Nancy Ford Cones (American, 1869–1962),The Abode of the Gnomes, about 1921, kallitype tissue print. Collection of W. Roger and Patricia K. Fry

Craft and Camera: The Art of Nancy Ford Cones

October 1, 2022–January 15, 2023 | Fifth Third Gallery

On a small riverside farm in Loveland, Ohio, Nancy Ford Cones created photographs that earned her a national reputation during a time when female artists continued to struggle for recognition. Despite the praise they received during her lifetime, Cones’s imaginative and exquisitely crafted works were largely forgotten after her death. This exhibition resurrects the gifted artist’s career and contributions to the field of photography. Between about 1900 and 1939, Cones made thousands of photographs that featured country life, fantastical visions, and literary characters, employing the help of neighbors, friends, and family who posed in costume around the farm and its environs. Working in partnership with her husband, James, who printed her work using a variety of techniques and papers, Cones conceived evocative subjects that emulated 19th-century European paintings.

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Imitator of Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606–1669), Man Leaning on a Windowsill, probably early 1700s, oil on canvas. Taft Museum of Art, Bequest of Louise Taft Semple, 1962.1

Fakes, Forgeries, and Followers in the Taft Collection

October 22, 2022–February 5, 2023 | Sinton Gallery

Fakes and forgeries provide some of the most compelling stories in the art world. Did you know that the Taft collection contains some of its own attribution mysteries, some solved and others still in question? This small exhibition will reveal the fascinating histories of selected paintings and works of decorative art normally kept in storage. Among them, portraits originally thought to be by Rembrandt van Rijn demonstrate how authenticating the great Dutch master’s paintings has evolved in the century since Charles and Anna Taft built their collection. Paintings previously believed to have been created by Spanish artist Francisco de Goya and English landscapist John Constable were later discovered to be works by their followers. Nineteenth-century carved stone plaques once masqueraded as Renaissance portraits of royalty. A pair of porcelain vases was made in France in the late 1800s rather than, as the Tafts believed, in China a century earlier. Follow along as we trace the detective work that uncovered the true identities of these works of art, many of which have not been seen by the public in more than 30 years.

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Vuelo Sin Fronteras / Flight Without Borders

November 12, 2022–January 8, 2023 | Taft Historic House

This year, the Taft invited three local artists— Gabriela Falconi-Piedra, Pedro Moreno, and Fabiola Rodríguez Ornelas—to decorate a six-foot holiday tree in the museum’s Duncanson Foyer. The artists were born in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Mexico, respectively. Their installation features a fantastic array of paper and fabric birds, butterflies, and flowers, and a paper nest to explore the concepts of migration, belonging, and diversity.

The Taft collaborated on this project with Wave Pool Art Center’s Welcome Project, which seeks to empower Cincinnati’s refugee and immigrant population while connecting, assisting, and inspiring all through art and food.

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A Taft Holiday Tradition

November 12, 2022–January 8, 2023 | Taft Historic House

Thanks to many generous donors, we will be bringing the beloved dining room table settings back this year, set for a tea party! These decorations remind us of the elaborate afternoon tea receptions Charles and Anna Taft hosted annually on New Year’s Day.

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