Curator from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to Showcase American Silver at McFaddin-Ward House Museum Lecture on April 16

Curator from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to Showcase American Silver at McFaddin-Ward House Museum Lecture on April 16

Beaumont, TX; March 30, 2026 – The McFaddin-Ward House Museum will present “Sterling Stories: 19th Century American Silver in The Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection,” a free public lecture by Medill Harvey on Thursday, April 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the Museum’s Visitor Center Lecture Hall (1906 Calder Avenue, Beaumont).

“The 19th century was when American silver took the lead on the word’s stage,” said Harvey, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ruth Bigelow Wriston curator of American Decorative Arts and manager of the Henry R. Luce Center for the Study of American Art. “It went from following European styles to pioneering new designs and techniques that transformed silversmithing. What makes it ‘unique’ is its embrace of artistic and technological innovation. The results are virtuosic and imaginative.”

During the lecture, Harvey will give a glimpse into the exceptional artistry, symbolism, and history of 19th century American silver, highlighting exquisite pieces in The Metropolitan Collection. From grand vessels that graced the homes of affluent patrons to intimate domestic, ecclesiastical, and personal items, each piece tells a story.

“Silver offers insights into social, cultural, and technological history and conveys rich stories about the people who made, owned, and cherished it,” Harvey said. “I hope people come away from the lecture with a greater appreciation and enthusiasm for the phenomenal creativity and innovation that defined American silversmithing during the 19th century. I hope it will lead people to look afresh at silver they own or encounter and to treasure any silver heirlooms that they have in their families.”

In conjunction with the lecture, Harvey will offer a free Silver Identification Clinic for the community to be held at the Museum Visitor Center on Thursday, April 16, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Item limit is three pieces per person. There is no charge for participation in the clinic. Market value appraisals are not offered at the clinic. Reservations are recommended by calling 409-832-2134.

For the past three decades, Harvey has held roles in American Decorate Arts at The Met. In her current positions, Harvey oversees the collections of American silver, jewelry, and other metalwork, as well as mid-19th-century furniture. Previously, she contributed to The Met’s 2009 and 2011 reinstallations of the American silver and jewelry collections and the exhibition “Silversmiths to the Nation” (2007).

“I find the opportunity to engage our diverse audiences with works of art and the stories they share immensely rewarding,” Harvey said. “From an early age, I loved art and museums. I am not sure I always aspired to work at The Met as I grew up in Kansas City, but even as a child, The Met was a place I found to be a wonderland. Whether it is lecturing, writing a label, installing works in our galleries, creating an exhibition, or writing a book, I love the opportunity to investigate and interpret the objects under my care and disseminate that knowledge and passion to the public.”

Harvey is co-author of “Early American Silver in The Metropolitan Museum of Art” (2013) and a contributing author for “American Silver in the Art Institute of Chicago” (2016). Her most recent publication, “Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co.” (2024), was written to accompany an exhibition presented at The Met in 2024.

Harvey’s robust educational background includes graduating summa cum laude from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in art history, graduating with distinction from The Works of Art Course at Sotheby’s Educational Studies in London, and receiving a master’s degree with honors in decorative art history by the Cooper Hewitt Museum / Parsons.

McFaddin-Ward House Museum lectures are admission-free and open to the public, but space is limited. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information, call 409-832-2134.

For those unable to attend, the full lecture will be available for viewing on the museum YouTube Channel (youtube.com/@mcfaddinwardhouse), Facebook (facebook.com/McFaddinWardHouse) and website (mcfaddin-ward.org/about/videos) after the event.

Completed in 1906, the McFaddin-Ward House is a fully restored Beaux-Arts Colonial-style mansion and historic landmark in Beaumont, Texas, that offers a vivid glimpse into the lives of the prominent McFaddin family and their enduring contributions to the economic, social, and cultural history of the region. The museum offers admission-free tours of the Historic Home, Carriage House, and Gardens, as well as educational programming and year-round events.