E-17: French Bedroom, Late 16th Century
c. 1937
Medium
Miniature room, mixed media
Dimensions
Interior, Scale 1 inch = 1 foot: 48.9 × 66.1 × 68.6 cm (19 1/4 × 26 × 27 in.)
Classification
miniature
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
43739
Art Historical Context
Narcissa Niblack Thorne’s *E-17: French Bedroom, Late 16th Century* offers a captivating glimpse into the opulent domestic world of Renaissance France. Created around 1937 as part of Thorne’s renowned series miniature rooms, this work the elegance of a noble bedchamber with remarkable precision. At a scale of one inch to one foot, the room measures just under two feet wide, yet every element—from carved furnishings to delicate textiles—reflects the lavish tastes of the period. Thorne, an American artist and collector, devoted years to researching and crafting these miniature interiors, drawin...
About the Artist
Narcissa Niblack Thorne · 1882–1966
Narcissa Niblack Thorne (1882–1966) was born on May 2 in Vincennes, Indiana, the eldest child of William Niblack and Frances Caldwell Niblack. Her family relocated to Chicago during her childhood, where she received a patchwork education: homeschooled by a governess, public schooling from age eleven, private classes, and finishing at the elite Kenwood Institute in Hyde Park. Extensive family trave...