Tiny Treasures

On a good weather day last week my daughter and I visited the Art Institute in Chicago for a bit.

I hadn't been there since I visited with my son over a year ago. When I went with him we saw a lot of the new Modern Wing because that's what he was interested in seeing. Thank goodness for girls! This time I got to see the miniature Thorne rooms again, which I hadn't seen since the kids were little.

The Thorne rooms were the "creative endeavor" of Mrs. James Ward Thorne, a Chicago socialite who began collecting antique miniatures at a young age. Inspired by actual rooms in historic houses and museums, the permanent collection features 68 rooms that were made (commissioned by her) between 1934 and 1940, constructed on a scale of one inch to one foot. As a child growing up in Chicago, I remember visiting and drooling over these tiny rooms and furnishings, my nose pressed up to the  glass.
 

Here is a little peek at the rooms that never fail to amaze me.  Every time I see them it's like the first time and I catch my breath at the intricate work that went into the making of them.

If you look closely you can sometimes see rooms beyond the rooms . . .

It was hard to get good photos through the glass without getting my reflection. A photographer I'm not . . .

The "natural" lighting replicates sunlight coming in through the windows and doors.

 
If you ever visit Chicago, be sure to see these little treasures. Here's a link to some better photos.