In a tradition common to furniture decorators and folk artists, the Cahoons (especially Ralph) often borrowed designs and imagery from preexisting artworks, chiefly mined from book illustrations. Their sources were as varied as colonial trade signs, the paintings of Quaker artist Edward Hicks and French primitive Henri Rousseau, 19th-century conventions such as mourning pictures and theorem pictures, Harper’s Weekly engravings, and old photographs of Cotuit. Sometimes, their imitations were light-hearted spoofs – not infrequently involving a mermaid. But their originality always shines through, even when they were most faithful to their sources. Learn more about the story behind the Cahoons’ work with art historian Cindy Nickerson.

$25 per person/$20 museum members