Jane Stanford's Life, Grief, and Mysterious Death Explored in Cantor Exhibition
The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University is hosting the exhibition "Jane!" which delves into the life of co-founder Jane Stanford. It highlights her sorrow following the passing of her son, Leland Stanford Jr., in 1884, alongside her philanthropic endeavors, passion for travel, and the enigmatic circumstances surrounding her 1905 death from strychnine poisoning. This exhibition, running until May 18, 2028, showcases items such as a painting of Jane's jewelry collection and ceramics from Leland Jr.'s final meal. After Leland's death in 1893, Jane took sole charge of the university. The mystery of her poisoning remains unsolved, with historian Richard White proposing that her secretary, Bertha Berner, might have played a role.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Jane!' at Cantor Arts Center runs through May 18, 2028.
- Jane Stanford's son Leland Jr. died of typhoid in 1884 at age 15.
- Stanford University was founded in memory of Leland Jr. and opened in 1891.
- Cantor Arts Center opened in 1894 as Leland Stanford Jr. Museum.
- Museum facade modeled after National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
- Jane Stanford died of strychnine poisoning in 1905 under unresolved circumstances.
- Two main suspects: secretary Bertha Berner and university president David Starr Jordan.
- Exhibition includes never-before-displayed artifacts like death masks and ceramics of Leland Jr.'s last meal.
Entities
Artists
- Jane Stanford
- Leland Stanford
- Leland Stanford Jr.
- Isabelle Rogers
- Patrick R. Crowley
- Laura Jones
- Richard White
- David Starr Jordan
- Robert W.P. Cutler
- W.B. Carnochan
- Bertha Berner
- Astley D.M. Cooper
- David Gilhooly
- Èmile Munier
Institutions
- Cantor Arts Center
- Stanford University
- Leland Stanford Junior University
- National Archaeological Museum in Athens
- Smithsonian magazine
Locations
- Stanford University
- California
- Europe
- Athens
- Greece
- Albany
- San Francisco
- Hawaii
- Japan