The Diplomatic Reception Rooms

Name: The Diplomatic Reception Rooms
Address: 2201 C Street, NW, Washington D.C., DC, 20520, US
Telephone: +12026471990

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The Diplomatic Reception Rooms

Celebrating the Art of Diplomacy

12/05/2023

To fund the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress and State governments printed “Bills of Credit” which could be exchanged for gold or silver at a future date.

Prior to the Revolutionary War, state governments printed bills of credit to pay off their own debts in order to pay for various military conflicts throughout the colonies. These bills were also used by colonists to pay their taxes to their respective state governments. However, the various “bills of credit” from each of the Thirteen Colonies led to confusing exchange rates from colony to colony, leading to England passing several Acts that restricted the Colonies’ ability to print their own money.

The Continental Congress and state governments would defy this British Act and print their own paper money to fund the Revolutionary War. However, as state and Continental governments printed off a large number of these notes (in addition to the counterfeits made by several British gangs), these bills were essentially worthless after the Revolutionary War. In 1780, just five years after the Continental Congress began to create their own bills, many of the bills only retained 1/40th of their original face value.

In 1782, the Continental Congress appointed Robert Morris as Superintendent of Finance of the United States. During his tenure, he advocated for the Bank of North America, which helped to stabilize the dollar using bullion coins loaned to the US from France. In 1787, the Continental Congress banned states from printing their own money.

12/05/2023

12/01/2023

“Is the book gorgeous? Do the various writers make you interested in whatever they are talking about? Both answers are a resounding yes. Goodreads 5 stars.”
— Brendan Dowd

A very limited edition of America’s Collection—which comes in a presentation box bearing the Great Seal of the United States—is still available. This special boxed edition is only available from the Department of State. Best of all, your purchase through our website supports our museum. Link in bio.

11/28/2023

At one time, the Chinese recipe for lightweight yet durable porcelain eluded the rest of the world. This closely guarded secret made owning a porcelain piece a sign of prestige and wealth.

Many pieces of Chinese porcelain in the collection, such as these examples of Ming Dynasty porcelain, come from a time when China developed an export market to satisfy the world’s desire for porcelain products. As Europeans colonized Northern America, relatively new ship routes connected Europeans with prized silks, teas, and, especially, porcelain.

No longer under British trade restrictions after the Revolutionary War, American merchants were free to trade goods like American ginseng and furs in China. In 1784, Samuel Shaw became America’s first foreign diplomat in China, and by 1803, American vessels in Chinese ports outnumbered those from England.

11/21/2023

Before and after the Revolutionary War, Gerrard Hopkins was an important leader in the Baltimore cabinetmaking community. Born to a prominent Maryland Quaker family, Hopkins apprenticed under the Quaker cabinetmaker Jonathan Shoemaker who worked in the Philadelphia Chippendale style.

The stippling on the shell, the carving of the foliate knee brackets and cabriole legs, and the bold cupid-bow’s crest rail on these chairs are common elements used by Hopkins.

It is believed these chairs were originally owned by John Ross Key and Ann Phoebe Charlton. These chairs were later passed down to their son, Francis Scott Key, who is most famously known for writing "The Star-Spangled Banner.”

11/14/2023

Write a caption...The locomotive, as depicted on this pair of goblets, was a critical technological milestone in the development of both American trade as well as its expansion into the West.

These cups may have been made to commemorate a railroad achievement. However, as the cups lack an inscription, it is possible that they were never presented to their intended recipient.

It is believed these cups may have been crafted by John Candler Moore, an American silversmith based in New York City during the mid-1800s. He was well known for the pieces he designed for Tiffany & Co. Moore also created pieces for Marquand, Ball, and Black.

The Rococo Revival style, which was very popular amongst New York smiths around the 1850s, can be seen on this piece with its intricately engraved grapevines and embossed fruit and leaves.

11/07/2023

Although this bust impeccably captures Benjamin Franklin’s likeness, the sitter himself was not a fan of the lengths artists had to go to capture his likeness.

“I have at the request of friends sat so much and so often to painters and Statuaries, that I am perfectly sick of it,” Franklin wrote. “I know of nothing so tedious as sitting Hours in one fix’d Posture.”

Houdon captured his subjects' physical likeness and spirit through years of expert training and near-obsessive observation. Houdon developed as an artist during the Age of Enlightenment, where logical thinking and observation of the natural world were celebrated.

11/02/2023

Although it is not currently known who made this ornate armchair, careful study of the styles and techniques used on this piece may help us to one day uncover the identity of this craftsman.

This armchair is emblematic of the New York Chippendale style, combining English George II and Chippendale styles. The eagle-head arms are a very unique feature, found on only a few pieces of furniture originating from New York and New England at the time. This chair resembles a nearly identical armchair currently in the Los Angeles County Museum, leading many to believe they originated from the same set.

Many other furniture pieces across the United States also share similar elements to this chair, including a card table owned by the Backer family of Newburgh, New York, suggesting these pieces may have been made by the same craftsman.

10/25/2023

The Treaty Room Suite serves as the gateway to the offices of the secretary and deputy secretary of state. This suite consists of seven rooms carefully crafted by Allan Greenberg.

According to Greenberg, “Classical architecture is still the most potent, appropriate and noble language to express the relationship of the individual to the community in a republican democracy.” Greenberg drew heavily from Roman and Italian Renaissance architecture—styles that were popular during the time of America’s founding. The influences of these periods of architecture are also seen in the home Thomas Jefferson personally designed for himself, Monticello. Both Greenberg and Jefferson used the balance and symmetry of neoclassical architecture to symbolize the art of diplomacy and the American ideals of equality and democracy for all.

10/10/2023

A broader representation of objects from Native Americans within the DRR collections is necessary as we strive to tell a more complete story of our nation's peoples and heritage.

Beading is an important cultural art form amongst many Native American tribes. Dating from approximately 1880, this pair of Sioux moccasins are made of tanned hide and sewn with sinew. The moccasins are decorated in a geometric pattern with beads that are Italian in origin. The predominant use of Crow pink beads is rare in Sioux beadwork.

10/03/2023

Ever since the year 1860, when Mount Vernon was opened to the general public, visitors have long been welcome to tour George Washington's historic home.

Mount Vernon stands on the banks of the Potomac River. The original house was built in 1734 by Washington's father, Augustine Washington. After George Washington began leasing Mount Vernon in 1754, he oversaw several expansions of the original mansion.
The second expansion of the home started in 1774 and did not see completion until 1787. This new expansion included a study for Washington as well as a two-story entertaining space aptly called "The New Room." As the New Room served as a welcoming space for Mt. Vernon's visitors, Washington consistently updated this space with the newest furniture and art styles to create a striking first impression upon visitors to the nation's first president's home.

By his death, Washington nearly quadrupled the size of the mansion, expanding a 3,000-square-foot house to 11,000 square feet.
In addition to Washington's mansion, today's guests can also visit Mount Vernon's four gardens, a working reconstruction of Washington's whiskey distillery, the tombs of George and Martha Washington, and the Slave Memorial. Designed by architectural students at Howard University and erected in 1983, this memorial is a tribute to the enslaved African Americans of Mount Vernon.

09/26/2023

Cabinetmaker John Shaw was unique in that he chose to label most if not all of his pieces, making his works easily identifiable,

Where cabinetmakers of the time did not always label the pieces they created, leaving the original creators of some works a mystery, almost all of Shaw's furniture pieces include a label— as seen on this card table.

The Scottish-born John Shaw was a renowned cabinetmaker in eighteen century Maryland. He was able to expand his body of identifiable work as the state of Maryland awarded several contracts to his Annapolis shop. Shaw's pieces furnished major public buildings, including the Maryland Senate and Governor's Council Chamber.

09/19/2023

As the head of the U.S. State Department under George H.W. Bush, James Baker understood the importance of displaying American heritage throughout the rooms that welcomed the world's leaders.

Under President Ronald Reagan, Baker first served as chief of staff and later served as secretary of the treasury. Then, George H.W. Bush appointed Baker as the 61st secretary of state. During his tenure, Baker oversaw international relations as the former Soviet Union dissolved and created a coalition of nations during the First Gulf War.

After his time as secretary of state, Baker continued to serve as an advisor in U.S. diplomatic and international affairs.

09/12/2023

On this day in 1814, the Battle of Patapsco Neck (a.k.a. the Battle of North Point) took place, leading to a turning point in the War of 1812.

After the Burning of Washington, the first and only time a foreign power had captured and occupied the United State's capital, British troops turned their sights to Baltimore.

Although American troops ultimately retreated from the fight, British forces suffered major casualties at the Battle of Patapsco Neck, including the death of commanding officer General Robert Ross.

Ultimately, American forces fended off invading British troops, resulting in the victory of the Battle of Baltimore. The spectacular sight of an American flag flying high above Fort McHenry, despite taking on heavy artillery bombing, inspired poet Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner.
To this day, Defenders Day is held as a holiday in Maryland, commemorating this historic event.

09/05/2023

We are thrilled to announce the official release today of America’s Collection: The Art & Architecture of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State.

Our first publication in over twenty years, America’s Collection explores the constructed environment and the world-class collection of fine and decorative arts to be found at the State Department. The Honorable John F. Kerry, Pulitzer prize-winning historian Stacy Schiff, philanthropist David Rubenstein, and an extraordinary roster of curatorial specialists all contributed their research and reflections on the importance of this wonderful national museum collection.

A very limited edition of this publication – which comes in a presentation box bearing the Great Seal of the United States – is now available only through the DRR Museum Store. Every purchase you make from this online store supports our collection and museum work.

09/05/2023

A national hero in both America and France, Marquis de Lafayette was born on September 6, 1757.

The French aristocrat defied King Louis XVI's decree that forbade French officers from serving in the American Revolutionary War. Having bought a ship with his own money for the voyage, he traveled to America as a teenager to fight. At 19 years old, he was commissioned as a major general for the Continental Army. Lafayette secured French aid, which turned the war in America's favor. He was also instrumental in the Battle of Yorktown, which led to Cornwallis's surrender in 1781.

08/29/2023

Many craftsmen exhibit unique, tell-tale traits within their craft. The preferences a craftsman displays within their work can later help historians piece together the puzzle of who created a particular object.

This chest of drawers bears the initials of a wealthy merchant, Samuel Grey, who lived in Salem in the late 1700s. Unfortunately, the cabinetmaker's name who created this object is nowhere to be found. But although the craftsman did not include his own name, a recently discovered desk makes it possible to discover the original creator.

The desk, as well as three other similar oxbow bureaus, were all signed by John Chipman, a cabinetmaker who, like Grey, also lived in late 1700s Salem.

John Chipman's signed pieces exhibit many similarities to this chest of drawers, including the precise craftsmanship, the unique base molding patterns, and the dovetailing on the drawers. These similarities lead historians to strongly suspect that John Chipman also created this chest of drawers.

08/22/2023

Founding Father John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

John Jay also played a critical role in the peace negotiations after the Revolutionary War, insisting to speak directly with the British negotiators before signing the Definitive Peace Treaty in 1783. By negotiating with Britain rather than going through a French or Spanish negotiator, Jay is credited with being able to negotiate more favorable terms for America.

Urged by Washington to prevent further conflict with the British, Jay returned to England ten years later to negotiate the Jay Treaty.

Jay was also instrumental in the adoption of the Constitution. He joined James Madison and Alexander Hamilton in writing the Federalist Paper, which increased public support for the Constitution.

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2201 C Street, NW
Washington D.C., DC
20520

Telephone

+12026471990

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https://diplomaticrooms.state.gov/

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