Prepared by Nancy Barthelemy, Archivist The Peabody Institute Library was created with the 1852 donation from native son, George Peabody (1795-1869). Since that time, art has been an integral part of its history. When Eliza Sutton (1806-1889) donated the funds for the Eben Dale Sutton Reference Room to be added in 1869, she paved the way for yet more art to be enjoyed by the citizens of Peabody and beyond. In 2011, the first floor of the Library was renovated. The historic colors chosen for the heart of the Library were based on the palette from the Eben Dale Sutton Room, which now houses the Library’s Archives. The art on display today is as eclectic as the Library’s history. Much of it reflects George Peabody’s influence. Other donations came from Peabody residents and Library trustees. All reflect the belief that art is— and shall remain—an essential facet of our lives.

Within our Library are the works of: John James Audubon Abel Nichols Charles Osgood John Jabez Edwin Mayall Aed Arnoult Emile Gruppe Frederick Arnaud Tilt John Edward Jones Thomas Ball Edwin Forbes Frederic Remington George Catlin

To left and right: Images re-created in front foyer Upon entering the Library through the front door, the first work of art on view are the stencils located in the foyer in the upper left and right-hand corners of the doorway leading into the first floor lobby. During the first floor renovation in 2011, ceiling stencils used over a century before were found in what is the present day Assistant Director’s Office. While it was impossible to save this ceiling—and therefore the stencils—part of the design was re-created in the foyer.

P e a b o d y

I n s t i t u te Library, 1854

Immediately to the left of these stencils is a magnified copy of an engraving depicting the Library not long after it opened in 1854.

Gloucester Morning located in Distress located over Microfilm Cases Assistant Director’s Office

After the Storm located to the right Hauling the Nets located to the left of Reference Desk of Reference Desk

Continuing into the first floor lobby are four paintings by Emile Gruppe (1896-1978). Gruppe was born in Rochester, New York. His father was an artist and the family traveled to the Netherlands when Emile was quite young. Just before WWI, the Gruppe family returned to the U.S. and by the 1930s, Emile had settled in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he founded the Gloucester School of Painting. In the early 1980s, Peabody lawyer George Ankeles donated Distress and Hauling the Nets to the Library and After the Storm and Gloucester Morning to the Peabody District Court. In 2006, Judge Santo Ruma placed the Gruppe paintings on an indefinite loan to the Library, allowing these paintings to be viewed together for the first time in over 25 years.

Located just behind the Reference Desk is the painting, South Danvers in 1828. Until recently, this work was attributed to Gideon Foster Jr. (1782-1865). However, there is indication that the artist was Nathan Lakeman Sr.. (1804-1835) who was a member of the Danvers Light Infantry which is depicted in this painting. Lakeman was known for his landscapes and portraits. The painting’s history is an interesting one. Until the 1880s, it was used as a fire screen in the house of General William Sutton. It was then presented to the town by the general’s son, Eben Sutton of Andover and later given to the Library by City Hall. The landscape shows the Danvers Light Infantry encamped on the common by the Old South Church, which is the most prominent landmark in the painting. In 1828, the church had been in existence over a century, having been formed in 1711. In 1836, this building was torn down to make way for a new church which was built on the same site. However, the members of the South Church voted to erect a new structure in 1843 and agreed to sell the building to the Methodist Society. The building was moved to its present location on Washington Street. The small building to the left of the South Church is Schoolhouse #13 where George Peabody attended school. To the right of the Church is the old Dustin Hotel or the Sun Tavern, marked by the tall sign depicting the sun on it. Also on the right is the home of Lewis Allen, positioned in the area which became known as Allen’s Block. Straight ahead is the present day Central Street. At the rear of the First Floor Lobby, we come to one of the Library’s most prized works of art, the Portrait of Queen Victoria. When George Peabody donated over $2 million to create housing for the poor of London, Queen Victoria wished to find a way to thank Peabody. Because he was an American citizen, she couldn’t offer him knighthood. Instead, she commissioned court artist, Frederick Arnaud Tilt, to paint this miniature portrait on enamel. It arrived at the Library on Sept. 22, 1866, along with the Queen’s autographed letter, thanking Peabody for his generosity to the poor of London. Below Victoria’s portrait are several of the awards Peabody received for the creation of the Southern Education Fund and for his gift to the poor of London.

Congressional Medal given to Peabody Gold Box from the City of London

In the Library Director’s Office is a painting by former Library custodian, Tom Nolan of the Library in 1995. Also in the Director’s Office are three of the George Peabody Awards from the City of London which were presented to him in gratitude for his gift to create housing for the poor of London. All were hand-calligraphied and some were also illuminated before being framed. These awards have

been part of the Library’s collections since the 1860s.

Award to George Peabody from Award to George Peabody Award to George Peabody from Merchant Taylor’s Company from the Parish of Chelsea Working Classes Exhibition, 1866 In the Trustee’s Room is our next work of art, Portrait of Gideon Foster by Charles Osgood (1809-1890). Charles Osgood was born in Salem and became a well known portrait artist. His most famous work is a portrait of Nathaniel Hawthorne, which is now owned by the Peabody Essex Museum. This portrait of Gideon Foster (1749-1847) was commissioned by the Danvers Mechanic Institute in the 1840s. The Danvers Mechanic Institute was a model for the Peabody Institute Library, in that it was both a Library and Lyceum. One of its founders was Fitch Poole, who became the first Librarian of the Peabody Institute. The painting shows Foster near the end of his life. In the background to Foster’s left is the Bunker Hill monument. Gideon Foster fought at the Battle of Lexington, as well as at Bunker Hill. After the Revolution, he returned to South Danvers to continue his work at the family’s chocolate mill which was located on what is now Foster Street. Continuin g onto the first floor elevator lobby, in the space to the left of the elevator is the George Peabody Portrait. The painting was restored in 2011 with funds from the Community Preservatio n Act and the Peabody Institute Library Foundation. This portrait was donated by George Peabody during his October 1866 visit to South Danvers, given to replace one he donated to the Library in 1854 upon its opening. It was said he didn’t like that portrait, which had been painted by George Peter Alexander Healy (1813-1894). A well known photographer of the time, John Jabez Edwin Mayall (18131901), took a life-sized photograph of Peabody and Aed Arnoult (fl.1860s), one of Queen Victoria’s court artists, overpainted the image to resemble an oil painting. Later copies were painted and now hang in the Peabody Institute of Danvers, MA and Baltimore, MD. To the far left of the elevator lobby is a bust of Peabody sculpted by Irish born sculptor John Edward Jones (1806-1862). He was the son of painter Edward Jones and had been an engineer and builder of bridges before turning to sculpting. He was most successful with portrait busts and had exhibits at the Royal Academy, which included a bust he sculpted of Queen Victoria. Jones had attended on one of George Peabody’s London dinners in 1856, the same year he sculpted this for Peabody.

Proceed up the elevator to the second floor and the Sutton Room. In the Sutton Room foyer is a bust of Eben Sutton (1803-1864), sculpted by Thomas Ball (1819-1911). Ball was born in Charlestown and studied in Italy before returning to the U.S. Among his works are statues of Charles Sumner, Daniel Webster and George Washington. Eben Sutton owned a woolen mill in Andover and lived in South Danvers, serving as president of the Danvers Savings Bank and as Library Trustee until his death in 1864. To the right of the entrance to the Sutton Room is a portrait of Fitch Poole (1803-1873), the first Librarian of the Peabody Institute. He was one of the founders of the South Danvers Lyceum, begun in 1828 and the Danvers Mechanic Institute in 1841. The Mechanic Institute was a model for the Peabody Institute, in that it held both a Library and Lyceum. The portrait of Poole was painted by a local artist, Abel Nichols (1815-1850), who was born in Danvers and studied in Italy. The majority of Nichols’ portraits were of local people, such as Milton P. Braman, Levi Preston and Sally Orne. His most famous portrait was that of William Henry Harrison Continue into The Eben Dale Sutton Room to your left.

The Sutton Room was built in 1869. During George Peabody's historic visit to South Danvers on October 15, 1866, Eliza Sutton presented $20,000 to the Peabody Institute Library's trustees to create the Eben Dale Sutton Reference Library. Her donation built more than a me- morial for her deceased son, Eben Dale. It allowed for the expansion of the Peabody Institute and for the creation of a reference library which went on to house books of "enduring value." Today it houses the Library’s archives.

The room itself is a work of art. The tower addition to the Library was designed by Boston architect Gridley James Fox Bryant (1816-1899). He designed a number of Boston buildings, including the original Boston City Hall and Massachusetts State House. The addition extended the library by 46 feet and also added on the front portico which is still in existence. The three story tower had a separate entrance and was built of brick and brownstone to meld with the original library. The top floor gave a panoramic view of the town. In 1953, the third floor of the tower was removed. The wood used was black walnut and the furniture in the room was also donated by Eliza Sutton. It was she who gave us the Audubon prints as well as the Milton Shield. In 2003, the ceiling was restored to its original appearance with a grant from the ENHA.

To the right as you enter the room are three portraits of the Suttons.

To the left is Eben Sutton (1803-1864), the center Eben Dale Sutton (1848-1862) and to the right, Eliza Sutton (1806-1889). Eben Sutton was born in South Danvers and owned woolen mills in North Andover. He was the director of the Eastern Railroad, as well as a Trustee here at the Library until his death in 1864. . The portrait of Eben Dale Sutton was painted by Alonzo Hartwell (1805-1873) of Boston. Hartwell was trained as a wood engraver in Boston and earned awards for his work. After 1851, he turned to painting and became known as a portrait artist. Eben Dale Sutton spent most of his life sickly and in a wheelchair. That did not stop him from organizing a group of boys into a local regiment at the beginning of the Civil War. He led marches through town in support of the Union Army. He died at the age of 14 in 1862. After the deaths of her son and husband, Eliza Sutton devoted her life to creating the Eben Dale Sutton Reference Library and for a Home for Aged Women. She became well known for her philanthropy and divided her time between Peabody and Center Harbor, New Hampshire where she died in 1889. The portraits of Eben and Eliza Sutton were donated to the Library by the Sutton’s niece, Serena Pevear of Peabody in 1910.

Canada Warbler

Today, the name John James Audubon (1785-1851) is automati- cally linked with the study of birds. Even so, few realize just what an im- portant contribution he made in his Birds of America, published by sub- scription from 1827 to 1838. Audubon was preceded by Alexander Wilson, a Scotsman who published volumes by subscription in which he mostly described through words the American birds he'd studied. Audubon wanted people to be able to view the birds as they appeared in their natural habitat. To do this, he worked first with engraver William Home Lizars and later with Robert Havell to publish his works on the largest paper found at the time. These double elephant folios allowed most of the species he drew to be printed life- sized, something not done before. The Peabody Institute Library is only one of 134 repositories which own John James Audubon's historic work, The Birds of America. Donated by Eliza Sutton in 1871, these volumes have been an important part of the library's collection for over 130 years. At present, the prints have been removed from their volumes for the purpose of restoration. So far, over 160 of the 432 prints we own have been restored and are available for public viewing in the Sutton Room. The Milton Shield

The Milton Shield was donated by Eliza Sutton to the Eben Dale Sutton Room in 1877. It was designed and wrought by Leonard Morel-Ladeuil (1820-1888) to demonstrate a newly developed process of repousse—or a technique in which metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side. Morel-Ladeuil was trained in Paris in the art of bronze work. By 1860, he had become well known and was hired by the city of Birming- ham, England to create a wedding gift for the Prince and Princess of Wales. Not long after, he created the Milton Shield for the Paris Exhibition in 1867 and it created such a sensation that it was bought by the British government for 3000 pounds. Thousands of copies were made, of which this is one. Etched onto the Shield are scenes from Milton’s Paradise Lost.. Also within the Sutton Room’s collection are a number of port- folios, including prints by Edwin Forbes, Frederic Remington and George

Catlin.

Reveille on the Line of Battle Tattoo in the Camp by Edwin Forbes by Edwin Forbes

Edwin Forbes (1839-1895) was born in New York and trained as a animal and landscape painter. When the Civil War began, he went to work for Frank Leslie’s Magazine and traveled with the Potomac Army as an artist. Because photography was still too slow a medium to be used, maga- zines and newspapers employed artists to capture the essence of the battles and army life for the people back home. Edwin Forbes’s works were published throughout the war and are now preserved at the Library of Congress, as well as here at the Peabody Institute.

Borderline of the Other Tribe The Charge

Frederic Remington (1861-1909) was a painter, illustrator, sculptor and writer who attempted to capture the spirit of the American west. He was born in Canton, New York and was related to artist George Catlin. While his father hoped he would enter military life, Remington preferred drawing military scenes rather than living them. When his father died, Remington lived off a small inheritance, which allowed him to leave art school to travel. Though he was largely self-taught, he eventually improved and worked for Harper’s Weekly, Century Magazine, the New York Journal and The New York Herald. Catching the Wild Horse

The Mandan Chief

George Catlin (1796-1872) was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, He first studied law, practicing it for a few years before he turned to art. His primary interest was Native American life. He began his work in 1830, traveling to the Midwest on a diplomatic mission down the Mississippi River. He visited numerous tribes and eventually assembled his paintings for viewing in 1839. Some of these works were included in his 1843 publication of Catlin’s North American Indian Portfolio.

Peabody Institute Through The Years