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Although known for his famed Paris Métro entryways, artist Hector Guimard also designed furniture, jewelry, and much more during his six-decade career. On view at the Driehaus Museum are one hundred decorative objects by Guimard that date from the Belle Époque and beyond. Click this link to read about the exhibition: http://bitly.ws/SgBt.
Lustre Lumière hanging lamp designed by Guimard, c. 1912. Richard H. Driehaus Museum.
The dyed tooled-leather compositions of Winfred Rembert are some of the most remarkable works ever created by a self-taught artist. In October, Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers will present this Rembert piece at their fall fine art auction. “Family in the Cotton Field” depicts a man and his pregnant wife working alongside their three children. Many of Rembert’s works were influenced by his childhood working in the cotton fields of Georgia.
Winfred Rembert, Family in the Cotton Field, Dye on carved and tooled leather,
An exhibition on view now at the American Folk Art Museum presents quilts and related textiles as collections of intimate stories. Read “Narratives in the Needlework” by Emelie Gevalt and Sadé Ayorinde to learn more: http://bitly.ws/SgpV.
Installation view of What That Quilt Knows About Me, on view at the American Folk Art Museum, New York, until October 29. Photograph courtesy of the American Folk Art Museum.
Glass flasks came in all shapes and sizes in the early nineteenth century. But, this one is unique. The turtle shape is purely whimsical, added by a gaffer at Philadelphia’s Kensington Glassworks . The back of the flask features the slogan “Free Trade and Sailors Rights” a popular political slogan during the War of 1812.
Kensington Glassworks, Sailors’ Rights Flask, Mold-blown soda-lime glass, c. 1816-1833,
From the Hudson River School to Guerrilla Girls, two exhibitions at the Thomas Cole House are showcasing the work of overlooked and underrepresented women artists. Read about the shows here http://bitly.ws/Sgka.
Spring, from Wendy Red Star’s (Apsáalooke/Crow; 1981–) polyptych Four Seasons, 2006. Art Museum of West Virginia University, Morgantown; photograph courtesy of the artist and Sargent’s Daughters, New York.
Nothing evokes New England like a model ship—and this one is quite special. While most shadow box frames are built with a glass front to shield the model, this one has survived in exceptional condition despite never having protective glass. Consequently, the superb detail of the ship is plainly visible, from the sweet lighthouse in the background to the molded putty resembling ocean waves. This piece was spotted at the New Hampshire Antiques Show and is on offer from Olde Hope Antiques.
Model ship in shadow box frame, Wood, c.1850-70,
This piece is a “tour de force” of Pittsburgh glass, according to Jeff Noordsy of Jeff and Holly Noordsy Antiques. We spotted this piece at the New Hampshire Antiques Show and had to know more! The exquisite work was likely undertaken by a glass maker as a passion project in his off-the-clock hours. The maker demonstrates many complicated techniques in making this cased pitcher. Scroll to see more.
Pittsburgh glassmaker, Red white and blue cased glass, c. 1850, Jeff and Holly Noordsy Antiques
The city of Chelsea, Massachusetts (just north of Boston) is famous for tiles, largely due to the work of one company. The Low Art Tile Works was founded in the late nineteenth century by a father and son, John and John Gardner. Their arts and crafts tiles were used for a variety of applications, but perhaps one of the most unique is this tile clock with gilt bronze edges.
J & J.G. Low Tile Works, Ceramic clock, Glazed tile and gilt bronze, 1884,
According to Laura Beach in her article "Clay, Water, and Spirit," if one notion describes Grounded in Clay (concurrently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Vilcek Foundation), it is the extent to which Pueblo pottery is the collective artistic expression of people who care for one another and are joined by traditions that, against the odds, have survived history’s adverse currents.
See how the show reveals the soul that resides within the art here http://bitly.ws/SgbK.
Storage jar by Arroh-a-och, Laguna, c. 1870–1880. Clay and paint; height 20 1⁄4, diameter 24 1⁄2 inches. School for Advanced Research collection.
Christian Dior took the world by storm in 1947 with his “New Look” for women: tailored skirt suits and structured silhouettes. This ensemble, known as the “bar suit,” would be featured shortly thereafter in Harper’s Bazaar. Scroll to see the look in action.
Christian Dior, “Bar” skirt suit, 1947 (Designed) 1955 (Made),
A former fish seller who took up painting and drawing, Takuichi Fujii was a recognized artist when he was forced to relocate to Japanese American detention camps during WWII. His illustrated diary during Executive Order 9066 is on display at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. Learn more about the artist and exhibition here http://bitly.ws/Sg8m.
Minidoka, “This area’s famous phenomenon of the sandstorm can make even the day dark. It is really something” by Takuichi Fujii (1891–1964), 1940s. Collection of Sandy and Terry Kita; photograph courtesy of the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, Delray Beach, Florida.
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo painted many scenes depicting the street children of seventeenth-century Seville, Spain. He is perhaps best known for this sweet scene of two children enjoying a tart while their dog looks on, optimistically hoping for a treat.
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Children Eating a Tart, Oil on canvas, c. 1670,
On view at the Barnes Foundation is the work of one of the most famous and least known members of the great American self-taught artists. Read about the show here http://bitly.ws/PNR9.
Mermaid by William Edmondson (1874–1951), c. 1932–1941. Collection of Dr. Robert and Katharine Booth; photograph courtesy of the Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia.
A reticule is a small handbag with drawstring closure, common in the early eighteenth century. The Clark Art Institute holds this exquisite example in their collection, along with Ammi Phillips’s portrait of seven year old Harriet Campbell carrying a very similar bag. Scroll to see both.
Reticule, Leather, silk, c. early 19th century,
In 12th-17th century elite Spanish homes, women often entertained close friends from their estrado, a small, raised wooden platform where they sat on low furniture or upon pillows on the floor. According to Jorge Rivas Pérez, curator of Latin American Art at the Denver Art Museum, Maque lacquer chests like this one were kept in such spaces for storage of needlework. By the 18th century, the estrado faded from Spanish homes, replaced instead by French-influenced interior decor.
Maque chest, Olinalá, Mexico, Maque lacquer, wood, silver, c. 1770–80,
This style of painting known as Madhubani is unique to the Mithila region of northeast India and Nepal, and dates to ancient times. References to this colorful, geometric style can be found in Ramayana, a Sanskrit epic from ancient India. These paintings are usually created for special occasions like weddings and religious ceremonies. Artists in this region still carry on this tradition today.
Sarasvati on Peacock Holding Stringed Instrument, Watercolor and ink, c. 1975,
While known mostly for his “ink blot tests,” Hermann Rorschach was an artist before he became a doctor. Rorschach’s (now discredited) test required the patient to explain what they saw when looking at an amorphic ink blot. The “test” emerged from Rorschach’s interest in Klecksography, a Swiss game in which accidental ink droplets are turned into recognizable figures. This card from Rorschach’s series was interpreted by psychologist Zygmunt A. Piotrowski as representing caterpillars, worms, and snakes. What does it look like to you?
Hermann Rorschach, Card X, Ink on paper, c. 1921
In the 1920s, equestrienne May Wirth became a sensation with her trick riding act for the Ringling Brothers circus. This costume, made of red silk, is one that Wirth wore while performing. It was paired with a set of matching red slippers. Scroll to see an image of Wirth performing a handstand on horseback in 1926.
Costume, Red silk and embroidery, c. 1920s,
You can thank the Romans for inventing blown glass and revolutionizing the production of glasswares. This pitcher from the third or fourth century AD was likely green or brown originally, but hundreds of years of exposure to the elements have given it a beautiful iridescent sheen. Opalescent Roman vases like this one were an inspiration for many glass makers of the art nouveau period.
Trefoil pitcher, Glass, c. 3rd-4th century, .museums
In 1930, modernist sculptor John Storrs created a colossal sculpture of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, for the top of the Chicago Board of Trade Building. Seen here is a miniature version of that sculpture, held by the Art Institute of Chicago, allowing us to appreciate on a smaller scale Storrs’s monumental work which still looms over downtown Chicago. Scroll to see the full-size version.
John Storrs, Ceres, Copper alloy plated with nickel and chrome, 1928,
This Islamic ewer takes inspiration from the Romans. The rooster motif, seen here in the spout design, was a common symbol in Roman mythology, affiliated with the god Mercury, the divine messenger who represented communication and trade.
Ewer, Bronze, c. 8th century,
This exquisitely beaded bonnet was made to be worn by a child of the Sioux tribe. The Sioux are known for their symmetrical, geometric beadwork, in a color palette limited mostly to blue, white, and red.
Sioux craftsperson, Child’s bonnet, c. 1890,
Hop on! This bronze sculpture of a toad sitting upon another toad’s back is from Padua, Italy, where zoologically-themed bronzes flourished in the 16th century. Such sculptures may have served as taxonomical aids to the many scholars leading investigations into animal biology at the time. Most of these bronzes were cast from lab specimens.
Toad with a young toad on its back, Bronze, c. 16th century,
This screen features four tapestry panels by French rococo-era artist François Boucher. His effervescent style and subject matter reflects the artistic preferences of the French court at the time, including the era’s chief taste-maker, Madame de Pompadour.
François Boucher, Tapestry panels (mounted in a later screen), c. 1760,
The Nuxalk people of the region now known as British Columbia use these sculptural masks to decorate the ceremonial house for their “kusiut” winter dances. The large wooden masks are usually surrounded by a hand-painted circular frame across the back of the ceremonial house. (This composition is three-and-a-half feet in diameter.) The striking blue color of this example may have been taken from laundry bluing, a pigmented cleaning agent introduced by the British.
Mask of the moon (Tl’uk), Red cedar, alder, paint, c. 1880,
In 1898, industrialist Howell Hinds built a new mansion in Cleveland, Ohio in the Romanesque style, with art nouveau interior. He commissioned the master of art nouveau glass, Louis Comfort Tiffany, to design stained glass windows for the property. When the house was demolished in 1930, this window was saved and is now held by .
Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company, Window, Leaded glass, c. 1900,
Peru is rich in natural deposits of silver, and many of its religious artifacts are consequently produced using this native metal. This beautiful censer is made with delicate silver filigree. Scroll to see the beautiful, detailed openwork.
Censer, Silver filigree, c. 19th century,
Natalia Goncharova was one of the few women to make a name for herself in the early 20th century Russian avant garde movement. The Bolshevik government was hostile to these avant-garde artists, and Goncharova spent most of her post-Revolution career in Paris, where she created theater set designs. She used her talent for interior decoration to produce a variety of colorful wallpapers such as this example, held by .
Natalia Goncharova, Wallpaper, Metal relief print, c. 1917,
If you were a soldiering aristocratic in Renaissance Italy–a prince, perhaps–you would not wear just any old armor. Your armor would be an exquisite and symbolic creation, like this burgonet (helmet) probably made by the Negroli armory of Milan. This example is in the form of a figural dolphin-shaped mask.
Giovanni Paolo Negroli, Helmet, Iron or steel, repoussé, embossed, and chiseled, c. 1540-1545,
The work of Martin Johnson Heade has received due attention in today’s art market since his painting “The Great Florida Sunset” brought almost $6 million at auction in 2015. This piece, sold at auction by in May for $125,000, is representative of Heade’s talent for capturing atmospheric lighting to bring out striking colors in his floral subjects.
Martin Johnson Heade, “Vase of Red Roses,” Oil on canvas, c. 1880s,
Minimalism or maximalism? In Georgian England, two distinct tastes emerged among the upper class: one for classical restraint and symmetry, the other for ornament and embellishment. This is a very early example of the Gothic revival furniture which embodied the latter taste. The craze for everything medieval persisted through the Victorian era.
Gothic Windsor armchair, Elm, yew, possibly cherry, c. 1760s,
This picture changed the world of photography. Harold Edgerton was a scientist and engineer-turned-photographer who used the medium to show precise moments in time. He employed a technique called high-speed stroboscopic photography to take photographs of occurrences that usually happen in a blink: a water droplet’s splash, bird wings flapping…or the passage of a bullet through an apple.
Harold E. Edgerton, Bullet and Apple, Photograph, dye transfer print, c. 1964,
The work of Italian modernist painter and sculptor Amedeo Modigliani reflects his fascination with ancient Cycladic, Sumerian, Egyptian, and Greek art. Here, Modigliani has produced a piece which strongly emulates African sculpture, yet his subject wears the hairstyle of a European flapper.
Amedeo Modigliani, Woman’s head, Limestone, c. 1912,
This oak chest was used by a British soldier during the Revolutionary War. It belonged to an Anglo-Irish soldier named Hugh Cossart Baker, who enlisted as a “gentleman volunteer” in 1776 and fought at the Battle of Long Island, and in the Philadelphia Campaign at the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown. He retired as a captain and took this chest home with him. It is now in the collection of .
Officer’s camp chest, Oak, birch, cedrella, iron/steel, brass, paper, paint & ink, c. 1775,
The astonishing provenance of this cypress armchair was uncovered by scholar Tiffany Momon, founder of , a resource that explores the contributions that African Americans have made to the material culture of the United States. The chair was made in the mid-19th century by enslaved people at Leonidas Polk’s Leighton Plantation in Louisiana. For more on what this chair can teach us about questioning an object’s provenance, check out ’s interview with Momon from a 2020 episode of Curious Objects http://bitly.ws/Pduf.
Armchair made by enslaved craftsmen at Leighton Plantation, Cypress, c. 1840s-1850s,
Anna Katharine Green was a successful poet in the late 19th century. It might be said that she was also a “ghost designer,” collaborating with her husband, Charles Rohlfs, on some of his most famous pieces. Until recently, Green’s contributions to the decorative carvings of these designs went unrecognized.
Read more in our 2008 article by Rohlfs scholar Joseph Cunningham: “Anna Katharine Green and Charles Rohlfs: Artistic collaborators" http://bitly.ws/PdeF.
Charles Rohlfs and Anna Katherine Green, Desk chair, Mahogany, c. 1900-1910,
Archibald Knox’s “Cymric” line of metalwares for Liberty and Co., which included this silver and enamel clock, nodded to his Celtic heritage and featured traditional decorative motifs from Wales and Scotland reimagined as art nouveau stylistic elements. Knox designed more than 400 pieces for Liberty and even designed the gravestone of Liberty founder Arthur Lasenby Liberty.
Archibald Knox for Liberty and Co., Cymric clock, Silver and enamel, 1906,
In this self-portrait, Paul Cadmus concocts an image of self-as-artist: a persona he felt was distinctly separate from his personal identity. Pausing in mid-thought, he holds a pencil, pointed towards his face, drawing the viewer into his captivating and mysterious gaze.
Paul Cadmus, Self-Portrait, Tempera on board, 1935,
If this figure looks sinister to you…he is. This is a Mokuy figure, a modern interpretation of the traditional graveyard gatekeepers of the indigenous people of Milingimbi Island in Australia. Historically, these slender carved wooden figures represent the malevolent spirit of a deceased person. The spirit will harm anyone who comes too near to the gravesite.
Mokuy figure, Earth pigments on wood, lorikeet feathers, c. 1960s,
Chocolate is a sugary treat for many, but it is also a historical tool at the Museo de la Xocolata. Learn about the deliciously-named museum here http://bitly.ws/Kyi4
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Since its inception in 1922, The Magazine ANTIQUES has been America’s premier publication on the fine and decorative arts, architecture, preservation, and interior design. Each bimonthly issue includes regular columns on current exhibitions, personalities in the field, notes on collecting, book reviews, and more.
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