NRF promotes and invests in the architectural heritage of the Newport community, the traditional building trades, and Doris Duke’s fine and decorative arts collections, for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all.
As a leader in the preservation of early American architecture, NRF supports research and education in areas directly related to its collections and issues of critical concern to the field of historic preservation.
Visit Doris Duke’s art-filled mansion and enjoy panoramic ocean views from the extensive grounds. Open late March to November.
The Vernon House is a site for expansive story-telling, contemporary dialogue, and preservation trades skill-building. Opening July 1, 2023: NRF and Art&Newport are excited to present a group artists exhibition on cards and card playing: Games, Gamblers & Cartomancers: The New Cardsharps
Newport Restoration Foundation holds one of the largest collections of period architecture owned by a single organization anywhere in the United States.
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Newport, RI — Newport Restoration Foundation is pleased to announce a new exhibition at Rough Point Museum, Inspired by Asia: Highlights from the Duke Family Collection. The exhibition will be open from March 26 through November 13, 2022.
Featuring many never-before displayed objects, the exhibition takes a closer look at the Duke family collections of decorative arts and fashion made in East Asia and acquired over many decades.
The Duke family were prolific collectors of ceramics and lacquers made in East Asia. James and Nanaline—and later Doris—displayed their collections in their homes, including at Rough Point.
“We are excited by the opportunity to display objects in the collection in a way that allows you to get up close and personal with these beautiful works of art,” said Kristen Costa, Senior Curator at Newport Restoration Foundation. “You can really appreciate the skill and artistry that went into making these pieces—whether it is an intricately carved Guanyin figure, a brightly colored glazed ceramic Chinese export jar, or a handstitched Thai silk suit. This exhibit also reveals more about the Duke family through their collections and collecting habits.”
The exhibition compares and contrasts the collections of Doris Duke with that of her parents, James and Nanaline. A selection of objects from Doris Duke’s Southeast Asian Collection (SEACC) of Thai and Burmese art is juxtaposed with her parents’ collection of Qing Dynasty ceramics. Also on view are fashion items, recently gifted to the Rough Point Museum costume collection from Doris Duke’s Hawaiian home, Shangri La.
NRF invites visitors to explore art and fashion made by East Asian artists, designers, and craftspeople —and discover more about the cross-cultural exchange between United States consumers and East Asian makers during the long 20th century, and how these works of art influenced American interior decorating, fashion, and taste.
Inspired by Asia: Highlights from the Duke Family Collection will be on view at Rough Point Museum from March 26 to November 13, 2022. The general operating schedule is Tuesday-Sunday. Admission for self-guided access to the house and special exhibition is $20. Admission for students with ID is $10 and children 12 and younger are free. For more information about planning a visit to Rough Point Museum, please visit newportrestoration.org/roughpoint.
About the Newport Restoration Foundation
The Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) is a non-profit organization established by philanthropist Doris Duke in 1968 to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of 18th and 19th century Newport. NRF promotes economic and community restoration through historic preservation initiatives like Keeping History Above Water, which addresses the impact of sea-level rise on the built environment in the wake of climate change, and the Historic Trades Initiative, which harnesses the knowledge of local specialists to train the next generation of preservation craftspeople. In addition to a collection of more than 70 colonial houses, now rented to tenant stewards, NRF operates properties that are open to the public —including Rough Point, the Newport home of Doris Duke, and The Vernon House, a site of expansive storytelling, contemporary dialogue, and preservation trades skill-building. NRF is on Facebook /NPTRestoration and Instagram @NPTRestoration. Visit newportrestoration.org for more information.
