Explore 200 Years of Diverse American Art at PEM’s Groundbreaking Exhibition

Discover how American artists have shaped our nation’s narrative through PEM’s stunning new exhibition featuring iconic works from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

This summer, Salem’s Peabody Essex Museum invites art enthusiasts to journey through two centuries of American artistic innovation with “Making History: 200 Years of American Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.” Opening June 14 and running through September 21, 2025, this landmark exhibition showcases 85 masterworks that redefine what it means to be an American artist – both at our nation’s founding and in today’s diverse creative landscape.

A Revolutionary Collection From America’s First Art Institution

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), established in Philadelphia in 1805, holds a special place in American cultural history as the country’s first art school and museum. Its pioneering spirit extended beyond art education – PAFA became the first art academy to welcome women and Black art students for study in the 1800s, helping shape a more inclusive artistic tradition from America’s earliest days.

This exhibition draws from PAFA’s extraordinary collection, pairing celebrated masterpieces with remarkable works that deserve wider recognition. Visitors will encounter iconic pieces by Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mary Cassatt, and other household names alongside powerful works by artists whose contributions have sometimes been overlooked, including Elizabeth Osborne, Laura Wheeler Waring, and Raymond Saunders.

Rewriting American Art History Through Diverse Perspectives

“Making History reveals American artists as they have always been: a diverse group that includes women, artists of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community,” explains Jeffrey Richmond-Moll, Ph.D., The George Putnam Curator of American Art and organizing curator at PEM. “Since the founding of the United States, these artists have played a vital role in crafting and continually retelling the nation’s history.”

The exhibition demonstrates how American artists transformed the European concept of “history painting” by documenting contemporary events and struggles. For example, Alice Neel’s powerful “Investigation of Poverty at the Russell Sage Foundation” (1933) ensures that the stark inequalities of the Great Depression remain part of our historical record. Neel’s unflinching portrayal of a homeless woman living with her seven children under an overturned automobile captures a reality that might otherwise have been forgotten.

From Traditional Portraiture to Revolutionary Representation

Portraiture serves as another powerful lens through which the exhibition explores changing American identities. While early American portraits often emulated European traditions glorifying wealth and power, other artists created more intimate portraits honoring family members, friends, and mentors.

The exhibition highlights how Black artists in particular used portraiture to celebrate Black accomplishment, pride, and power. Visitors can experience Barkley Hendricks’ revolutionary life-sized portrait “J.S.B. III” (1968). After studying at PAFA in the 1960s, Hendricks – now recognized as the father of Black postmodern portraiture – built his career around realistic depictions of individuals at the center of contemporary Black fashion and culture.

Everyday Life and Changing Landscapes

Beyond portraiture and historical scenes, “Making History” explores how American artists have captured everyday life, domestic scenes, and our evolving relationship with the natural world. These works provide intimate glimpses into American life across different eras while revealing artists’ unique perspectives on their times.

From warm depictions of motherhood to scenes of independent women navigating modern urban environments, the exhibition presents diverse visions of American experience. Through landscape paintings and still-life scenes, visitors can trace Americans’ changing relationship with nature and our evolving sense of national identity.

Plan Your Visit

Exhibition Dates: June 14–September 21, 2025
Location: Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Social Media: Share your experience using #MakingHistoryatPEM

Don’t miss the opportunity to explore this groundbreaking exhibition that reshapes our understanding of American art history through one of the nation’s most historic collections. For art lovers, history enthusiasts, and anyone interested in America’s diverse cultural heritage, “Making History” offers fresh perspectives on what it means to be American, as expressed through two centuries of remarkable artwork.

Exhibition Catalog

A 224-page catalog titled “Making American Artists: Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1776–1976” accompanies the exhibition. Edited by Anna O. Marley with contributions from several scholars, this richly illustrated publication reinterprets American art through PAFA’s iconic collection, highlighting contributions by Black, women, and LGBTQ+ artists. Available for purchase in the PEM Shop.

Making History: 200 Years of American Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) and curated by Anna O. Marley, PhD, former Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Kenneth R. Woodcock Curator of Historical American Art at PAFA.

This exhibition at PEM is made possible by Carolyn and Peter S. Lynch and The Lynch Foundation, with additional support from the Exhibition Innovation Fund and PEM’s East India Marine Associates.

Banner Image: Barkley L. Hendricks, J. S. B. III, 1968. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richardson Dilworth. 1969.17. © Barkley L. Hendricks. Courtesy of the Estate of Barkley L. Hendricks and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.