What To Do: A twist at Winterthur, news about ‘fakes’

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

In this newly-developing era of “fake news,” Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is opening a new exhibition with a timely theme – fakes.

“Treasures on Trial: The Art and Science of Detecting Fakes,” is a major exhibition offering visitors a Sherlock Holmes-style investigation of some of the most notorious fakes and forgeries of our time.

The new exhibition will open on a very appropriate date – April 1, which is also known as “April Fool’s Day.” The exhibit will stick around for a while and close on January 7, 2018.

“Treasures on Trial” includes 40 examples of fakes and forgeries associated with masters such as Henry Matisse, Coco Chanel, Paul Revere, Antonio Stradivari, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and others. The pieces on display have been drawn from the Winterthur Collection and public and private sources.

The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to view a broad range of works that provide a rather startling view of the scope and sophistication of the counterfeiting market – including fine art, sports memorabilia, couture clothing, wine and antique furniture.

Visitors can check out a fake Mark Rothko painting that was part of the Knoedler Gallery scandal; sports memorabilia fraudulently associated with Babe Ruth; counterfeit fashion and accessories masquerading as Chanel, Hermès, and Dior; wine purported to have belonged to Thomas Jefferson; and fake antiques associated with Paul Revere and George Washington.

Adding to the experience, some of the fakes and forgeries are being exhibited alongside authentic objects and are accompanied by new and rarely seen scientific insights from Winterthur’s own Scientific Research and Analysis Lab.

Winterthur’s conservators and scientists are leaders in the field of scientific analysis of fine art and antiques, with a curatorial team renowned for their expert knowledge and historical detective work.

“Treasures on Trial” shows how a combination of provenance, research, connoisseurship skills, and scientific analysis is used to expose a broad range of fakes and forgeries that have fooled collectors and experts alike.

And, it reveals fascinating stories about the forgers themselves.

Winterthur’s new exhibition is designed to both inform and entertain visitors and provide them with the opportunity to judge for themselves whether some objects are fake or genuine.

“Treasures on Trial” features four sections – “Intent,” “Evidence,” “Proof?,” and “You Be the Judge.” It features film and video clips plus interactive opportunities.

Some of the exhibition’s highlights are a watercolor purported to have been painted by Andrew Wyeth, which had been circulating on the art market for many years; a violin with a label claiming that it was made by Antonio Stradivari (1644-1738); and baseball memorabilia purported to have been autographed by sports legends Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle.,

Other highlights are porcelain purported to have belonged to George Washington; a Windsor chair that was examined by three “experts” who provided differing opinions in court; and folk art by Robert Lawrence Trotter, a struggling artist in Kennett Square who resorted to forgery as a way to make a living.

Admission fees for Winterthur are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (62 and older) and students (12 and older) and $5 for children (ages 2-11).

Spring is getting ready to burst out – hopefully — and it’s getting a head start this weekend at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org).

Visitors to Longwood this weekend will be able to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new. This weekend is the final weekend for Orchid Extravaganza. From April 5-8, Longwood is hosting its own “Orchid Extravaganza Orchid Sale.”

Gardeners interested in obtaining some of these gorgeous flowers can purchase orchids taken directly from the site’s “Orchid Extravaganza” display — while supplies last. The sale will take place in the Garden Shop in the Visitor Center.

“Orchid Extravaganza” paid homage to the orchid with thousands of orchid blooms along with a variety of displays and special exhibits throughout its conservatory. The remaining beauties from the show will be on the specified dates.

Another seasonal attraction at Longwood Gardens is “Spring Blooms,” which opens April 1 and runs through May 26.

Visitors can enjoy hundreds of lush acres featuring burgeoning gardens of daffodils, tulips, magnolias, azaleas, flowering cherries and more than 240,000 flowering bulbs.

In the indoor part of “Spring Blooms,” lilies, delphiniums, hydrangeas and other spring blossoms fill the conservatory with color. Also featured are Longwood’s grand treehouses, whimsical Topiary Garden, and colorful Idea Garden.

During peak bloom, Longwood’s historic 600-foot long Flower Garden Walk boasts more than 125,000 tulips and other seasonal blooms in a rainbow of color. The Idea Garden is awash in innovative plant combinations that will inspire.

Longwood’s inviting and expansive Meadow Garden comes to life in the spring as Carolina silverbell, Eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, and sweet azalea grace the Forest Edge.

Daily visitor programs, including gardening demonstrations, behind-the-scenes tours, and talks add to Longwood’s charms. Children will enjoy the many activities in the outdoor Children’s Area, and the imaginative fun of the Indoor Children’s Garden.

Admission to Longwood Gardens is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $10 for students.

The new exhibit at the Brandywine River Museum of Art (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org) — “From Homer to Hopper: Experiment and Ingenuity in American Art” – is scheduled to run through May 21.

“From Homer to Hopper: Experiment and Ingenuity in American Art” reflects the rich diversity of style and expression in American art created between 1870 and 1950.

The exhibition, which was assembled by the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., features 54 exquisite paintings by Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, Thomas Eakins, Marsden Hartley, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, Jacob Lawrence, Georgia O’Keeffe, Horace Pippin, Maurice Prendergast, John Sloan, and many others who revolutionized picture-making in the United States.

“From Homer to Hopper” traces the course of modern art in the works of these artists — from the bold, investigative realism of Winslow Homer and Thomas Eakins at the end of the 19th century to the reductive views and psychological insights of Edward Hopper and Morris Graves at mid-20th century.

The Phillips Collection, founded in 1918 by Duncan Phillips and opened in the Phillips family home in 1921, was dedicated to modernism and to America’s best artists.

Phillips formed his ground-breaking collection with a strong emphasis on paintings by artists whose critical thinking and creative originality would raise American art out of obscurity. He challenged the perceived superiority of European over American art.

Additionally, Phillips looked for works by women, artists of color, and native and foreign-born or self-taught artists, so that the collection represented a “fusion of various sensitivities” and a “unification of differences” that would parallel the multicultural character of the nation.

Phillips was the first to give living artists solo exhibitions, and his support for new artists was a critical factor in the careers of many.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art is open daily from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (ages 65 and over), $6 for students and children (ages 6-12) and free for children (under six) and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members.

Without a doubt, the Brandywine Valley has established a reputation for being horse country. It is an area with many horse farms and an annual calendar filled with equestrian events.

Year after year, the local equestrian schedule features an array of top-flight horse shows, dressage events, Grand Prix events and point-to-point races.

The 2017 season will shift into gear this weekend with the 75th Annual Brandywine Hills Point-To-Point Races, which will be held April 2 on the grounds of the Brandywine Valley Association’s 318-acre Myrick Conservation Center (1760 Unionville-Wawaset Road, Unionville, 610-793-1090, www.brandywinewatershed.org).

The Brandywine Valley Association’s popular annual early-spring event is a family-oriented event which also features an array of activities for youngsters, including crafts activities.

Gates will open at 11 a.m. and children’s activities such as “Pennies in the Hay”, face painting and stick pony races slated to get underway at 11:30 a.m. The steeplechase racing event features a challenging three-mile course with 17 timber jumps.

The competition will begin at 12:30 a.m. with the Small Pony Race. the Medium Pony Race will be next followed by the Large Pony Race, the Lead Line Pony Race and the Radnor Hunt Foxhound Parade.

The competition will continue with the Ladies Race at 1:45 p.m. The Heavyweight Race is scheduled for 2;15 p.m. followed by the Novice Race and the Open Race. The final competition will be the Owner-Drive Foxhunter’s Race at 3:45 p.m.

There will also be a vendor area featuring dealers with a wide variety of horse and racing items as well as vendors with hot and cold food items and beverages. Another special attraction this year will be a raffle with an array of impressive prizes. Tickets are $20 per car.

On March 31 at 7:30 p.m., WCU Live! will present a concert featuring the Hypnotic Brass ensemble at Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall (Philips Memorial Building, 700 South High Street, West Chester, www.wcupa.edu/oca/wcuLive).

The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble features seven brothers from the south side of Chicago who come from an extraordinary musical family. Since the founding of the ensemble in 1999, the talented Cohran brothers have performed at venues all across the world.

The ensemble includes Tycho (bass/sousaphone), Seba (bass trombone), Saiph (tenor trombone), Uttama (euphonium) along with Ben Yehuda, Jafar Baji, Amal Baji, and Tarik (trumpet). The group also utilizes full percussion (clave, congas, cowbells, etc.) and voice by all members (lyrics and song).

Now, the brothers are bringing their lively brass music home on a tour throughout North America – a tour that stopped at Cheyney University on March 30 and will play at the Montgomery Science Center Theater in nearby Blue Bell on April 7.

Mixing the brass band tradition with generous doses of hip-hop, soul, and funk, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble blends together a mix of traditional brass band music with hip-hop, soul and funk to create its own rousing sound.

Ticket prices are — Orchestra: Adults, $20; Seniors/Students, $15; Balcony: Adults, $17; Seniors/Students, $13.

The trout fishing season opens at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 1 for all anglers in the 18 southeastern regional counties – including Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and York. From April 1 through Labor Day, anglers may keep five trout — each at least seven inches long, per day.

Newlin Grist Mill (219 South Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, 610-459-2359, www.newlingristmill.org) will celebrate “Trout Fishing Opening Day” from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on April 1.

The site has stocked its three ponds with trout and is ready for the arrival of the anglers.

On Saturday, anyone who has caught fish they don’t want to take with them can donate them to feed injured birds as part of a program the site shares with the Tri-State Bird Rescue.

To learn more about Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, visit https://tristatebird.org.

Another special trout-related event is schedule for the site later in the month. Delaware County Field & Stream Association’s Trout Rodeo will be held at Newlin Grist Mill on April 23.

The ponds at Newlin Grist Mill will be closed to the general public fishing all day on April 23 for the annual Trout Rodeo, which is a children’s event that is open to all youngsters. For more information about how your child can participate in the Trout Rodeo, visit www.dcfsa.org.

For more than a half-century, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. has been tourist destination for people from all over American and people from Japan — an eagerly-anticipated event that celebrated the arrival of spring and the beauty of the cherry tree in bloom.

For years, area residents had to travel to the nation’s capital to enjoy an event celebrating the gorgeous trees. But, all that changed a few years ago with the arrival of Philadelphia’s Cherry Blossom Festival.

Now, if you want to see hundreds of lovely trees showing off their pink blossoms, you can find what you want at the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival (http://subarucherryblossom.org), which is known in Japanese as Sakura Matsuri. The event gets underway on April 1 at a variety of locations around the Philadelphia area.

For centuries, Japan has been celebrating the beauty of the elegant pink cherry blossom with picnics under the trees and traditional music and dance performances. The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival offers visitors the opportunity to explore the best of Japanese culture including delicious cuisine, delicate craft displays, intriguing performances and demonstrations of traditional customs.

“Japanese Culture Week” will be held from April 3-7 at lunchtime at the Liberty Place Rotunda. Visitors will be able to participate in our daily events and learn more about Japanese traditions and culture.

“Sushi Making Classes” with Philadelphia’s Queen of Sushi, Madame Saito are scheduled for April 3. 4, 5 and 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The cost is $50 per person and includes complimentary admission to Sakura Sunday at the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival to attend the Sushi Samurai of the Year Competition 2017.

The centerpiece event is Sakura Sunday, a day-long outdoor celebration of all things Japanese. It will be held on April 9 from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at Fairmount Park’s Horticulture Center (100 North Horticulture Drive, Philadelphia). Tickets are $15 for adults with children (12 and under) admitted

Sakura Sunday features live music and dance performances, martial arts, cultural demonstrations, arts & crafts, karaoke, and much more. Some of the featured attractions are Little Akiba Anime & Cosplay Area, Subaru Sushi Samurai of the Year, Prettiest Pet in Pink Parade, Harajuku Fashion Show and Shofuso Tours.

April 1 will mark the re-opening of Shofuso Japanese House and Garden (Lansdowne Drive and Horticultural Drive, Philadelphia, 215-878-5097,http://www.japanesehouse.org).

Shofuso is a 1.2-acre Japanese garden listed as the third best Japanese garden in North America by Sukiya Living, and named the “Best Hidden Tourist Attraction” by Philadelphia Magazine.

The site features a viewing garden with koi pond and island, a tea garden, and a courtyard garden located inside the 17th century-style Japanese walled and fenced garden of this historic museum. The newly-restored, historic 1876 Sakura Pavilion is year-round space for programming, classes, meetings, events, and exhibitions.

Visiting hours now through October are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, children (ages 3-17) and students.

You can get a look back at history on April 2 when Bellevue State Park presents a special event called the Cauffiel Estate House and Grounds Tour (720 Carr Road, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-761-6952, http://www.destateparks.com).

Park guides will discuss the history of this lesser-known historical site in Bellevue State Park – from the house’s construction through its purchase by the Division of Parks and Recreation in 1993.

Once the home of Daniel Cauffiel, advisor to the duPont family, the Cauffiel House was built in the early 1920s in the Colonial Revival-style. Influenced by his frequent travels to Europe, Cauffiel decorated the estate with unique furnishings from the 1930s, some of which remain.

The Cauffiel family used the home as a summer residence, and two of his children lived at the house into the 1990s. The State of Delaware acquired the property in June, 1993. The house tour will highlight measures taken to make this a simple yet elegant place to live.

The tour will run from 1-2:30 p.m. with tickets priced at $10 per person.

The Garden State Discovery Museum: (2040 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, 856-424-1233, www.discoverymuseum.com) is presenting a special program this month – family-oriented sessions of the Children’s Discovery Theatre’s “Beauty’s Beastly Books.”

The program takes a look back at several French tales – some that are billed as “tales as old as time.” Participants will be able to sing and dance along with live musical performances and also meet and greet zany characters.

The Garden State Discovery Museum will present “Beauty’s Beastly Books” from 2-2:45 p.m. on April 1, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 19, 20 and 22.

Additionally, the Museum will host “Brunch with the Bunny” on April 2 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Kids will be able to enjoy a tasty brunch, chat with the Easter Bunny and have their picture taken with the big, happy rabbit.

Admission to the museum is $13.95 for adults and children (12 months and over) and $12.95 for seniors. Children visiting the Museum must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older.

On April 1-2 and 8-15, there will be a special event called “Hayrides to Bunnyland” at Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com).

The hayride to Bunny’s House features a ride in a hay-filled trailer that travels around Linvilla’s grounds and eventually arrives at the house of Linvilla’s Easter Bunny.

Upon arrival, the big, happy rabbit emerges from his house to pose for pictures with his guests. There is a storytelling session, tours of the bunny’s home and seasonal treats for all visitors. Other special activities include pony rides, train rides and face painting

“Hayrides to Bunnyland” run every 15 minutes from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets, which are $9 per person, can be purchased in the Garden Center.

The Easter Bunny is known for hopping around but that is not the only way the holiday rabbit moves about. There are times when he rides the rails for special excursions. This weekend, he will begin boarding trains and hanging out with his admirers.

The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.westchesterrr.net) is running its Easter Bunny Express on April 8, 9 and 15 with trains at noon and 2 p.m. each day.
On the 90-minute round trip along the beautiful Chester Creek from West Chester to the historic Glen Mills village, the Easter Bunny will be on board handing out treats to all passengers.

During the 20-minute stop at the historic Glen Mills station there will be plenty of opportunities for riders to take photos with the Easter Bunny. Additionally, Greg Wright and Friends will be playing live music and singing all of your favorite Easter songs.

Tickets are $24 for adults, $17 for children (ages 2-12) and $7 for toddlers.

The Easter Bunny will also be down in Delaware for trips on the Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-998-1930, www.wwrr.com) on April 8, 9, 14 and 15.

On the special trains, the big bunny with the big ears will visit with all passengers and pose for pictures. Departure times are 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. and fares are $19 for adults, $18 for seniors (ages 60 and older) and $17 for children (ages 2-12).

As an added attraction, every child on the excursion trains will receive a special treat from the Easter Bunny.

The New Hope and Ivyland Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its annual Easter Bunny Express from April 1-2 and 7-16 with departures at 11 a.m., noon, 1,2,3 and 4 p.m. each day.

The Easter Bunny is going to ride onboard the train where he will visit with each child, hand out special treats and pose for pictures. Coach tickets are $32.95 for adults, $30.95 for children (ages 12-plus) and $9.95 for toddlers (under 2).

At the Strasburg Rail Road (Rt. 741 East, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com), the special Easter Bunny Train will be running on April 14, 15 and 16 with departures starting at 11 a.m. each day.

The Easter Bunny will meet and greet all the kids on each train and have a special treat for all of them. Coach fares are $12 for adults and $12 for children (ages 2-11).

The Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad (717-944-4435, www.mhrailroad.com) will be running its Easter Bunny Express on April 8, 9, 14 and 15 at 1:30 p.m. each day.

Fares for the ride are $17 (ages 12 and older), $13 (ages 2-11) and $4 (under age 2 and on lap). The Easter Bunny will have a special present for all kid riders.

Highland Orchards (1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road, West Chester) is presenting “Hayrides to Easter Bunny” on April 8-9 and 12-15 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. each day.

Participants can enjoy a leisurely hayride to visit the Easter Bunny, hear a story about spring and receive an egg with a coupon for a treat to be redeemed back in the Market.

The event takes about half an hour and wagons leave about every half hour. No reservation is required and tickets can be purchased in the Farm Market on the day or in advance. The cost is $7 per person.

The 2017 Philadelphia Furniture Show will be held from March 31-April 2 at the 23rd Street Armory (22 South 23rd Street, Philadelphia,http://www.philadelphiafurnitureshow.com).

The nationally-acclaimed event will focus on home furnishings, ranging from innovative contemporary designs to adaptations of classical styles.

The longest running exhibition of its kind in the US, the Philadelphia Furniture Show will exhibit the work of 50 exceptional woodworkers, weavers, potters, photographers and others, including Big Sand Woodworking, Red Metal, Ted Saxerud, Bok Read Woodworking, The Bazis Collection, Markel Design, Stonis Consulting, Castonia’s Woodworks, and Lambkin Studio.

One of the show’s special events will be a Thom Nickels book signing on Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Nickels is a Philadelphia author/poet/journalist who si the author of eleven books, including “Two Novellas: Walking Water & After All This,” “Manayunk,” “Out in History,” “Philadelphia Architecture” and “Spore.”

Another of the show’s special attractions really has nothing to do with furniture.

Karma Revero, a luxury hybrid performance car, will be on the floor — courtesy of the new Karma of the Main Line, one of only ten Karma Automotive dealerships in North America.

The show will run from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $12 with student tickets priced at $8.

On April 1, the Morris Arboretum (100 East Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-247-5777, http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/index.shtml) officially opens its new 2017 exhibit, “Morris Arboretum in Motion: The Kinetic Sculptures of Lyman Whitaker.”

Whitaker is an American sculptor from Utah who has been a working sculptor for more than 40 years. Since the early 1980s, Whitaker has focused on kinetic art, creating “Wind Sculptures” — artworks driven by the wind.

His pieces are organic in nature and dependent upon their natural surroundings to provide their movement. They are also intended to make observers think about their surroundings and their own relationship to nature.

Whitaker’s compositions are all hand-crafted in his studio. They range in height from 5-to-27-feet tall and can be installed alone, in small groupings, or in “Wind Forests.” The kinetic shapes, which are bold and distinctive, are fabricated from copper, steel, and stainless steel that provide beauty and strength.

Visitors to Morris Arboretum will have the chance to experience more than 50 kinetic wind sculptures located throughout the garden.

Admission is $17 for adults and $9 for students, youth (3-17 years), and active and retired military (must have ID).

Visitors to the old, historical district in Philadelphia on April 1 will be able to welcome in the 2017 outdoor season at Elfreth’s Alley, which is located off Second Street (215-574-0560, http://www.elfrethsalley.org).

From noon-5 p.m., the oldest residential street in America will be hosting a festive tribute in honor of the founder of the Elfreth’s Alley Association, Dorothy “Dolly” Ottey.

Ottey was the first Alley resident to recognize the importance of the early American houses that make up Elfreth’s Alley, and when they were threatened, she and her friends formed the Elfreth’s Alley Association in 1934 to save them.

The Alley will celebrate that founding with the swing quartet, Bitters & Rye, 1930s era candy & treats, and tours featuring Dolly Ottey’s story. The Alley will be offering tours from noon-5 p.m. on the half hour.