Explore: Print and Picture Collection

Tagged Print and Picture Collection

Blog 20
Events 7

Celebrating World Photography Day

Photography means "to draw with light." It is derived from the Greek words photos , meaning "light," and graphos , meaning "drawing." We celebrate World Photography Day every year on…

Queer Signals: Symbolizing the Self

An act of creativity can be a freeing way to express myriad emotions surrounding our identities, and as such, they are a great way to celebrate Pride Month. Throughout June, the Free Library offers various creative workshops…

Celebrating Printmaker Chen Lok Lee

The Print and Picture Collection is proud to present a program highlighting the work of artist and Master Printer Chen Lok Lee on Wednesday, May 15 at 4:30 p.m. Born in China in 1927, Lee studied at the Canton Public Art College and…

Japanese Ukiyo-E Prints in the Print and Picture Collection

I’ve been working in the Print and Picture Collection at Parkway Central Library for about a year now and I’ve still barely scratched the surface of learning about all of the art housed here. One of the first projects I was…

The Revolutionary June Wayne and Tamarind Lithography Workshop

On the second-floor gallery of Parkway Central Library as part of the exhibition The Art and Influence of John Dowell , there is a tribute to the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles. It was there that Philadelphia artist John…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: An Exhibition from Special Collections

by Laura S. and Karen K. In 1967, the Print and Picture Collection at Parkway Central Library purchased a print by a young Philadelphia artist named John Dowell. That first acquisition led to a relationship that has spanned 50…

The Federal Writers' Project American Guides

Most of us are familiar with the artwork created by the Works Progress Administration: the striking photography, the murals in state buildings and post offices, the posters, and the public sculptures, but fewer are aware of the work…

Explore the New Deal’s Legacy Across Philadelphia

The New Deal, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s political experiment to pull the United States out of the Great Depression, created programs for relief for the unemployed and economic recovery and reform. Evidence of some of these…

For the Greatest Number: The New Deal Revisited

by Laura S. and Caitlin G. It’s been ninety years since the crisis of the Great Depression inspired the New Deal’s government investment and aid. But it’s not just history. The country is again facing a choice: What do…

Frank Stephens, Jr.: A Free Library Legacy

When Frank Stephens, Jr., passed away in March at the age of 89, many mourned the loss of a friend and colleague. Others were hearing about Frank for the first time. And it was an opportunity for all of us at the Free Library to learn…

Spotlight on Special Collections: Artist Dox Thrash and the WPA Printmaking Collection

Dox Thrash was an innovative artist and printmaker who gained recognition for his realistic and moving depictions of Black life while working for the federally-funded Philadelphia Fine Print Workshop. Dox…

Explore Your Neighborhood Virtually with Digital Collections

With current stay-at-home orders and social distancing precautions in place, I find myself more eager to spend time outside and walk (or jog if I’m feeling really motivated) around the neighborhood. This has sparked a growing…

Diving into Digital Collections

For more than 25 years, libraries have been digitizing their collections, and the Free Library has digital collections in abundance—providing the opportunity to browse through roughly 50,000 images or to take a deep dive into the…

#SpecialCollectionsAtHome

The Free Library of Philadelphia is home to a myriad of Special Collections . Since mid-March, we have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that those of us who work with the Special Collections, are unable to work…

The Rights and Wrongs of Social Distancing

by Karin S. and Chris B. Social Distancing can be a challenge! It seems like the rules of what you should and shouldn't do are always changing. To help you learn* about the right and wrong ways to do it, a team of Special…

#ColorOurCollections: Creating Art with the Free Library's Digital Archive

Do you remember that scene at the beginning of Tangled where Rapunzel completes a day's worth of tasks before breakfast? Yeah, that's a lot less funny now. But if the school assignments are done and your Netflix…

Spotlight on Special Collections: WPA Posters in the Print and Picture Collection

From the mid-1930s to the early 1940s, artists working for the Federal Art Project’s Poster Division of the Works Progress Administration (WPA, later renamed Work Projects Administration) created thousands of designs for posters…

Learning Through Touch: Connecting with Objects in Our Special Collections

In a recent CNN article titled, "Why touching art is so tempting — and exciting," Fiona Candlin, a professor of museology at Birkbeck College in London and author of Art, Museums, and Touch , argues that…

A History Minute | 14 Surprising Facts about the Port of Philadelphia

Philadelphia has been a major center of international commerce for over 300 years. Even today, with major port complexes serving major metropolitan centers throughout the country, Philadelphia and its international seaport maintains a…

#5WomenArtists from Our Special Collections

Can you name five women artists off the top of your head? (Not counting Frida Kahlo or Georgia O’Keeffe.) Try. Surprised if you can’t? Don’t be. It happens. But let us help you achieve this goal... In March of…

"Telling Tales: From Oral Tradition to Art" Exhibition

Storytelling has shaped cultures and captivated imaginations throughout history. Whether teaching moral lessons or celebrating epic heroes, each tale reflects our values, fears, and dreams. Stories reflect the context—past or…

"Telling Tales: From Oral Tradition to Art" Exhibition

Exhibition Tour: Telling Tales: From Oral Tradition to Art

Join us Saturday, January 11 at 11 AM for a tour of the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections Division: Telling Tales: From Oral Tradition to Ar t . Meet on the Second Floor of Parkway Central…

Exhibition Tour: Telling Tales: From Oral Tradition to Art

Join us Saturday, December 21 at 11 AM for a tour of the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections Division: Telling Tales: From Oral Tradition to Ar t . Meet on the Second Floor of Parkway…