The Virtue in Vice | Exhibitions | Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

This exhibition was on display from September 06, 2017 to April 15, 2018.

This exhibition has been divided in to the following sections:

Master craftsmanship, luxurious materials, or sensuous forms often provide a veneer for objects that amplifies the pleasure of their use. Design disguises what we wish to remain private, tempts us with luxuries large and small, feeds sensuous appetites, and—should we envy someone else’s possessions—ease our discontent with clever imitations. Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth—the seven deadly sins—find irresistible outlet in these objects chosen from Cooper Hewitt’s collection.

Snuff Box
painted tôle.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Talbot Jones Taylor.
1912-18-22

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.

Painting, Sunlight and Shadow
brush and oil paint on canvas.
Gift of Charles Savage Homer, Jr..
1917-14-7

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 4 images of this object.

Drawing, Journey by Sedan Chair
black chalk, pen and black ink, brush and watercolor on paper.
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt.
1931-73-6

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Wine Glass
cut, engraved, and gilded glass.
Museum purchase through gift of James Loeb.
1951-147-1-a,b

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 7 images of this object.

Print, Rotherhithe
etching and drypoint on paper.
Gift of Leo Wallerstein.
1954-89-4

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

"Cockfight chair" Reading Chair
turned and joined walnut, leather, brass, tin.
Gift of Mrs. Paul Moore.
1960-164-16-a/c

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 8 images of this object.

Wine Glass (USA)
mouth-blown favrile glass.
Bequest of Joseph L. Morris.
1966-55-6-a

This object was made by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 4 images of this object.

Snuff Box in Shape of a Moor's Head Snuff Box

Snuff Box in Shape of a Moor's Head Snuff Box
amethyst, gold, silver, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, turquoise, moonstone,....
Gift of Anonymous Donor.
1967-48-19

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 5 images of this object.

Print, Advertisement for a Beverage
lithograph on paper.
Gift of Harvey Smith.
1967-59-25

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Print, Advertisement for Beer
lithograph on paper.
Gift of Harvey Smith.
1967-59-26

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

A ceramic flask shaped and decorated to look like a book. A floral pattern is printed on the edges of the book, while the spine is decorated in black and white painted horizontal stripes. A spout is placed at the top of the book.

Book-form Flask
painted and glazed earthenware.
Gift of the C. Helme and Alice B. Strater Collection.
1976-1-149

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Cover of a silver rectangle shaped matchsafe featuring a nude woman seated at a small body of water and surrounded by flowers. The woman is seated atop a bright red garment. The image is depicted against an off-white surface.

Compliments of National India Rubber Company Matchsafe
metal, celluloid.
Gift of Stephen W. Brener and Carol B. Brener.
1978-146-2

This object was made by Whitehead & Hoag Company.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Matchsafe
cast metal and painted celluloid.
Gift of Stephen W. Brener and Carol B. Brener.
1978-146-220

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.

Young Man Smoking Matchsafe
cast and incised silver.
Gift of Stephen W. Brener and Carol B. Brener.
1978-146-231

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

The frontal view of the lid has a vertically-oriented rectangular shape with three straight edges (top, right, and bottom) and one undulating edge (left.) The image, vertically situated on the lid, is a cancan dancer in action. Her face is in 3/4 view. She has russet (strawberry blonde) hair, parted in the middle in front and gathered into a soft bun (chignon) at the back. A loose tress of hair falls on her forehead. She has dark eyebrows and dark eyes, and looks sideways at the toe of her right leg raised in a high kick. There appears to be a beauty dot on her left cheek. She has a delicate upturned nose and a sweet pursed mouth with red lips. Her decolete (low cut) dress reveals the upper part of her bosom, the neckline has narrow ruffle trim. The dress has mutton sleeves -“poofy” from shoulder to just above the elbow and closer fitting from elbow to wrist. The pattern on the dress resembles an abstract leopard print rendered in brown and pink colors. The bodice is a cream color. Her left hand pulls up her skirts revealing thigh-length bloomers, layers of petticoats, and thigh-high black stockings. The gesture also reveals the entire length of the upraised kicking leg showing the viewer how high she can extend it. Her right arm supports the calf of her raised leg. On this leg the black stocking is held up by an orange garter. She wears pointy black shoes with a chunky heel. Overall, the image looks like a color illustration. The background appears textured - imagine chalk on rough sandpaper. A circular grey nimbus (like smudged charcoal on a stucco wall) surrounds her from mid ankle to shoulder, gradually becoming paler towards the edges of the lid. This grey “spotlight” makes her rather limited color palette (brown, pink, black, white, orange) seem vivid. It also serves to heighten the drama of the kick which extends beyond the nimbus. Similarly, the curved left edge of the lid echoes the undulating line of her leg rising from the arc of her petticoats, and reinforces the gesture of the kick.

Cancan Dancer Matchsafe
cast silver, enamel.
Gift of Stephen W. Brener and Carol B. Brener.
1978-146-259

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Woman smoking Matchsafe
cast and chased silver.
Gift of Stephen W. Brener and Carol B. Brener.
1978-146-1248

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Patchwork Cover (USA)
silk, cotton.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Smith.
1980-31-2

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Bonbonnière And Lid (England)
gilt and glazed earthenware.
Gift of Barbara E. Busch.
1986-88-1-a,b

This object was made by Moorcroft.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Sidewall And Attached Border, République Française Liberté Égalité

Sidewall And Attached Border, République Française Liberté Égalité
block printed on handmade paper.
Gift of John Jay Ide Collection.
1986-106-1

This object is part of the Wallcoverings collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Drawing, Design for a Painted Porcelain Plate, Café (Coffee) from the Service des Objets de Dessert (Dessert Service)

Drawing, Design for a Painted Porcelain Plate, Café (Coffee) from the...
pen and brown, black ink, brush and brown, black wash, white gouache, red....
Museum purchase through gift of James Amster.
1989-13-26

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Coronet Coffee Maker
chrome-plated metal, plastic.
Gift of Mel Byars.
1991-59-87-a/c

This object was made by Chase Brass & Copper Co..
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 6 images of this object.

Cake Tong (France)
silver.
Museum purchase from Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program,....
1996-56-39-a,b

This object was made by Charles Victor Gibert.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 6 images of this object.

Server (France)
silver.
Museum purchase from Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program,....
1996-56-49

This object was made by Charles Victor Gibert.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Ice Cream Server (France)
silver, mother-of-pearl, gilding.
Museum purchase from Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program,....
1996-56-80

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 4 images of this object.

Sculptural Group (possibly Germany)
cast silver, diamonds, rubies, sapphires.
Gift of Victoria Unschuld.
1997-158-1

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Print, The Woman Taking Coffee
engraving, etching in blue, black and red ink over gold leaf, with additional....
Museum purchase through gift of George A. Hearn.
2006-3-1