Philadelphia Focus | Almost Unknown, The Afric-American Picture Gallery now at Winterthur

Philadelphia Focus | Almost Unknown, The Afric-American Picture Gallery now at Winterthur | 05-19-25

Alexandra Deutsch, the John L. and Marjorie P. McGraw Director of Collections, at Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library

and Dr. Jonathan Michael Square, Assistant Professor of Black Visual Culture at Parsons School of Design, and Guest curator of Almost Unknown, The Afric-American Picture Gallery, discussed the exhibit now on view through January 4, 2026 at Winterthur.

Prompted by an 1859 essay by writer, social commentator and abolitionist William J. Wilson, “Afric-American Picture Gallery,” the exhibit uses text, lighting, sound and about 32 objects culled from the Winterthur collection to create the fictional galley’s experience.

‘Almost Unknown,’ five years in the making, captures the Winterthur Museum, Library and Gardens mission, presenting American material culture and design with context and history.

For more information, hours and programming offered in conjunction with Almost Unknown: The Afric-American Picture Gallery and its other collections go to WINTERTHUR.ORG