“Revolution Retold: Commemorating American Independence in Art and Design,” with selections from the Allentown Art Museum vault celebrating “America250,” continues through Oct. 18 in the museum’s Rodale Gallery.

“I was excited to look through our rich collection and mine it for works that showed how artists have interpreted the American Revolution, how that’s changed, what kind of stories they are telling over the course of two centuries, from 1826 through the early 21st century,” says Allentown Art Museum Associate Curator Claire McRee. who curated the exhibition.

“Revolution Retold” includes original and commercially manufactured pieces, pen and ink drawings, paintings, glassware and contemporary prints.

“Many of the earlier works focus on George Washington, who was really a huge hero and cultural figure throughout the 19th century,” says McRee.

“George Washington” (1876, ink on paper, 26 in. x 22.75 in.) by American artist John M. Swasey is one example. It depicts Washington gallantly on a rearing horse framed within an oval of decorative laurels.

“In the late 19th century and early 20th century, we see more that are focusing on nostalgia for Colonial times for handcrafts and agriculture, which has to do more with the changes happening in American society at their own time with urbanization and industrialization,” McRee says.

“We also have works that relate to the Bicentennial that take a more critical look at American history and the African-American struggle for freedom.”

Among these are examples of fabric arts from the museum’s vault:

“Sonday Family American Quilt” (Circa 1940s, cotton, pieced and quilted, 81.5 in. x 82 in.) hand-stitched in Bucks County, has red striped stars and tiny blue Liberty Bells nestled in the striped zigzag border.

“Scarf” (1940 - 1941; printed silk plain weave, by Echo, Inc., American textile manufacturer, founded 1923, 35 in. x 34 in.) celebrates the Declaration of Independence.

Faith Ringgold’s “Taxes on Us Without Our Consent” from the series “The Declaration of Freedom and Independence” (2009; screen print, 8 in. x 16.25 in.) juxtaposes the Boston Tea Party with the Civil Rights struggle at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

McRee placed a few pieces from the collection in the museum’s American galleries to tie in with what is on display in the Rodale Gallery, including “Furnishing Fabric” (circa 1830; printed cotton weave, glazed, made in France for the American market, 92.875 x 24.25 in.), which depicts the first five United States presidents.

The exhibition is supported by Discover Lehigh Valley, the Bernard and Audrey Berman Foundation and the Leon C. and June W. Holt Endowment.

“Revolution Retold: Commemorating American Independence in Art and Design,” through Oct. 18, Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown, Gallery hours: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Thursday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Third Thursdays. 610-432-4333; https://www.allentownartmuseum.org/

“Gallery View” is a column about artists, exhibitions and galleries. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com