Images in the News

Previewing the Bishop Whipple Art
Exhibition at the Minnesota History Center

Marcia G. Anderson, senior curator at the Minnesota Historical Society, gave a preview tour on January 30 of some of the items to be displayed at the "Indian Art from the Bishop Whipple Collection" exhibition, which opens February 15 at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Taking this private tour were, from left, Mr. Keith Klindworth, a member of the Church of the Messiah, Prairie Island; Mr. Robert Neslund, faculty member at Shattuck-St. Mary's School and a diocesan historiographer; and the Very Rev. James Zotalis, dean of the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour, Faribault. The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour, along with Shattuck-St. Mary's and St. Mark's Cathedral, Minneapolis, have all loaned artifacts for the exhibition.

The majority of the items, however, come from what is known as "The Bishop Whipple Indian Art Collection," purportedly including over 400 items that are housed, almost equally, at the Minnesota Historical Society and the Science Museum of Minnesota.  The art was collected by or given to Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple during the 42 years of his episcopate as the first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota (1859-1901). The collection contains remarkable examples of Indian handicraft, including beaded moccasins, bandolier bags, possible bags and hats, peace pipes, lace, wood carvings, and more.

Sometime after Whipple's death in 1901, it is believed that his widow Evangeline (the second Mrs. Whipple), donated the entire collection, which had been stored in a secret room in the Whipple home, to Shattuck School. At some point in history the collection was split in two, half of it being acquired by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), which displayed some of it at the Sibley House Historical Site in Mendota. The Minnesota Historical Society acquired the Sibley House and the DAR's Whipple collection in the mid-1990s.

The other half continued to be stored at Shattuck School until approximately 40 years ago, when, because of the need for proper storage, it was transferred "on long-term loan" to the Science Museum of Minnesota. It is believed that much of the collection has never been publicly viewed. Anderson, of the History Center, and Tilly Laskey, curator at the Science Museum, hope the 2008 exhibition will be a stepping stone to the development of "The Whipple Collection Project," with the goal of conducting scholarly research on the items and producing both a book and a website to showcase the artifacts.

"American Indian Art from the Bishop Whipple Collection" runs February 15 to April 13, 2008 at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul.  Exhibition details here.

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Here are some additional images from the private tour:

Although most of the exhibition will be Indian art, there will be a few other historical artifacts.  Here Bob Nesland, History Center Archivist Nicole Delfino Jansen, Dean Jim Zotalis and History Center Senior Curator Marcia Anderson examine a letter from the Rev. James Lloyd Breck in 1859 to the then Rev. Henry Benjamin Whipple, of Chicago, informing Whipple he had been elected Bishop of Minnesota. The letter and a transcript will be on exhibit.

Detail of a beaded cap made for the legendary Sioux Chief Good Thunder, which was acquired by Bishop Whipple.

In addition to half of Bishop Whipple's Indian Art Collection, the Minnesota History Center is also home to many other Whipple artifacts and documents.  Here, tucked away in the basement of the Minnesota History Center, in a room that contains more than 25,000 pieces of furniture, is Bishop Whipple's leather-topped desk.