A7: New Hampshire Entrance Hall, 1799 c. 1940

This miniature entrance hall, made by Narcissa Niblack Thorne, is like a stage set, isn’t it? Imagine her, this artist-decorator-miniaturist, carefully placing each tiny object to create a world in miniature. I can almost see her there, arranging the elegant rug and setting up the staircase with its graceful curve. And the light! It streams in from the windows, creating such a sense of warmth and welcome. Thorne was probably thinking about how light affects everything, and how to capture that feeling in her tiny rooms. It reminds me that even the smallest gestures, the tiniest details, can speak volumes. Painters, decorators, all artists—we’re all in conversation with each other, across time and space. One artist inspires another, one idea sparks another. And like painting, it’s all about process: trial, error, intuition, and the endless possibilities of creation.