Cooperstown - Fenimore Art Museum

[Diane Merkel]

The Fenimore Art Museum has recently received some notable artwork, including a substantial Native American collection from the Barbar Conable family and a contemporary Native American work from Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw.

The Fenimore also received a new acquisition, "When We Were There," 2006, a collage by contemporary Native American artist Arthur Amiotte (Lakota), from Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw for the Thaw collection of American Indian art. Amiotte incorporates specific elements of the past into his work, using not only his family's history, but also Lakota history, putting all in the context of a general, historical past.

In this collage, Amiotte illustrates the travels and adventures of his great-grandfather, Standing Bear, and other Lakota peoples throughout Europe with Buffalo Bill's Wild West traveling shows. Amiotte's work is widely exhibited and held in many private and public collections throughout the United States. Fenimore's season exhibition, "Myth and Reality: Art of the Great Plains," features a painting depicting the Battle of Little Big Horn by Amiotte's great-grandfather Standing Bear.

"When We Were There" is currently on view in the American Indian Wing.

Article: antiquesandthearts.com/Antiques/TradeTalk/2007-11-06__12-37-03.html

[harpskiddie]

I believe that Cooperstown was also the retirement home of one Winfield Scott Edgerly, who apparently has some connection to Native Americans as well.

Gordie

[elisabeth]

True. PhillyBlair (who we haven't heard from for a while -- hope all's well) has done a lot of work on trying to track down info on Edgerly's time there.

There's another Custeriana connection, apart from Custer being a fan of Fenimore Cooper's novels: the scout Will Comstock was the grand-nephew of Fenimore Cooper.

[Scout]

And Cooperstown is the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame...and...Benteen had his own baseball team...the Benteen Nine. Funny how things tie together, ain't it?

[Tricia]

And since baseball is the bestest sport of all, Benteen must have been the bestest officer in the Seventh!

[harpskiddie]

It's difficult to argue with logic like that. How do you extend that to the Cubs winning the World Series?

LESSEE:

baseball is the bestest game, therefore Benteen s the bestest officer
Benteen lived in Atlanta, ergo Atlanta is the bestest city
Atlanta saw the birth of Coca Cola hence Coke is the bestest sodie pop
Coke is the bestest icon, but next bestest is chewing gum
Chew chew chew chewing gum makes Wrigley the bestest owner
the bestest owner has the bestest ball field named for the bestest gum
therefore the bestest baseball team is the Juicy Fruits
er um er um um er, I mean the Wrigleys, er the Cubs.................................................

Gordie;
er um