Letters, postcards, and other handwritten correspondence allowed individuals to connect with loved ones, conduct business, and record memories with their own distinctive hand. At the turn of the twentieth century, the blossoming of postcard production allowed travelers to share and commemorate their journeys. At the same time, writing instruments became artistic tools as individuals began to personalize their pens, stationery, and writing furniture. Manufacturers like Tiffany Studios (1902–32) offered desk sets, paperweights, and other writing tools, allowing patrons to create bespoke collections that suited their individual needs and artistic tastes. This commercialization generated an entire industry dedicated to the production of stationery, furniture, and other instruments of writing. Drawing on the Morse’s collection and archives, the objects in this gallery illustrate the intimate relationship between art, identity, and the written word.
Arts and Letters
Ongoing
For Americans living in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, writing was not only a vital method of communication, but an important form of artistic self-expression.
Resources:
The Letter, c. 1910
Oil on canvas
William McGregor Paxton, American, 1869–1941
27 1/4 × 22 in.
(2024-003)
Museum acquisition in recognition of Laurence J. Ruggiero’s distinguished service as Director of the Morse Museum from 1995 to 2023.