The Thorne miniature rooms are a set of approximately 100 miniature models of rooms created between 1932 and 1940 under the direction of Narcissa Niblack Thorne . Ninety-nine of the rooms are believed still to be in existence; the majority (68) are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago , while 20 are at the Phoenix Art Museum , nine at the Knoxville Museum of Art , and one each at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the Kaye Miniature Museum in Los Angeles . The Art Institute's rooms document European and American interiors from the late 13th century to the 1930s and the 17th century to the 1930s, respectively. Constructed on a 1:12 scale , the rooms are largely made of the same materials as full-sized rooms, and some even include original works of art.
24-568: The model rooms were the brainchild of Narcissa Niblack Thorne , who was born in 1882 in Vincennes, Indiana . During her childhood, her uncle Albert Parker Niblack , a United States Navy vice admiral, sent her many antique dollhouse miniatures from around the world. The idea for the model rooms also developed from Thorne's collection of miniature furniture and household accessories, which she began assembling around 1900, and her desire to house and display these items. A further inspiration may have been
48-399: A 1:12 scale , the rooms are largely made of the same materials as full-sized rooms, and some even include original works of art. The model rooms were the brainchild of Narcissa Niblack Thorne , who was born in 1882 in Vincennes, Indiana . During her childhood, her uncle Albert Parker Niblack , a United States Navy vice admiral, sent her many antique dollhouse miniatures from around
72-428: A detailed layout plan. Although her rooms were extremely time-consuming and expensive to produce, Thorne never sought or received payment for any of them. The death of her husband in 1946 left Thorne with an estate worth upwards of 2 million dollars, enabling her to continue focusing on her work. However, eventually a shortage of sufficiently skilled workers forced her to focus on dioramas and shadow boxes . When
96-599: A miniature shadow box that she encountered at a bazaar in Istanbul during the 1920s. When she was 19, Thorne married Montgomery Ward department store heir James Ward Thorne , whose fortune would help finance her hobby. They lived together in Lake Forest, Illinois . By 1930, Thorne was researching period architecture, interior design, and decorative arts to create sketches and blueprints for miniature rooms to house her dollhouse miniatures and other miniature furniture. During
120-797: A permanent gallery was established for the Thorne rooms at the Art Institute in 1954, Thorne set up a fund to cover the costs of caring for the works. Due to poor health, Thorne closed her studio in March 1966, donating her remaining works to charity. She died in Chicago in June of that year, and was buried in Rosehill Cemetery . Most of Thorne's works were donated to museums and remain there, although some were auctioned off in 1985. Thorne herself arranged for thirty of
144-581: The Century of Progress Exposition in 1933, Thorne's works were publicly exhibited in a dedicated building. Subsequent public exhibits included the Art Institute of Chicago and the New York World's Fair of 1940. In 1936, she received a request to make a miniature library depicting a room at Windsor Castle , to mark the planned coronation of Edward VIII ; although the coronation never occurred, she delivered
168-564: The Great Depression , Thorne had access to some of the top architects, interior designers, and craftsmen in the United States, who between 1932 and 1940 created approximately 100 "period rooms" under her direction. In total, 99 of the rooms are believed still to be in existence. The original 30 were placed on display at the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago , and in 1940 they were
192-690: The Kaye Miniature Museum in Los Angeles have one each. Some of the Thorne rooms are miniature replicas of actual rooms. They were constructed on a 1:12 scale , or in other words a scale of 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 1 foot (0.30 m). The rooms are largely made of the same materials as full-sized rooms; for example, they include bowls made of silver, chandeliers made of crystal, and even original works of art, both miniature paintings (by Fernand Léger , Hildreth Meière , Amédée Ozenfant , and Léopold Survage ) and sculptures (by John Storrs ). In 2010,
216-491: The Art Institute of Chicago began decorating a few of its rooms for Christmas , Hanukkah , and New Year's , using period-appropriate decorations for each of the involved rooms. Lindsey Mican Morgan, who is responsible for the rooms at the Art Institute, began the practice of decorating the rooms for the holidays after discovering Thorne's great affection for Christmas while researching. Narcissa Niblack Thorne Narcissa Niblack Thorne (May 2, 1882 – June 25, 1966)
240-660: The Kaye Miniature Museum in Los Angeles. In addition to these, a bar that Thorne auctioned off for charity in the 1950s is at the Museum of Miniature Houses in Carmel, Indiana. Thorne miniature rooms The Thorne miniature rooms are a set of approximately 100 miniature models of rooms created between 1932 and 1940 under the direction of Narcissa Niblack Thorne . Ninety-nine of the rooms are believed still to be in existence;
264-424: The city's Near North Side ; the 31 European rooms were finished by 1937, while the 37 American rooms were completed by 1940. The rooms were gifted to the museum in 1941, and put on permanent display in 1954. The Art Institute of Chicago's rooms are among the museum's most popular permanent collections. The Knoxville Museum of Art is home to 9 of the remaining rooms, while The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and
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#1732855029041288-470: The late 13th century to the 1930s and the 17th century to the 1930s, respectively. The Art Institute's rooms were created by Thorne and her craftsmen between 1932 and 1940 at her studio on Oak Street on the city's Near North Side ; the 31 European rooms were finished by 1937, while the 37 American rooms were completed by 1940. The rooms were gifted to the museum in 1941, and put on permanent display in 1954. The Art Institute of Chicago's rooms are among
312-543: The majority (68) are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago , while 20 are at the Phoenix Art Museum , nine at the Knoxville Museum of Art , and one each at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the Kaye Miniature Museum in Los Angeles . The Art Institute's rooms document European and American interiors from the late 13th century to the 1930s and the 17th century to the 1930s, respectively. Constructed on
336-445: The museum's most popular permanent collections. The Knoxville Museum of Art is home to 9 of the remaining rooms, while The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the Kaye Miniature Museum in Los Angeles have one each. Some of the Thorne rooms are miniature replicas of actual rooms. They were constructed on a 1:12 scale , or in other words a scale of 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 1 foot (0.30 m). The rooms are largely made of
360-533: The room and it was displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum . Thorne's best-known works show the interiors of upper-class homes from England, the United States, and France. The rooms are generally built on a scale of approximately 1:12, or one inch to one foot. They are painstakingly precise, and when maintenance is required, it has to be done with delicate tweezers and cotton swabs, the furnishings being carefully restored to their original position with reference to
384-468: The rooms are believed still to be in existence. The original 30 were placed on display at the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago , and in 1940 they were the subject of a LIFE magazine article. Twenty of these original rooms were donated to the Phoenix Art Museum , where they remain on display. The majority of the rooms, 68 in all, are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago , where they document European and American interiors from
408-445: The rooms to be auctioned off for charity in 1963. Approximately one hundred Thorne rooms are known to exist. The Art Institute of Chicago holds 68 Thorne rooms, which originally occupied a dedicated wing but are now housed in a large room in the building's lower level. An additional 20 are held by the Phoenix Art Museum , and nine by the Knoxville Museum of Art . The remaining two are at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis , and
432-463: The same materials as full-sized rooms; for example, they include bowls made of silver, chandeliers made of crystal, and even original works of art, both miniature paintings (by Fernand Léger , Hildreth Meière , Amédée Ozenfant , and Léopold Survage ) and sculptures (by John Storrs ). In 2010, the Art Institute of Chicago began decorating a few of its rooms for Christmas , Hanukkah , and New Year's , using period-appropriate decorations for each of
456-499: The subject of a LIFE magazine article. Twenty of these original rooms were donated to the Phoenix Art Museum , where they remain on display. The majority of the rooms, 68 in all, are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago , where they document European and American interiors from the late 13th century to the 1930s and the 17th century to the 1930s, respectively. The Art Institute's rooms were created by Thorne and her craftsmen between 1932 and 1940 at her studio on Oak Street on
480-555: The world. The idea for the model rooms also developed from Thorne's collection of miniature furniture and household accessories, which she began assembling around 1900, and her desire to house and display these items. A further inspiration may have been a miniature shadow box that she encountered at a bazaar in Istanbul during the 1920s. When she was 19, Thorne married Montgomery Ward department store heir James Ward Thorne , whose fortune would help finance her hobby. They lived together in Lake Forest, Illinois . By 1930, Thorne
504-400: Was an American artist known for her extremely detailed miniature rooms. Her works depict historical interiors from Europe, Asia and North America from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The Thorne rooms are honored with dedicated exhibits in the Phoenix Art Museum , the Knoxville Museum of Art , and the Art Institute of Chicago , where a special wing was built to house them. Thorne
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#1732855029041528-551: Was born in Vincennes, Indiana , in 1882; her parents moved to Chicago when she was a child. She was educated partially at home and partially in public school, finishing at the Kenwood Institute . She married James Ward Thorne, an heir to the Montgomery Ward department store fortune, on May 29, 1901; they had been childhood sweethearts . They had two sons, named Ward and Niblack. There are various stories of how Thorne
552-514: Was initially prompted to construct the miniature rooms. Her interest in miniatures began early, and was encouraged by trinkets sent to her by her uncle, a Rear Admiral in the US Navy. The first known exhibit of her work occurred in 1932. The high unemployment of the Great Depression made it possible for her to hire workers with highly specialized skills. Most of her exhibitions were private, held to raise funds for local charitable causes, but at
576-438: Was researching period architecture, interior design, and decorative arts to create sketches and blueprints for miniature rooms to house her dollhouse miniatures and other miniature furniture. During the Great Depression , Thorne had access to some of the top architects, interior designers, and craftsmen in the United States, who between 1932 and 1940 created approximately 100 "period rooms" under her direction. In total, 99 of
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