Through an array of paintings, pastels, photographs, and material culture, In Pursuit of the Picturesque takes a fresh perspective on the New England artist, James Wells Champney and how he played a pivotal role in shaping late 19th-century perceptions of nostalgia and beauty. 

Featuring special acquisition highlights from the past five years in the areas of furniture, ceramics, metalwork, paintings, prints, textiles, and rare books, the exhibit includes four sections that explain why and how the museum’s staff added these items to the collection.

The exhibition highlights both published and unpublished material from the Alleys’ collection, showing how these objects reveal varied techniques and ornament as well as the characteristics of the environment in which they were made.