A33: "Middletown" Parlor, 1875-90
c. 1940
Miniature room, mixed media
53.4 × 47 cm (21 × 18.5 in)
SEE IT IN PERSON
● On view now — Gallery 11
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · verified July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
“Middletown” is a fictionalized town in Indiana, Narcissa Thorne’s home state, and the eclectic decorative accessories in this miniature room impart a personal, lived-in quality. Objects like porcelain vases, crystal paperweights, books, newspapers, and even tiny photographs suggest that this room is based on Thorne’s memories of her childhood.
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