9 Photos
"Blanchette and Romano" by Emile Bujon, 1831. SOUTHAMPTON HISTORY MUSEUM
Rose de Rose with pets, c. 1910. SOUTHAMPTON HISTORY MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
Ponies as Butterflies, c. 1910. SOUTHAMPTON HISTORY MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
Dog Doorstops, c. 1900. TOM EDMONDS 2022
Barnyard Chickens, c. 1920. SOUTHAMPTON HISTORY MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
Napkin ring, c. 1900. SOUTHAMPTON HISTORY MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
"Winnie the Koi Watcher" by Kimberly McSparran, 2022.
"The K-Nine Committee" by Rachelle Oatman, 2022.
"Bruce in Utah" by Dinah Maxwell Smith, 2022.
“Unless one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
– Anatole France
The Southampton History Museum opens its 2022 season with a new exhibit that combines historic photographs of people with their pets from its historic collection along with digital images of caretakers and their animal companions. Also, pet inspired artwork by three professional Southampton artists will be shown.
Titled “Puppies, Ponies & Pussycats: Tails of Southampton,” the show opens to the public on Wednesday, May 4, with a members preview on Saturday, April 30, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
People living in Southampton began taking photographs of their animal companions in the 1870s and continue to do so today. Animal-themed artwork and furnishings were either hand-made or manufactured for 150 years — objects in the exhibit are either donated or on loan to the museum by local residents. A wide variety of pet themed toys, dishes, banks, pillows and doorstops from the Museum’s collection can be seen along with submissions of recently taken digital photographs.
The exhibit was designed by executive director Tom Edmonds with a lot of help from his staff.
“My intent was to show how our deep love of animals has changed little over the past 150 years,” said Edmonds. “The exhibit brings together our shared romance with those amazing beings that are in our care.”
Artists in the exhibit:
Kimberly McSparran is a Southampton-based designer who sees the unique beauty of nature as the inspiration for her art and design work. She can be commissioned for portraits and decorative work on wallpaper, textiles and ceramics.
Rachelle Oatman is an international pet portrait painter who lives and works in both Europe, New York City and Southampton. Her portraits of dogs continue a historic tradition found during the 18th century in England and France. Since 1995 she has painted numerous commissioned pet portraits for owners for their personal collection or as an extraordinary gift.
Dinah Maxwell Smith was born in New York City and graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in painting. She has lived in Southampton for decades and has exhibited extensively in New York, the East End, Paris and Germany.
“Puppies, Ponies and Pussycats: Tails of Southampton” will remain on view through December 31 at the Southampton History Museum, 17 Meeting House Lane. For more information go to southamptonhistory.org.
Staff Writer on Apr 24, 2022