Opening May 2025 in the John L. Wehle Gallery
New to the John L. Wehle Gallery in May of 2025 is COLOR ME CALICO: A Taste for Prints & Parties.
Our latest historic fashion and textile exhibit invites visitors on a vibrant journey through the consumption of printed cotton textiles of 19th-century America. From the simplicity of plain muslins to the intricate patterns of chintz and calicos, this exhibit will explore America’s every-growing taste for colorful and affordable printed cottons.
Admission to the John L. Wehle Gallery is included with general Museum admission.
This exhibit is sponsored by:
Susan W. Greene
Pat Nickols
Patricia Tice
America's First Everyday Textile
Cotton calico became a staple of everyday American life in the 19th century, and continues to flourish in clothing for everyday Americans to this day. Style, fashions and tastes changed, but a taste for colorful calico remains steadfast.
This multi-media exhibit will display garments of cotton calico, 19th-century imagery, and calico-related objects used by everyday Americans, providing visitors a tangible sense of 19th-century middleclass fashionable life. The economy of calico as affordable and accessible, along with its colorful appeal, will be highlighted using extant originals from the Bruce & Susan Greene Costume Collection, supplemented by objects from generous lending institutions including:
The History Center in Tompkins County
Calico's Cross-Cultural Impact
The relationship between Hodinöhsö:ni’ People and calico fabric reveals a story of both resistance and assimilation. The visual appeal of calico’s colorful and often floral designs coincides with a cultural movement within the Hodinöhsö:ni’ community toward the revival of traditions and paving new paths toward peacemaking. Calico fabric itself is a tool of colonialism, utilized in peacekeeping efforts between the Hodinöhsö:ni’ and the United States Government in early America. Exhibited Hodinöhsö:ni’ calico garments, dolls, and beadwork will provide guests with the opportunity to explore how this community’s sartorial identity evolves across the 19th century.
Photo Rochester Museum & Science Center
Elevating the Everyday: Calico Balls
Elite fashions, usually made from silk taffetas or fine wools, were emulated by the middle and working classes using this ubiquitous cotton calico.
Grand Calico Balls, private or public fundraising parties, erupt across America by the mid-19th century. Party guests were required to wear their everyday cotton calico garments to these grand balls, with invitations often printed directly on cotton calico. As calico balls evolve, so do the expectations of calico ball organizers and guests. This exhibit features an array of 19th-century Calico Ball ephemera, complemented by actual calico ball garments.
Calico Ball at the Museum!
Join us for an enchanting evening of 19th-century revelry Saturday, May 24th for our very own Calico Ball!
Attendees will experience an unforgettable celebration featuring live music, spirited period and contra dancing with Expert Caller Margaret Mathews, and delightful refreshments.