Art in Scale: Barbara Marshall and the Fine-Scale Miniature Movement

Abstract

Throughout time, humans have engaged with miniatures as a means of making sense of their world. For each generation and each culture, this phenomenon manifests in a way that meets the needs of its participants. This thesis explores one particular miniature development: a fine-scale art movement that flourished in the 1970s and the contributions of one of its patrons, Barbara Marshall. The origins of the contemporary fine-scale movement can be traced to three famous commissions in the early part of the twentieth century: Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, the Colleen Moore Fairy Castle, and the Thorne Rooms. The creation of these miniature structures and room settings in the aftermath of World War I was an expression of preservation, nostalgia, and escapism. All three were displayed in public institutions and entered the public consciousness, setting a standard for fine-scale miniature work and inspiring artists of later decades. The fine-scale miniature movement of the 1970s developed in response to the social and cultural upheaval in the decades after World War II. Additionally, the Bicentennial in 1976 fueled a longing for the past and inspired a renewal of interest in handcrafting and Americana. Craft miniatures became a popular pastime, and a group of artists began to create museum-quality works that favored the replication of high decorative art or historically important artifacts. This movement would not have been possible without the support of patrons such as Barbara Marshall of Kansas City who valued detailed realism. Marshall amassed the largest and most comprehensive collection of contemporary fine-scale miniatures in the world. Her influence on the fine-scale miniature community was three-fold. She collected miniatures that met her personal aesthetic criteria, which in turn raised the standards of the artists. She commissioned artists to create their dream works, which allowed artists to explore the boundaries of their creativity. And, finally, she co-founded The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. By placing her collection in an art gallery setting, she used the museum as medium to elevate contemporary fine-scale miniatures to art.