A Fabulous Carrying Box: Ogata Korin
I came across this gorgeous little item in our collection the other day, and, once again, I must emphasize how I detest the art form term “decorative arts” (though not quite as badly as I ...
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Curator's Corner
Picturesque Eldercare: John Nash
I present to you yet another example that disproves the conventional wisdom that “one can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I had another one of my “eureka!” moments this w ...
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Curator's Corner
Celebrate Spring with Art: Fidelia Bridges
Now that spring is busting out all over (finally), I thought we’d celebrate it with this gorgeous little piece from the Brooklyn Museum. It’s one of my favorites in my little mental art mu ...
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Curator's Corner
Gorgeous Gothic: Gloucester Cathedral
While choosing images for our supplemental image set for Janson’s 8th edition of the History of Art, I came across one of my “holy cow” moments when looking at the Gothic architectur ...
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Curator's Corner
The Eight: Everett Shinn
As you probably realize by now if you’ve read this blog, I’m very partial to American art of all periods. But I particularly favor styles and movements that were not particularly favored b ...
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Curator's Corner
A Taste for the "Exotic"? Sèvres Porcelain
Having blossomed into teen-hood in the 1970s, I often like to compare some of the “art” that emerged in the 1800s with the 1970s. It’s like, “what were they thinking?” Th ...
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Curator's Corner
Day of the Dead Satire: Manuel Manilla
The Davis Art Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of the work of comic artists. Since the gallery is on the same floor as our offices, I get to see the artists’ works every day. Naturally ...
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Curator's Corner
Native American Art "Revival": Abel Sánchez (Oqwa Pi)
When we think of “Native American art,” we tend to think of ceramics, weavings, hide objects, and quillwork. Painting (whether on canvas, paper, or wood) was not an Indian tradition until ...
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Curator's Corner
Pictorialist Photographer: Gertrude Käsebier
One of my favorite periods in the history of photography is from the early period, when there was a debate in artists’ circles as to whether or not photography was “fine art.” Ironic ...
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Curator's Corner
Something Completely Different: Chelsea Porcelain
I am a big admirer of artists who produce porcelain. I don’t own any, but I sure love to see examples in museums. Porcelain was first produced in China in the first millennium CE and in Japan in ...
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