Page 37 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – May/June 2019

The Schuyler Sisters and their Circle
Albany Institute exterior
Albany Institute of History & Art July 20-Dec. 29, 2019
This year travel back in time to explore the revolutionary world of Albany’s Schuyler sisters.
For the first time, the sisters will be in the spotlight
for a special exhibition in their hometown of Albany. Opening July 20, and running through the end of the year, the Albany Institute of History & Art will host The Schuyler Sisters and Their Circle. The exhibition will use clothing, decorative arts, portraits and manuscripts from
the Revolutionary Period to the Federal Period to tell the stories of the Schuyler women.
With more than 20 lenders to the exhibition, including Columbia University, the New-York Historical Society, the Museum of the City of New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the presentation will be an intimate and vibrant exploration of these women’s lives. Objects of special interest include Elizabeth Schuyler’s wedding ring and a rarely exhibited John Trumbull portrait of Angelica Schuyler Church with her child and servant.
Albany has fascinating ties to the story of Alexander Hamilton. In addition to the exhibition, the family’s house, Schuyler
Founding Father Alexander Hamilton crossed from history textbook to international stardom with the surprise
popularity of the Tony Award-winning musical, “Hamilton: An American Musical.” Audiences have connected to the story of the struggling, persistent, resourceful and inventive character
that had a dynamic role in the birth of America and have been seeking to learn more about him and his world. A key component of his world, and the musical, has been his relationship with the equally fascinating Schuyler sisters from Albany, New York.
Angelica Schuyler Church with her child and servant by John Trumbull
The Schuyler sisters – Angelica Schuyler Church, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and Margaret (Peggy) Schuyler Van Rensselaer – were descendants of a prominent Dutch family in New York who lived in Albany. Their father Philip was a renowned Revolutionary War general and their mother Catherine was the great-great- granddaughter of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, the founder
of the Dutch colony of Rensselaerswyck. The sisters were known for their wide-ranging intellectual, social and political interests and their connections to prominent persons of the American Revolution.
(private collection).
Mansion, is now a New York State Historic Site that is open to the public and hosts special Hamilton-themed tours. Plus, there is an impressive list of activities, tours, and events related to Hamilton in Albany on the Discover Albany’s website, www.albany.org.
For more information about The Schuyler Sisters and Their Circle and related programs, please visit the museum’s website, www.albanyinstitute.org.
AAA members receive $2 discount on admission at the Albany Institute of History & Art. Founded in 1791, the Albany Institute of History & Art is New York’s oldest museum. Located just one block west of the New York State Capitol, visitors enjoy exhibitions that range from colonial history to contemporary art.
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