Stock Photo - Jan. 1, 1970 - This year's new exhibition at the American Museum: America's first Museum of decorative art to be set up in this country, or anywhere else outside the United States, is starting its second season at Claverton manor near Bath. Its purpose is to correct the somewhat distorted image of American culture held by many Europeans. Besides demonstrating with examples of early American art that, although a comparatively young country, America is by no means devoid of a cultural background, it also gives an idea of the way Americans lived in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Among the new exhibits on show this year are a room given over the New Mexican Religious Art, a series of miniature American period rooms, and some new additions to the already extensive collection of Folk Art. Folk Art Collection - tin tenth wedding anniversary presents, shoes, hats, were made by a tinsmith for friends. Underneath is a wedding portrait of a young couple, done in oil on canvas around 1850. -ayfaring artists were much indemand for the newly-wed. The usual practice was to paint the couple on separte pieces of canvas, instead of sentimantally posed toogether - as here. (Credit Image: © Keystone Press Agency/Keystone USA via ZUMAPRESS.com)