Some people have far too much money and time on their hands (think the Donald, for example). One of the wealthy residents of Chicago was into miniatures, exact replica miniatures, rather like being into expensive doll houses with all equipment included. And so it was that Mrs. Thorne had created something remarkable, which is now housed in the basement of the Art Institute. The description on the website says the following…..
“The 68 Thorne Miniature Rooms enable one to glimpse elements of European interiors from the late 13th century to the 1930s and American furnishings from the 17th century to the 1930s. Painstakingly constructed on a scale of one inch to one foot, these fascinating models were conceived by Mrs. James Ward Thorne of Chicago and constructed between 1932 and 1940 by master craftsmen according to her specifications.” My question is— what did she do with them once created? Have a miniature tea party? In any case, these miniatures are fascinating and here are some of the samples we saw…..
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In