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Miniature Rooms: The Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago
2nd Edition
Generations of visitors to the Art Institute of Chicago have been entranced by the Thorne Rooms. These sixty-eight miniature rooms, designed between 1934 and 1940, chronicle both European and American interiors ranging from 16th to the early 20th century. This publication offers stunning full-color photographs of each room.
Generations of visitors to the Art Institute of Chicago have been entranced by the Thorne Rooms. These sixty-eight miniature rooms, designed between 1934 and 1940, chronicle both European and American interiors ranging from 16th to the early 20th century. This publication offers stunning full-color photographs of each room.
- GenresArtNonfiction
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 19, 2009
Gosh, I just love miniatures!
Ideally, the reader would read this book shortly after viewing the exhibit and shortly before returning to the exhibit. I had the pleasure of seeing these rooms when I visited the Art Institute three years ago, but while I remembered the rooms and had read all accompanying material, I either didn’t know or remember much of the information in this book.
One woman designed all 68 miniature rooms, all shown in this book. She created this exhibit between 1934 and 1940. They’re of European (and 1 Asian) and American design, covering periods from the 16th to early/mid 20th century.
I was afraid that the photos wouldn’t capture the magic I felt when I viewed the rooms first hand.
It’s true that in the book’s photos the reader can’t see size and all different ways to view as you can when seeing them in person, but I immensely enjoyed seeing them again, and I could remember the size of the rooms and their contents so reading this was a great experience. Also, even though there’s only one photo of the creator standing in front of one of the rooms that gives the reader a good idea of scale, each photo gives the dimensions of each of the rooms, which is a big help, especially for those who are being introduced to this art for the first time.
This book is very well designed. There are color photos, some items shown at actual scale, several drawings. Details of how each room was done(with meticulous planning and detail) are given, and much cultural history is given for each room too. I really enjoyed the cultural history. I was paying so much attention to the actual rooms when I viewed them, that at the time I was less interested in the history and culture of the exhibit.
The Shaker living room circa 1800 was the designer’s favorite. It’s too hard for me to pick a favorite, although some I found more impressive than others.
I do wish there had been multiple views of at least some of the rooms, and more photos, even if the additional photos had been much smaller. The awe inspiring reaction I had to these rooms seeing them in person wasn’t quite captured for me, but this is a beautiful book. I found the glossary of selected terms very useful because quite a few of the terms were not familiar to me.
I now want to return! I want to visit the Art Institute again anyway. A friend and I spent almost a full day there and when we left I realized we hadn’t seen even half the place. What an amazing museum it is and this exhibit is one of the (many) highlights.
Ideally, the reader would read this book shortly after viewing the exhibit and shortly before returning to the exhibit. I had the pleasure of seeing these rooms when I visited the Art Institute three years ago, but while I remembered the rooms and had read all accompanying material, I either didn’t know or remember much of the information in this book.
One woman designed all 68 miniature rooms, all shown in this book. She created this exhibit between 1934 and 1940. They’re of European (and 1 Asian) and American design, covering periods from the 16th to early/mid 20th century.
I was afraid that the photos wouldn’t capture the magic I felt when I viewed the rooms first hand.
It’s true that in the book’s photos the reader can’t see size and all different ways to view as you can when seeing them in person, but I immensely enjoyed seeing them again, and I could remember the size of the rooms and their contents so reading this was a great experience. Also, even though there’s only one photo of the creator standing in front of one of the rooms that gives the reader a good idea of scale, each photo gives the dimensions of each of the rooms, which is a big help, especially for those who are being introduced to this art for the first time.
This book is very well designed. There are color photos, some items shown at actual scale, several drawings. Details of how each room was done(with meticulous planning and detail) are given, and much cultural history is given for each room too. I really enjoyed the cultural history. I was paying so much attention to the actual rooms when I viewed them, that at the time I was less interested in the history and culture of the exhibit.
The Shaker living room circa 1800 was the designer’s favorite. It’s too hard for me to pick a favorite, although some I found more impressive than others.
I do wish there had been multiple views of at least some of the rooms, and more photos, even if the additional photos had been much smaller. The awe inspiring reaction I had to these rooms seeing them in person wasn’t quite captured for me, but this is a beautiful book. I found the glossary of selected terms very useful because quite a few of the terms were not familiar to me.
I now want to return! I want to visit the Art Institute again anyway. A friend and I spent almost a full day there and when we left I realized we hadn’t seen even half the place. What an amazing museum it is and this exhibit is one of the (many) highlights.
August 28, 2018
Incredible book. I saw this exhibit when I was in Chicago a few summers ago and it was ENGROSSING. I've been obsessed with miniatures since childhood, starting with the creepy Twilight Zone "Miniature" starring a young, sweaty Robert Duvall. These rooms are intricately dressed and oh-so-tiny. Lovers of tiny things will be in heaven poring over the images. Excellent text accompanies the beautiful photography.
I bought this book. Delicious.
I bought this book. Delicious.
November 18, 2024
When you visit the Art Institute of Chicago, don't miss the basement! The Thorne Miniature Rooms have captivated my imagination since childhood, and this book examines each in detail. The rooms are exquisitely rendered visions of interior design throughout history in Europe and the US. I enjoyed learning more about the creator, Narcissa (Mrs. James Ward) Thorne, and I love having excellent photographs of each room in a book of my own! Unlike many photo-heavy books from this era of printing, the photographs are vivid (not dark as they so often turn out) and the long exposures capture the gentle lighting of the rooms as they are displayed. A glossary helps with specialized terms in the history of interior design.
While you're on your museum tour of Chicago, don't miss Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry--less historical, totally fantastical, absolutely unskippable.
While you're on your museum tour of Chicago, don't miss Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry--less historical, totally fantastical, absolutely unskippable.
August 11, 2018
A dear friend gave me this beautiful gift for my birthday this year because I have three dollhouses plus three miniature rooms. Some years back I toured the Thorne Rooms in Chicago, which I found to be the most exquisite I've ever seen, and I've seen A LOT of miniatures. The rooms are so incredibly realistic and detailed that the photographs throughout the book could be mistaken for photos in Architectural Digest. I especially loved that I've toured many of the actual houses she based the rooms on, so I was able to revisit those historic homes AND the collection with the flip of a page. The large collection represents the very best of what can be accomplished with miniatures. I remain in awe of Thorne's breathtaking achievement as a miniaturist and historian.
November 12, 2018
Definitely a book about the art aspect of the finished rooms, less about the construction process. Still an interesting read, but much more detail on interior design history than I was expecting.
December 27, 2023
Beautiful book
September 1, 2024
this has good pictures but if you are interested in the craftsmanship it is not helpful
September 28, 2024
Nothing compares to seeing these rooms in person, but this book is delightful.
June 24, 2013
During March 2013 I visited the Chicago Institute of Art, which is nearly as huge as the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and easily as impressive. I didn't have a lot of time, so after I visited the French art galleries, I made my way to the Thorne Miniature Rooms--a series of glassed-in vignettes whose detail is breathtaking. The detail! The charm! It's truly astonishing. No wonder these rooms are a favorite of museum patrons. I had to buy this book at the museum store so I could look at the rooms whenever I want. Although the photos in the book don't include a view of the gothic cathedral miniature (which is the most astonishing of all the Thorne rooms), it seems to have all the others. So completely charming!
November 19, 2010
I checked this out at the library after reading about Kristen's fascinating trip to the Art Institue of Chicago and seeing her pictures of the Thorne rooms. The photography in this book is STUNNING, would be if the rooms were normal-sized and are even MORE fascinating since they are miniatures. Anyone interested in design should check it out. Gorgeous woodworking and plaster ceilings and furniture design and art and I could go on and on . . .
February 23, 2008
I am really interested in miniatures! FYI, we have 20 Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Phoenix Art Museum. This book shows photographs and descriptions of many Thorne Rooms in Chicago. Love it!
May 25, 2018
This will be fun to come back to again and again. These rooms are incredible and inspire the imagination so much!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews