The Art of Revolutions

The American Philosophical Society exhibition, Curious Revolutionaries: The Peales of Philadelphia (April–December 2017), curated by Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows Drs. Diana Marsh and Amy Ellison, offered visitors a look at the lives, accomplishments, and legacies of Charles Willson Peale and his talented family. Expanding on the exhibition, “The Art of Revolutions” conference, cosponsored by the American Philosophical Society, the Museum of the American Revolution, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, explored the role of imagery in influencing and giving meaning to the political revolutions that defined the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The conference was held October 26–28, 2017, at the American Philosophical Society. Included here is a selection of the talks presented at the conference, revised and updated. The volume also contains an introduction by Cathy Kelley and a compelling preface by Patrick Spero, Librarian and Director of the APS Library.