The Decorative Arts in the White House Symposium

The Decorative Arts in the White House Symposium is a day-long virtual event, hosted by the White House Historical Association and in partnership with Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. It will feature opening statements from Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., Katharine P. Booth, and Stewart D. McLaurin.

These remarks will be followed by morning and afternoon sessions by experts in the field of decorative arts, history, and curation. Mr. Tom Savage presents and moderates a discussion with scholars Catharine Dann Roeber and Jennifer Van Horn about the creation of American taste. White House Curator Lydia Tederick will speak on the History of the White House Collection. Matthew Costello moderates a discussion with Wendy Cooper, Melissa Naulin, and Frank Kalista on the Preservation and Conservation of the White House Collection.

Following a break for lunch, a discussion with Brock Jobe, William Allman, and Marcee Craighill moderated by Colleen Shogan details the White House as a House, Museum, and Stage. The day's presentations conclude with a discussion moderated by Carol B. Cadou featuring Stephanie Delamaire and authors James A. Abbott and Elaine Rice Bachmann addressing Designing Camelot.