence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWinner, NYC Big Book Award 2023, Fine Arts; Best Art Book, American Book Fest Award, 2023\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe art of United States diplomacy has been conducted over more than two centuries with figures from all over the world, in peacetime and in conflict. For the last six decades, these negotiations have taken place in the rarified environment of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State. Tucked inside the modern Truman Building in the center of Washington, D.C., lies this special suite of rooms transformed by four renowned architects—gems of classical architecture brimming with exceptional American art and artifacts that tell the story of the nation’s founding and represent the singular ideals of the American character.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHousing one of the finest collections in the world, along with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Winterthur, these rooms display more than 5,000 objects, including paintings by John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart; silver and porcelain owned by George Washington and other presidents; fine furniture; maps and documents; prints and drawings, not to mention the very desk the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War was signed on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith all-new photography and essays, this book captures the history of the rooms and explores more than 150 examples of the extraordinary American art that animates the exquisite spaces.\"An opulent new book...relates how classical design was marshalled to communicate the Enlightenment principles that shaped a young country and continued to lend it authority on a global stage...The Franklin room was gasp-inducing.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"The American past is vividly present on the seventh and eighth floors of Washington's Harry S. Truman Building.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Thomas Jefferson, first Secretary of State, understood that an object can have significance “from the part it has borne in our history and the events which it has been associated.\" The furniture, silver, ceramics, paintings, sculpture, prints, and architecture featured in America’s Collection are exemplars of Jefferson’s perceptive observation...this publication provides a visually beautiful and well-researched resource for individuals interested in our shared past, and our illimitable future.\" —\u003cb\u003eDiane C. Ehrenpreis, Curator of Decorative Arts and Historic Interiors, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Standing outside the modern, minimalist exterior of the US State Department’s Harry S. Truman Building in the nation’s capital, it’s difficult to picture the ornate reception rooms on its seventh and eighth floors.” \u003cb\u003e—CNN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"A stunning new publication...Featuring an enviable collection of objects and insights, \u003ci\u003eAmerica's Collection \u003c\/i\u003eis an excellent addition to a scholarly bookshelf and beautiful enough to grace any discerning collector’s coffee table.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e—The Decorative Arts Trust\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Exceptional American art and artifacts that tell the story of the nation’s founding and represent the singular ideals of the American character.\" \u003cb\u003e—Antiques and The Arts Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"...featuring contributions from luminaries including John Kerry, Pulitzer-Prize winning author Stacy Schiff, and Carlyle Group co-founder and Americana collector... David Rubenstein.\" —\u003cb\u003eBloomberg\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\"America’s Collection\u003c\/i\u003e, with its sumptuous illustrations and generous design, offers a splendid visual tour of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State. The accompanying text provides meaningful insights into the significance of the rooms and their furnishings.\" \u003cb\u003e—David L. Barquist, The H. Richard Dietrich, Jr., Curator of American Decorative Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This is a long overdue and comprehensive presentation of this nationally significant collection, making it accessible to a wider public audience.  It is a high-quality publication that beautifully presents the collection’s impressive artifacts with the attention they deserve.” \u003cb\u003e—Thomas Luebke, Secretary, Commission of Fine Arts\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"All collections have a mission but these rooms mix purpose with patriotism: they are designed to tell the story of the nation.\" \u003cb\u003e—Gagosian Quarterly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"With all-new photography and essays, this book captures the history of the rooms and explores more than 150 examples of the extraordinary American art that animates the exquisite spaces.\" \u003cb\u003e— Art Daily \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e“Is the book gorgeous? Do the various writers make you interested in whatever they are talking about? Both answers are a resounding yes. Goodreads 5 stars.\" \u003cb\u003e—Brendan Dowd, History Nerds United\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \"Who knew that the austere and massive Truman Building at the Department of State contained such magnificent works of art? This beautiful volume describing and displaying these pieces is a work of art in its own right.\" \u003cb\u003e—Gordon S. Wood, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eRadicalism of the American Revolution\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e and \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"...a must have for everyone that loves America and its history.\" \u003cb\u003e—Teresa Hatfield, author of \u003ci\u003eSplendid Sass\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eVirginia B. Hart\u003c\/b\u003e is director and curator of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms and \u003cb\u003eBri Brophy\u003c\/b\u003e is deputy chief curator. \u003cb\u003eThe Honorable John F. Kerry\u003c\/b\u003e is U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and former U.S. Secretary of State. \u003cb\u003eAllan Greenberg\u003c\/b\u003e is an architect and author. \u003cb\u003eMark Alan Hewitt\u003c\/b\u003e is an architect and architectural historian. \u003cb\u003eStacy Schiff\u003c\/b\u003e is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning author. \u003cb\u003eElizabeth Mankin Kornhauser\u003c\/b\u003e is the Senior Curator for the 2026 Bicentennial at Frederic Chruch's home Olana and Curator Emerita of American Paintings and Sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. \u003cb\u003eAlice Cooney Frelinghuysen\u003c\/b\u003e is the Anthony W. and Lulu C. Wang Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. \u003cb\u003eAlexandra Alevizatos Kirtley\u003c\/b\u003e is the Montgomery-Garvan Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. \u003cb\u003eElliot Bostwick Davis\u003c\/b\u003e is Senior Editor, Harvard Social Impact Review, Arts and Culture and a former museum curator and director. \u003cb\u003eDeborah Dependahl Waters\u003c\/b\u003e is an independent decorative arts historian and part-time assistant professor at Parsons, New School University\u003cb\u003e. David M. Rubenstein\u003c\/b\u003e is a financier and philanthropist. \u003cb\u003eCarolyn Vaughan\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer and editor of art books and exhibition catalogues. \u003cb\u003eLaaren Brown\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer and editor for art and natural history topics. \u003cb\u003eDurston Saylor \u003c\/b\u003eis a photographer of contemporary interior design and architecture. \u003cb\u003eBruce M. White\u003c\/b\u003e is a photographer of works of art and historic architecture. \u003cb\u003eSarah Gifford\u003c\/b\u003e is an award-winning graphic designer.","brand":"Rizzoli Electa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300914483429,"sku":"NP9780847873272","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780847873272.jpg?v=1767721447","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/americas-collection-isbn-9780847873272","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}