Pen to Paper Exhibition Opens at the Morris Museum, March 30

Pen to Paper: Investigating Famous, Historical Letters

New Research Presented on Documentary Evidence

Graphologist Analyzes Handwriting of US Founding Fathers and Presidents, Civil War Generals, Scientists and Inventors, Social Activists, and Authors

The late 18th to the early 20th centuries was a prolific period during the golden age of letter writing when handwritten communication also served as a means of personal expression. The increasing demand for the associated materials—such as writing implements, inks, and papers—was reflected in the technological innovations that flourished.

The Morris Museum's new exhibition, Pen to Paper: Investigating Famous, Historical Letters, takes a closer look at fourteen letters, presented in facsimile, by notable public figures in order to determine what new information may be revealed by an analysis of the writers' penmanship and the physical evidence of the documents themselves. The research was conducted on a selection of rare manuscripts, dating from 1781 to 1910, from the Lloyd W. Smith Collection, permanently housed at the Morristown National Historical Park (MNHP). Due to the fragile nature of the original letters, MNHP created high-resolution archival preservation copies and photographic details for reference in the exhibition. Presented is research on documents by Founding Fathers of the United States (Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington), American Presidents (Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt), Civil War Generals (Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee), scientists and inventors (Alexander Graham Bell, Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison), and social activists and authors (Susan B. Anthony, Harriett Beecher Stowe, Booker T. Washington, Mark Twain). The exhibition runs from March 30, 2019 through July 7, 2019.

At face value, the documents that were examined tell the average person one story. But to the trained eye more information can be deduced. Working with archivists from MNHP, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Virginia, and the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City, exhibition curator Maria Ribaudo pieced together different trails of evidence. “As we began to closely examine the original letters, hidden clues within the manuscripts began to tell a different story of how our writing communication developed over time. Presented in the exhibition are the clues we observed,” states Ribaudo.

Highlights include:

• Examination of a letter from Thomas Jefferson detailing a solar eclipse that he witnessed in 1811. In consultation with an archivist at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Virginia, it was discovered that the letter was actually a duplicate copy created by Jefferson using a duplicating device called a "polygraph" (not to be confused with the current lie detector test), which simultaneously produced a second copy as he wrote. Also, on view in the exhibition is a reproduction of Jefferson's polygraph, on loan from Poplar Forest, his private retreat in Virginia.
  
• Analysis of a letter from Alexander Hamilton to his father-in-law, Philip Schuyler, describing an altercation with George Washington. Parts of the letter were torn in half, and filled with strikethroughs, changes in phrases, and erasures. Past scholars have concluded that Hamilton was angry and lost control of himself while writing it.
  
• Assessment of a letter from Abraham Lincoln to General Grant, written about a month before his assassination and the end of the Civil War. MNHP archivists believe that the ink smudges may have come from Lincoln's own hand.

Beyond the physical examination of the manuscripts, the writers' handwriting characteristics and patterns were analyzed by leading graphologist Andrea McNichol to gain insight into their personalities and psychological states. McNichol, whose forensic handwriting analysis skills have been enlisted by law enforcement agencies in several high-profile criminal cases, was provided with excerpts from the letters, but with the writers' identities concealed. “I did not know who I was analyzing,” says McNichol. “It soon became apparent that I was assessing extraordinary individuals who all had high innate intelligence, emotional stability, and ferocious work drive—the three most common traits of people who leave their mark on society in a positive way. It seemed especially fitting because the writing was penned by people who lived in a time when the uniqueness of handwriting was greatly valued."

Other elements of this exhibition:

• Short video clips in the gallery demonstrate how writing communication has changed over the centuries with the advent of mechanical technology such as typewriters.
• A family-friendly “document research table” allows visitors to try their hand at being a document investigator.

“This exhibition, with its many layers, has something for everyone,” explains Ribaudo. “The letters offer windows into the lives of these gifted people, but as the pieces come together small details begin to emerge about each personality that has not been captured in history books. In addition, as we examined the technological clues that the letters provided, a story of how our writing evolved comes to the surface. Today, instead of sending out a handwritten letter, we may just send a text message. These new ways of communicating have changed our culture."

Exhibition Opening

The exhibition Pen to Paper: Investigating Famous, Historical Letters opens to the public on Saturday, March 30, 2019 and will be on view through Sunday, July 7, 2019.

Admission is free for Museum members and $10 for Non-Members.

To become a Member, and attend the Museum year-round for free, visit morrismuseum.org/museum-membership, email membership@morrismuseum.org, or call 973.971.3721.

Related Programming

Pen to Paper Curator Tour for Upper Level Members: Wednesday, April 10, 2019, 6:00PM-7:30PM

Led by Maria Ribaudo, Morris Museum Collections Manager and Curator of this exhibition. Members at the Partner ($350) level and above are invited.

To RSVP:

membership@morrismuseum.org
morrismuseum.org/special-events
973.971.3721

Interview with a Forensic Handwriting Expert: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 2:00 PM

Can handwriting really give us insight into someone’s personality? Join us as we remotely interview renowned graphologist Andrea McNichol who will be in her Los Angeles office. Hear about McNichol’s work in the field and how her skills have helped the FBI and other law enforcement agencies with numerous criminal cases, including the O.J. Simpson and JonBenét Ramsey murder investigations.

Tickets: Museum Members: $8 and Non-Members: $10 (Add $3 for Museum Admission). Call the Box office to purchase tickets – 973.971.3706

The Writing Lab: Saturday, May 18, 2019, 2:00 PM

Experience writing with a variety of tools, from the quill pen to the metal dipping pen and more modern day writing instruments. Learn about their differences and how pen technology has changed as you travel back in time on a historical writing adventure! This is a great program for children and their families.

Tickets: Museum Members: $8 and Non-Members: $10 (Add $3 for Museum Admission). Call the Box office to purchase tickets − 973.971.3706

This program is presented in partnership with the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts.

Mysteries on Paper, Wednesday, June 19, 2019, 2:00 PM

Explore Morristown National Park’s Lloyd W. Smith Collection with archivist Dr. Sarah Minegar, as she discusses her work with the intriguing letters and rare books that compose this priceless collection.

Tickets: Museum Members: $10 (includes Museum Admission) and Non-Members: $12 (add $3 for Museum Admission). Call the Box office to purchase tickets – 973.971.3706

About the Morris Museum

Founded in 1913, the Morris Museum is an award-winning, community-based arts and cultural institution serving the public through its exhibitions in the arts, sciences and humanities.The Museum is home to the historic and internationally-significant Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata.Changing exhibits of contemporary content also explore the Guinness themes of art, sound, and motion.The adjacent Bickford Theatre is the museum's 312-seat performing-arts facility, offering unique programming, often related to the museum's exhibition themes.Continuously serving the public since 1913, the Morris Museum has a proud tradition of innovative educational programs and family events.The first museum in New Jersey to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, it has been designated a Major Arts Institution and has received the New Jersey State Council on the Arts’ Citation of Excellence, among other awards.

The Morris Museum is a Blue Star Museum, offering free admission to active duty military personnel and their families, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Location & Hours

The Museum is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road (at the corner of Columbia Turnpike) in Morristown, NJ, and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday, 12:00 to 5:00pm. In addition, the Museum is open evenings from 5:00 to 8:00pm on the second and third Thursday of the month. Admission to the Museum is $10 for adults and $7 for children, students and senior citizens. Admission is always free for Museum members. For more information, call (973) 971-3700, or visit http://www.morrismuseum.org