Peacock Weather Vane

Look up and imagine this striking peacock silhouetted against a cloudy sky, spinning in the wind. This weather vane, hand-forged from iron around 1800, once crowned a building in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Early American weather vanes like this one were not initially seen as fine art, but by the mid-20th century, they were avidly collected for their sculptural qualities and celebrated as precursors to modern art. This particular piece was acquired by the Art Institute from Edith Halpert, a gallerist who made her mark in the New York art world by championing both modern American art and vernacular arts from earlier centuries. Halpert reportedly "stripped the New England skyline of more than 100 vanes" for her clients, who appreciated these functional objects for their artistic merit.