The Pursuit of Happiness

2015

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 731

This one-of-a-kind architectural tableau is an unabashedly patriotic celebration of the founding aspirations of the United States. Superior’s witty interpretations of “American” symbols—apple pie, a Phrygian cap, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, a picnic plate with a hamburger and hotdog—embellish the surface and are interspersed with miniature presidential portraits and historical references, rewarding close inspection. The material—porcelain—constructed in successive slab-built layers atop a robust foundation, signals both strength and fragility. The Pursuit of Happiness is a hopeful expression of the country’s ideals, and a timely reminder that democracy is a delicate experiment.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: The Pursuit of Happiness
Artist: Mara Superior (American, born New York, 1951)
Date: 2015
Geography: Country of Origin United States; Made in Massachusetts, United States
Medium: Porcelain, wood, gold leaf, brass, bone, paper
Dimensions: 27 1/2 × 25 × 20 in. (69.9 × 63.5 × 50.8 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Merle and Barry Ginsburg, 2026
Object Number: 2026.591a–w
Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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Vase, James Callowhill American, Porcelain, American — Vase
James Callowhill
ca. 1889–1900

Vina (वीणा), jackwood, gold leaf, papier-mâché, bone, steel, brass, Indian — Vina (वीणा)
Indian
late 18th century

Presentation Vase, Thomas Fletcher American, Silver, American — Presentation Vase
Thomas Fletcher
Sidney Gardiner
1825

Vase, Arthur J. Stone American, silver and gold, American — Vase
Designer Arthur J. Stone
Herbert Taylor
1915

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), Box: ivory with tortoiseshell lining; cover: ivory, porcelain (?), glass and brass, possibly French — Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
possibly French
late 18th century

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