Winterthur Museum Debuts New Exhibit 'Almost Unknown, The Afric-American Picture Gallery'

Almost Unknown Exhibition showcases visuals of The Underground Railroad. (Photo by Claudia Estrada)

Almost Unknown Exhibition showcases visuals representing The Underground Railroad. (Photo by Claudia Estrada)

WINTERTHUR—A new exhibition, now open at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, brings to life a powerful and previously unrealized vision of Black American culture, history, and resistance.

Almost Unknown, The Afric-American Picture Gallery is inspired by an 1859 essay by educator and journalist William J. Wilson—writing under the pen name “Ethiop”—who imagined a fictional gallery that highlighted the lived experiences of Black Americans. Curated by historian Jonathan Michael Square, the exhibition marks the first time Wilson’s concept has been materially interpreted.

“William J. Wilson’s essay is a curious text that challenges us to consider our past, reflect on our present, and imagine a more inclusive future,” said Square. “The objects visitors will see may not be the exact ones that Wilson described. Instead, they reflect my reading of the text and its relevance today as it is revealed in the Winterthur collection.”

Drawing from Winterthur’s extensive collection of nearly 90,000 decorative art objects, Square has assembled artwork and artifacts reflecting the themes in Wilson’s essay.

“We focused on making sure it was rooted in local history, it needed to make sense for it to be here, so most of the objects are from the Winterthur collection,” said Square.

Alexandra Deutsch, Director of Collections at Winterthur Museum, offered insight into the exhibition’s origins and intent during the press preview on May 1.

Deutsch noted that Almost Unknown: The Afric-American Picture Gallery brings to life William J. Wilson’s 1859 essay of the same name, which originally existed only in print. “Today, his words are now three-dimensional,” she said. “You will be surrounded by them, and journeying through them.”

She added, “This immersive exhibition embodies the very best of what the collections at Winterthur have the power to do. Through the lens of Dr. Square’s perspective, the inanimate objects you will see in Almost Unknown have been brought to life.”

Among the standout works displayed is “A Black Ball” from the Life in Philadelphia series, designed by Edward Williams Clay and published in London between 1830 and 1835. Created with ink and watercolor, the well-dressed Black Philadelphians were depicted through grotesque caricature. Clay’s illustrations mocked the rising Black middle class and their purchasing power, reflecting the racial anxieties of Northern whites at the time.

Life in Philadelphia A Black Ball La Pastorelle Edward Williams Clay aquatint. (Photo provided by Winterthur Museum)

These types of visual attacks are precisely the kinds of portrayals that Wilson sought to challenge. In a separate essay published in Frederick Douglass’ Paper, Wilson called on African Americans to “begin to tell our own story, write our own lecture, paint our own picture, chisel our own bust.” That statement directly informed his writing of The Afric-American Picture Gallery, and its reinterpretation at Winterthur reinforces this legacy of self-definition and resistance.

The exhibition also features the Sankofa symbol, a recurring motif throughout the galleries. Rooted in the Akan culture of Ghana, Sankofa means “go back and get it” and represents the importance of learning from the past to inform the future.

Cast iron trivet(Photo provided by Winterthur Museum)

Though the African-American Picture Gallery makes no direct mention of Sankofa, Square notes that the symbol surfaced in his mind during his time at Winterthur.

“This is a writing system from West Africa, and the symbol represents the idea of looking into the past to create a more equitable present and future,” Square said. “And when we were conceptualizing this exhibition, we were wandering through the house, going through the collection with the curator, and I saw this, which was sort of the jumping off point for the exhibition.”

This modest cast iron trivet, possibly made in Pennsylvania in the 19th century, evokes the Sankofa form in its metalwork. The creation of the object’s origin remains unknown.

Another major component of the exhibition is Tom-mania, a display exploring the visual and commercial legacy of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The exhibit traces how the book inspired widespread material culture, from paper dolls and advertisements to figurines and trade cards, often reinforcing harmful racial stereotypes despite the novel’s intent.

Tom Mania display case. (Photo provided by Winterthur Museum)

Winterthur will also host a symposium titled Looking Back to the Future: Realizing “The Afric-American Picture Gallery” on November 14–15, 2025. The event will feature Fred Wilson, curator of the influential 1992 exhibition Mining the Museum, as the keynote speaker and aims to engage scholars, educators, and the wider community.

Visitors can experience Almost Unknown: The Afric-American Picture Gallery now through January 4, 2026.