Author Archives: lammct

Trip Around ArtStor

by Caroline Lamm

ArtStor is a digital archive displaying artifacts of all kinds dating back centuries. There is so much in this database it’s almost overwhelming upon first glance. ArtStor contains common creative works such as paintings, drawings, and sculptures, but does not fail to include things like jewelry, costuming, photographs, interior design, and performing arts artifacts as well. With that being said, ArtStor is nothing short of providing a nearly endless supply of artifacts to explore.

In my own personal journey traveling through the site across time periods and artifact types, I ended up having the most luck narrowing my search to a time period and culture. Looking specifically at artifacts created before 1820 in North America, I was able to take on a more tolerable selection of works. I found myself most intrigued when exploring the fashion, costume, and jewelry section under the above search constraints. I think what drew me to look into this selection of artifacts was that I would not have thought to consider these things art per say. With that being said, the creativity and handcrafted nature of them would consider them artistic creations.

The artifact that caught my eye in particular was a Regimental coat, a coat of the Continental Army in particular. The creator of the coat is unknown, however, it is from between 1775-1783 and is of American culture. The materials listed for the composition of this coat are wool, metallic, and metal. What initially caught my eye about this piece was the color. In comparison to the bland, neutral colors of other clothing of the time, this bright red coat was eye-catching. Upon further inspection, I noticed the details on the coat including the stitching of the buttons sewn on the bottoms of the sleeves. 

According to ArtStor, this is the uniform worn by officers during the American Revolution and it is completely hand-made. This really struck me in thinking about the number of coats like this produced at this time and how much work went into the hand-production of them. The digital archive also states that this coat in particular was owned by Colonel William Taylor, and the usage of the coat can be seen by the significant visual amount of wear. Another fact that stood out to me was that the color, style, and number of buttons were used to differentiate and distinguish one’s military unit or regiment. This coat was identified as being a part of the Connecticut Regiment of 1776. 

Regardless of this work in particular, something else I discovered during my exploration of the digital archive was the pattern in creators. I realized that it is much more common for works such as paintings, drawings, written works, and sculptures to know the name of the creator as opposed to jewelry and clothing. This is not something I would have thought about otherwise, but it makes sense considering these aren’t necessarily things that would contain a signature or be easily remembered by the creator. With that being said, I enjoyed my look around the archive and would recommend a “trip” to anyone interested!

Charleston Museum- The Powder Horn

by Caroline Lamm

Upon a first-time visit to the Charleston Museum located on Meeting Street, I was amazed by the collection of historical artifacts as well as the historical importance of the city of Charleston! I am ashamed to admit that for my third year living here, I have yet to visit any historical site in Charleston. However, I was skeptical that this museum would be so thorough due to the overwhelming amount of historical sites all over the city. It is safe to say this tour opened my eyes to the incredible extent of history here in Charleston, South Carolina.

The museum was chronologically organized in exhibits by time period, starting from the earliest and moving to the latest. For the eighteenth century section in particular, it was entitled “Becoming Americans,” outlining Charleston’s role in the American Revolution. Upon entry into this exhibition, there was a large painting on the wall of the Charleston harbor during the war. Something about this that really stuck out to me was the information next to the artwork which stated that on the eve of the American Revolution, Charleston was the fourth largest city in the country. This was a fact I would have never guessed and was incredibly interesting to learn about. 

From there, I was intrigued by all of the artifacts that were displayed and the information describing them and their meaning. However, a specific artifact that really caught my eye was the powder horn. As the information states, these horns are made from the outer sheath of cow horns. Upon further research, I discovered that these horns were used for carrying gunpowder, which is a reflection of the wartime. Specifically representing this time period and the American Revolution, the powder horn demonstrates the main form of weaponry used during this time: guns. 

With that being said, you may be curious as to why a horn that carries gunpowder would be something that catches my eye so intensely. This is because of the detailed designs carved into the cow horns. The museum plaque stated that these horns were generally carried by militiamen (which would make sense) and were typically decorated with their names and/or the places they served. This is wildly intriguing because it indicates that each powder horn looks different as it is decorated by the individual. This can also be seen by the difference in decoration of the three horns displayed in the case. Looking closely at the second photo provided, it is clear to see the detail in this craft. This horn in particular is illustrating the British Royal coat-of-arms, forts, and a horse. This is also a reflection of the American Revolution as it depicts the other side America was at war with. 

I suspect this is something that was preserved and displayed for many reasons. For one, militiamen carrying gunpowder in a contraption made from a cow horn is something that hasn’t been seen since this very time period, due to technological advancements. Similarly, each powder horn carries its own unique story, which is something worth preserving and displaying. In terms of its significance here in Charleston, these powder horns are demonstrative of the state/battle involvement of the city during this crucial time period. In general, however, the beauty of these powder horns lies in the creativity and craftsmanship illustrated in the carvings.