Announcing the Upcoming Yale University Exhibition “Allegories, Renditions, and a Small Nation of Women”
Here at Worthwhile Magazine, we are deeply honored to share an article written by a member of the curatorial team of the groundbreaking exhibition “Allegories, Renditions, and a Small Nation of Women,” premiering at Yale University in Fall 2021. This article is by curator, historian, and jewelry and antique dealer Tanzy Ward. She is also the author of Hidden Legacies: African Presence in European Antiques, which can be purchased here.
Antique 19th Century Portraits of Two Elegant Victorian African American Women, image courtesy of Tanzy Ward
The image of the Black Victorian during the post-emancipation years has been plagued with stereotypes and caricatures that do not define their true identity as a people. It is crucial to analyze history and emphasize an accurate representation. The upcoming “Allegories, Renditions, and A Small Nation of Women” exhibit opening Fall 2021 at Yale University aims to showcase the Black Victorian in a light that has not yet been properly depicted. The collection will feature antique items representing the emerging Black Victorian middle-class and their values as they strived for civil rights, social progression, and identity formation in the post-emancipation United States. The exhibit will include portraits, jewelry, clothing, mixed media collage artwork, and other symbolic objects directly related to the 19th-century Black Victorian.
Antique Victorian Era Stick Pin Featuring Lovely African American Woman, image courtesy of Tanzy Ward
I am honored and grateful that Khaleelah Harris and Teri Henderson have decided to collaborate with Megan Dorsey, Robert Newman III, and me on this important gallery exhibit for Yale Divinity School/Yale University. I have been enthusiastically collecting jewelry and original Victorian Era portraits of Black Americans, including memento pin accessories of elegant African-American women. Poised and elegant images of Black Victorians are historically significant, and preservation methods should be a continuous effort. This exhibit will allow visitors to reflect and visualize a frequently overlooked aspect of the American Victorian Era – African descendants that lived during post-emancipation. Antiques are often great storytellers and a part of intricate memories. I often wonder about the previous people who cherished these objects and their fascinating lives. It is a pleasure to emphasize the Black Victorian experience with antiques and share it with others.
The “Allegories, Renditions, and A Small Nation of Women” exhibit is an important event for recontextualizing this period and expanding popular understanding through the modern retrospective on African-Americans living during the Victorian Era. I am honored that this exhibit will display various antiques, many of which are very rare. There is a growing interest in the antiques trade for Victorian Era portraits of African descendants. Most of their names and background stories are unknown, including living relatives. I feel it is essential for me to help preserve and emphasize the many stories that are often overlooked in history. Many lives of Black Victorians are stories of triumph and progression as they endured inhumane treatments. When I analyze their portraits, I admire how they carried themselves with poise and dignity. They dressed elegantly in fashionable Victorian accessories and quality garments, but society failed to showcase them in this perspective. In modern times, it is critical to emphasize a more accurate depiction of Black Victorians, which includes their developed customs and traditions. I hope others will be compelled and inspired by this exhibit just as much as I am. I’m beyond excited to be a part of this amazing experience. I cannot wait to showcase the diverse collection of antiques that I have curated for this event.
May their lives and memories be uplifted through our preservation efforts.
Tanzy Ward is the author of Hidden Legacies: African Presence in European Antiques, an antique dealer, curator, and an appraiser. She is also the founder of Zanathia Jewelry, specializing in preserving rare antique and vintage accessories from eras gone by.
Ward is a PACC certified appraiser and graduate of the Asheford Institute of Antiques. In addition, she is a proud member of the Asheford Associate Membership Program & The American Society of Jewelry Historians. Zanathia Jewelry emphasizes preserving pieces of history and the cherished memories that are connected with it. Ward’s way of preserving history includes hand sourcing, researching, and providing unique jewelry that past generations wore with gentle love.
Hidden Legacies can be purchased online by clicking here.
Tanzy Ward can be found online at her business Zanathia Jewelry https://zanathiajewelry.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tanzyward_antiques/
© Tanzy Ward 2021