Albrecht Dürer, Adam and Eve (1504),, Engraving, Collection of the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany
Dürer is considered the greatest German artist of the Renaissance era. This magnificent exhibition offers an exclusive look at the artist’s innovative interpretations of sixteenth century Christianity and his position as a critical figure between Gothic naturalism and Italian humanism. The collection is drawn from the renowned Hessisches Landesmuseum (Hessian State Museum), Darmstadt, Germany, and is comprised of 100 examples of Dürer’s woodcuts, etchings, and engravings. This exhibition is organized by the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Mechthild Haas, graphics curator at the Hessisches Landesmuseum.
Rhead Pottery (Santa Barbara, California), Vase with a design of eucalyptus trees, designed by Frederick Hurten Rhead, c. 1914-17. Two Red Roses Foundation
This important exhibition features superb examples of pottery from the American Arts and Crafts movement by such esteemed potteries as Rookwood, Grueby, Newcomb College, Marblehead, Teco, Saturday Evening Girls, and Overbeck. The works are on loan from the Two Red Roses Foundation, one of this country’s most important private collections of Arts and Crafts objects. Reacting against the crassness of industrial production and seeking to elevate the decorative arts to the level of the fine arts, fervent Arts and Crafts reformers advocated the reintegration of art into everyday life. The implications were both social and aesthetic, and touched upon critical issues such as the role of women in society and the search for a modern style. This exhibition is curated by Martin Eidelberg, Professor Emeritus in Art History at Rutgers University, and Dr. Jonathan Clancy, independent scholar.
The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue which documents all the works exhibited and whose text sheds new light on the origin and meaning of “Arts and Crafts,” and explores the origins of early twentieth- century design.
THE APHRODITE PAINTER, Paestan, South Italy, RED-FIGURE KRATER (WINE MIXING VESSEL), c. 340–330 BC, Ceramic. From the Collection of William Knight Zewadski
This exhibition of approximately 50 antiquities, dating from the sixth century B.C. to the fourth century A.D., celebrates the theater tradition in Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art and culture. The artworks recreate a theatrical experience that was communal, often celebratory, and sometimes erotic. Found here are not only large-scale vases with finely executed paintings, but also objects used in daily life such as oil lamps, loom weights, and a theater ticket. Highlights include the Calyx Krater—depicting Orestes, his sister Electra, and Apollo, the god of Delphi—and two vessels by the Darius Painter, considered the most erudite and important artist of Apulian pottery (present-day southern Italy). These holdings, on extended loan to the Museum by trustee William Knight Zewadski, comprise one of the most comprehensive American collections of its kind and rival similar groupings in the Getty Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Moses Soyer to David Soyer [1940]. Letter; handwritten, ill.; 29.7 x 21.5 cm. Moses Soyer papers, 1920-1974 and undated. Courtesy of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
In an age of email and instant messaging, More Than Words reconnects us to the wonders of handmade communications. The exhibition consists of 58 original, hand-illustrated letters from such celebrated artists as Alexander Calder, Thomas Eakins, Andy Warhol, and Andrew Wyeth. Their communications offer an intimate view of the artists’ worlds—their families, friends, business relations, travels, and personal observations—each in the sender’s own distinctive style. This exhibition is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. The exhibition is curated by Liza Kirwin, Curator of Manuscripts at the Archives of American Art.
Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990)
Andy Mouse (1986)
One of four silkscreen prints
Keith Haring artwork © Estate of Keith Haring
On Loan from the Bank of America Collection
Andy Warhol (1928–1987) was one of the central figures of the Pop Art movement and one of the most recognizable artists of the second half of the 20th century. Though he worked in many media, his prints sealed his artistic reputation. He used mass-produced images to mirror and reflect upon our media and celebrity-obsessed culture, and he also reacted to the pervasive and subliminal influence of advertising. This is the first Warhol exhibition ever presented at the MFA. It features over 70 prints from some of his most celebrated series, including Flowers, Muhammad Ali, Campbell’s Soup, and Marilyn. Also included are prints from the Andy Mouse series, an homage by his friend and fellow artist Keith Haring, and a portrait of Warhol by Robert Mapplethorpe. This exhibition is organized by the Bank of America Corporate Art Program.
Lesley Dill, Rise (detail) 2006-07, Courtesy of the Artist and George Adams Gallery, NY, NY
For the last twenty years, Lesley Dill has consistently explored the human form, sensory experience, language, and their interactions. Her work can be both ephemeral and spiritual. She uses bronze, photography, poetry, thread, wire, and paper to sculpt her figures and build her tapestries, giving visual form to poetic texts by Salvador Espriu, Franz Kafka, and Emily Dickinson. Recurring motifs, such as leaves, hands, and text, flow through the pieces, bringing together the artist’s explorations of the last decade. This exhibition includes roughly 30 works that highlight Dill’s dramatic, sculptural installations. This exhibition is organized by the Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga, Tennessee, in conjunction with George Adams Gallery, NY. Nandini Makrandi, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Hunter Museum, curated this exhibition.