Exhibitions
November 3, 2018 through August 4th, 2019
"Its advertising, of all descriptions, is noted for its beauty and artistic quality..." — Mohawk Valley Regional Press, 1937
The beautiful Mohawk Valley and idyllic Canajoharie were important marketing images for the Beech-Nut Packing Company. The landscape Beech-Nut Plant on the Mohawk River appeared in Company advertising by the 1920s and was featured on the very first lithographed metal Beech-Nut Christmas Box in 1924. The painting Slopes on the Mohawk by Edward Gay appeared on the box cover and served as the frontispiece image in The Beech-Nut Book of Menus and Recipes (which featured “Bessie Beech-Nut” on the cover). This new exhibit looks at the interwoven marketing of the Mohawk Valley, early Beech-Nut products, and the art collection built by Bartlett Arkell, and includes paintings by Cushman Parker, framed archival photographs and advertisements, and the Beech-Nut Christmas Boxes.
Brought to you in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
June 23, 2018 through December 29, 2019
Museum founder Bartlett Arkell was a noted art lover with a keen interest in the Mohawk Valley. In 1925, he presented a Library to the people of Canajoharie and lent twelve paintings from his private collection to adorn the walls. This first cultural gift to the Village was built from the stone of an 1840 Erie Canal grain store and now serves as our reading room. Arkell opened an attached Art Gallery in 1927 with a permanent collection “replete with beautiful notes for landscapists and suggestive and vital themes for historical painters.” For Arkell, this region’s past and present were equally important. He continued to acquire artwork with a focus on American art, history, and artists representing New York and its early Dutch heritage. This exhibition celebrates his vision of the Mohawk Valley, a place where landscape, history, and people are forever entwined.
Spring 2018
Bartlett Arkell, first president of the Beech-Nut Packing Company, used the appeal of animals in Beech-Nut advertising and on Beech-Nut labels and packages. This special installation features advertisements, photos, and products showcasing Beech-Nut's use of animals in their marketing.
This display was designed and installed by Amanda Berman, Arkell Museum Intern and Cooperstown (Museum) Graduate Program, Class of 2018.
