This day-long symposium celebrates the anniversary of “Agreeable Situations: Society, Commerce, and Art in Southern Maine, 1780-1830.” The program will explore the significance of this landmark book, and consider key issues in the study of material culture today. Speakers include nationally-known scholars, curators, and students working on Maine subjects. By considering objects in conjunction with historical essays, the book provides an essential foundation for understanding Maine material culture and the state's role in early American life and culture. “Agreeable Situations at 21” is being organized by the Maine Historical Society in conjunction with the original collaborating institutions: The Brick Store Museum, Saco Museum, and Old York Historical Society. Featured speakers will include: · Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, History Department, Harvard University · Kevin D. Murphy, Professor of Art History, CUNY Graduate Center · Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., Director, Maine Historic Preservation Commission and State Historian · Emerson Baker, Professor of History, Salem State College · Thomas Hardiman, keeper, Portsmouth Athenaeum · Laura Fecych Sprague, consulting curator of decorative arts, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, and independent curator · John Mayer, Curator of the Museum, Maine Historical Society · Abby Burch, Lois F. McNeil Fellow in the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware Registration Required: $65.00; Early-bird rate: $55.00 by April 25 |