: Celebrated in song and dance, the Mississippi River is the
subject of the new exhibit "Currents of Change: Art and Life
Along the Mississippi River, 1850-1861" at the Minneapolis
Institute of Arts. The exhibit is the first to explore the fine
and decorative arts that blossomed in the 1850s along the entire
span of the mighty 2,302-mile waterway. It also explores the
social and cultural distinctions of life along the muddy river.
The 11-year period was one of stellar prosperity, hope and
romance, a brief moment prior to the Civil War dividing America
more bitterly than any river ever could. It was the calm before
the storm. The West was idealized; the Noble Savage, having been
safely expelled, was glorified.
At the same time, the railroad began to displace the steamboat,
industry prevailed over the agrarian economy. As the economy
along the river prospered, the demand for sophisticated
furnishings and refinements exploded. The river itself served as
a conduit for ideas about art and culture, fashion and design.
