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March 2014 E-Newsletter


Portrait Return and Open House!
Rembrandt Peale's portrait of James Monroe, c. 1817-25.
Monroe painted by Rembrandt Peale, c. 1824.
 

 

After two years, we are pleased to welcome home our Rembrandt Peale portrait of Monroe, which has been on loan to the Virginia Governor's Mansion for the building's bicentennial.

 

This 3/4 length image of Monroe as President is based on the artist's smaller bust-length portrait. Peale's father, Charles Willson Peale, wrote to Monroe in 1824, asking the President to sit for his son. We don't know for sure whether he did, but the detail and confidence of the portrait make it seem very possible that it was painted from life. It has become one of the most popular images of Monroe, due to the air of combined wisdom and liveliness it exudes.

 

We will hold an Open House on Saturday, March 22, during which you are invited to visit the Presidential portrait! The museum will be open with free admission all day (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., visitors will have the opportunity to have their own "Presidential portraits" painted for free by local artist Carter Corbin. We hope to see you there! 
    
Weedon Letter on Display
Gen. George Weedon

The letter General George Weedon wrote to Monroe in 1785, concerning his upcoming move to Fredericksburg, is now on exhibit! Weedon describes a lot and "snugg [sic] Sentry Box" Monroe could buy as a residence. The letter was donated to the museum by Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. McDaniel in April 2013.

Curator Jarod Kearney has been working with Capital Exhibits to create a custom case for the letter, which includes enlargements of key passages. The case was installed on February 26 and makes a great home for the letter. Be sure to visit it at the Open House on March 22! We thank the McDaniels for donating the letter and sponsoring the building of the exhibit case.

Side note: Monroe did not end up purchasing the home Weedon describes, instead moving into the home of his uncle Joseph Jones (below right). Weedon built a house of his own on another lot, which he called the Sentry Box. This Sentry Box (below left) has been the home of the McDaniels since 1962, and will be open to the public as part of Fredericksburg's Garden Day on April 29.  

 
New Items from Costume Collection on Display
pawnee reticule
Elizabeth Monroe's beaded reticule, or purse.

We have rotated the items on display in our Costume Exhibit. Visit to see James Monroe's vest made c. 1785 (possibly for his wedding), his bicorn hat, and a waistcoat-and-breeches outfit he wore as a young lawyer in Fredericksburg. We will also display a pair of Elizabeth Monroe's shoes and a handmade beaded purse (left) that was presented to her in 1822 by members of the Pawnee Nation.  

 

Women's History Month Lecture

The museum is pleased to co-sponsor the following lecture in honor of Women's History Month with the UMW Women's and Gender Studies Program:

 

"Her Dangerous Voice: Female Orators, Gender Trouble, and Public Outrage in the American 1820s." Dr. Carolyn Eastman, Associate Professor of History at Virginia Commonwealth University, will speak about the reformer Frances Wright, who in 1829 gave dozens of lectures to overflow audiences in cities up and down the East Coast, prompting scandalized newspaper accounts that professed to be outraged by her oratory. Come hear about this scandalous public woman and consider more broadly the gender politics of publicity that created (and continues to create) such anxiety.  

 

Wednesday, March 12, at 7 p.m., in Lee Hall, Room 411, UMW. Free and open to the public.

What's in Store?
 

Ready for warmer weather? We are too! Prepare for those warm spring days with our featured sale item for March, a James Monroe Museum short sleeve t-shirt (left). They come in a variety of colors and sizes ranging from XXL to women's sizes and children's sizes. All t-shirts are 10% off for March!

 

There are new books on the shelves! Cosmopolitan Patriots (hardcover $39.50), by Philipp Ziesche, looks at James Monroe and other Americans who served abroad during the age of revolution. "Ziesche's short volume manages to offer fresh perspectives. He explores the fluid and sometimes contradictory forces of idealistic universalism and nationalistic particularism. This book is thoughtful, clearly written, and based on extensive research." (Library Journal review) Returning to our shelves is Jefferson and Monroe (paperback $12.95), which takes a look at the close friendship between James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson. Last but not least, Monroe Family Recipes (paperback $4.00) is back in the store, featuring recipes from the life and times of the Monroe family.

 

Coming soon are new cross stitch kits! We are excited to bring you an updated version of a cross stitch kit (Posy Collection) adapted from a beautiful, hand-beaded reticule, or purse, which belonged to Elizabeth Monroe. Beginning March 3, you will be able to see the original purse at the museum as part of the costume exhibit (see picture above). There will also be a cross stitch bookmark featuring a floral pattern drawn from another purse in our collection and the name of the museum, as well as a kit in the likeness of the museum.  

Membership and Special Events Coordinator
Newsletter Editor
 540/654-1043

In This Issue
Peale Portrait Return and Open House
Weedon Letter on Display
New Costumes on Display
Women's History Month Lecture
What's in Store?
Upcoming Events
Stay Connected!
Upcoming Events
Calendar
Wednesday, 12 March: Women's History Month Lecture, "Her Dangerous Voice: Female Orators, Gender Trouble, and Public Outrage in the American 1820s." 7 p.m. in Lee Hall, Room 411, UMW. Free. 

Saturday, 22 March: Free Open House.
Visit the newly-returned Rembrandt Peale portrait of Monroe. Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., have your own Presidential Portrait sketched! 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., JMM. Free.

Saturday, 26 April: James Monroe's Birthday Celebration. 1 to 3 p.m., JMM Garden. Free.

Visit our website for more information about these events.
 
 

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The James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library, located in historic downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, is the largest repository in the country for artifacts and documents related to the fifth president of the United States. The museum was first opened in 1927 by Monroe descendants as a place to house their own personal collections, which had been handed down through generations of the family. Eventually, the museum and its extensive collections were turned over to the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the museum is now administered by the University of Mary Washington.

 

The museum belongs to the American Association of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, and the Virginia Association of Museums. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.

 

 

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