Enfilade

From the press release (26 June 2025) . . .

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) announces the acquisition of eight exceptional works spanning nearly eight centuries, from a rare 13th-century Limoges enameled gemellion to contemporary photography by Carrie Mae Weems. These diverse acquisitions significantly strengthen key areas of the museum’s collection while addressing important gaps in others. Highlights include: a pair of monumental pedestals by Giacomo Raffaelli featuring the largest micromosaic compositions the artist ever attempted; an early Sèvres porcelain vase in the legendary ‘bleu nouveau’ glaze; a winter landscape by Blanche Hoschedé-Monet marking a pivotal moment in the artist’s emergence from Claude Monet’s tutelage; and a technically masterful Oribe tea bowl from early 17th-century Japan. Also acquired is the museum’s first Latin American colonial religious painting—a Virgin of Guadalupe painting attributed to the circle of artist Manuel de Arellano—that continues building one of Mia’s newer collecting areas.

“These remarkable acquisitions demonstrate our ongoing commitment to building a truly global collection that honors artistic excellence across time periods and cultures,” said Katie Luber, Nivin and Duncan MacMillan Director and President of Mia. “These works will enhance our visitors’ understanding of the diverse artistic traditions that have shaped human expression, from 13th-century France to 17th-century Japan, to the United States in the 2020s. Whether we are filling crucial gaps in our holdings—like our first colonial Latin American religious painting—or strengthening existing collections, our goal remains the same: to present the most compelling and comprehensive story of art’s power to illuminate the human experience across centuries and continents.”

Carrie Mae Weems (American, born 1953), Painting the Town #4, 2021 (printed 2024).

This pigment print by Carrie Mae Weems exemplifies the artist’s masterful ability to transform documentary photography into profound social commentary and significantly strengthens Mia’s contemporary photography holdings. At first glance, Painting the Town #4 appears to be an abstract composition of vibrant painted rectangles, reminiscent of Mark Rothko or Robert Motherwell. Closer examination reveals it to be a boarded-up Portland storefront—complete with knotty plywood and covered graffiti—photographed in 2021, during the aftermath of the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s murder. Weems’ art historical references are deliberate. By evoking abstract expressionist aesthetics in this pandemic-era streetscape, she lures in viewers but then confronts them with the raw signifiers of contemporary social upheaval. Part of her acclaimed Painting the Town series, this work represents the rare pandemic project that transcends mere documentation. One of America’s most influential living artists, Weems’ four-decade career has consistently given voice to silenced stories while investigating the intersections of history, identity, and power.

Circle of Manuel de Arellano, Virgen de Guadalupe, 1700–50.

Circle of Manuel de Arellano, Virgen de Guadalupe (detail), 1700–50, oil on canvas (Minneapolis: Mia, The William Hood Dunwoody Fund, 2025.39).

This exceptional oil on canvas represents a pivotal addition to Mia’s collection as the first Latin American religious image from the colonial period, from which distinctive artistic traditions emerged with the Spanish imposition of Catholicism blending with Indigenous religions. Attributed to the circle of Manuel de Arellano, the renowned Mexican artist who, along with his father Antonio, operated a prominent studio in Mexico City during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, this work exemplifies the innovative approach the Arellanos brought to traditional Guadalupe iconography.

The Virgin of Guadalupe depicted here represents one of the most widely recognized and culturally significant religious images in the Americas—an enduring symbol, declared patroness of New Spain in 1746 and later empress of the Americas in 1933. The painting synthesizes diverse iconographic traditions: The dark-skinned Virgin wears a light-pink tunic with golden floral motifs and a star-covered blue mantle, standing on a crescent moon supported by an angel whose wings bear the colors of the Mexican flag. This blends the Virgin of the Apocalypse imagery from Revelation with Immaculate Conception iconography, while incorporating Indigenous elements that reflect the legend of the Virgin’s appearance to Juan Diego at Tepeyac Hill, a site sacred to the Aztec goddess Tonantzin.

Enameled gemellion with horse and rider, ca. 1250–75, Limoges, France.

This exceptional enameled gemellion represents a significant addition to the museum’s medieval collection and showcases the full splendor of Limoges champlevé enamel technique on gilded copper, demonstrating the workshop traditions that made this French city renowned throughout medieval Europe. Moreover, the rarity of this gemellion cannot be overstated—fewer than 110 examples of these Limousin hand-washing vessels are known to survive from the Middle Ages.

As a catch basin lacking the characteristic pouring spout, it represents half of what would have originally been a paired set, used for the ritualized washing of hands in both religious and secular contexts. The vessel’s secular iconography of horse and rider reflects the sophisticated courtly culture of the 13th century, when such imagery proliferated on luxury objects—many of which eventually found their way into ecclesiastical treasuries as pious donations. The object highlights the technical mastery of champlevé enameling, where colored glass is fused into carved copper channels and enhanced with precious gilding.

Giacomo Raffaelli (Italian, 1753–1836), Pair of marble, micromosaic, and gilt-bronze pedestals, 1790s.

Giacomo Raffaelli, Pair of Italian marble, micromosaic, and gilt-bronze pedestals, 1790s, each 114 × 37 × 29 cm (Minneapolis: Mia, The Walter C. and Mary C. Briggs Trust Fund and gift of funds from John Lindahl, 2025.37.1.1, 2).

These pedestals by Giacomo Raffaelli represent the pinnacle of 18th-century Italian decorative arts by the undisputed master of micromosaic technique. The pedestals showcase his revolutionary approach to the ancient art of mosaic, employing tesserae so minutely crafted that hundreds—even thousands—fit within a single square inch, refining the art form to a new level that dates back to classical antiquity. Constructed from Carrara marble and enhanced with gilt bronze, these pedestals elevate the functional object of the pedestal to the realm of high art through their integration of precious materials and extraordinary craftsmanship. Moreover, the micromosaic panels on these pedestals are among the largest continuous compositions Raffaelli ever attempted, far exceeding the intimate scale of the snuffboxes and bonbonnières for which he is best known. The iconography—featuring birds, flowers, vases, and butterflies symbolizing Psyche and the soul—connects to the most prestigious commission of 18th-century Rome: Palazzo Braschi, the lavishly decorated residence of Pope Pius VI’s nephew. These objects reinforce Mia’s already strong collections of Italian 18th-century decorative arts—and will provide visitors with an unparalleled example of how Roman workshops operated during this golden age of decorative arts.

Sèvres Porcelain Factory (Paris, 1756–present), Greek vase with medallions, ca. 1765.

In the 1760s, the Manufacture Royale de Sèvres—the supreme expression of French state-sponsored artistry—moved away from Rococo frivolity toward the clarity of neoclassicism. This exceptional—and exceptionally rare—Greek vase exemplifies this dramatic shift, with its bold rectilinear Greek meander pattern encircling a form derived from a fluted column base. It also showcases the legendary ‘bleu nouveau’, the lapis lazuli imitation glaze that became an iconic color in French design. Only nine of these vases were ever produced. This pristine example strengthens Mia’s neoclassical collections, documenting a transformative period when European decorative arts shifted focus to the simplicity of classical antiquity. It is the earliest Sèvres porcelain in Mia’s collection and the museum’s first example of this celebrated 18th-century blue glaze technique.

Blanche Hoschedé-Monet (French, 1865–1947), Snowy Country Road, Le Val near Giverny, 1888.

This winter landscape by Blanche Hoschedé-Monet represents a pivotal moment in both the artist’s career and the broader story of Impressionism at Giverny. Painted in early 1888 when the artist was just 23, this oil on canvas captures the snowy country road leading to the family home she shared with her stepfather, Claude Monet. The work has been newly identified as her likely first submission to the Paris Salon, marking her emergence as an independent artist after five years of accompanying Monet on his daily painting excursions.

Hoschedé-Monet was Monet’s only true pupil and later became instrumental in completing his monumental Water Lilies cycles. Executed during Monet’s absence in Antibes, the painting embodies his hopes for her artistic development, as he wrote to her mother: “I hope that Blanche, left to her own devices, will make a serious effort.” The artist demonstrates remarkable technical sophistication in her handling of snow effects, balancing bold white impasto with subtle shadows of blue, gray, and green, while injecting warmth through delicate touches of pink and yellow. For Mia, this acquisition builds on the museum’s already strong collection of Giverny-related works, joining masterpieces by Claude Monet, Theodore Robinson, and Frederick Carl Frieseke.

Louis Welden Hawkins (French / born Germany, 1849–1910), Sa demeure, ca. 1899.

Louis Weldon Hawkins began his career as a naturalist painter before aligning himself with more radical symbolist circles in the 1890s. This enigmatic garden scene captures a moment of synthesis between these two styles: the composition is of a scene of nature, yet is filled with mysterious objects—a broom, bucket, rope, table, chairs, and blue cloth draped over a branch—that function as symbolic clues without revealing their meaning. The curving apple tree branch reflects the influence of Japanese prints on symbolist artists of the period, while two sensitively rendered chickadees perch as though engaged in secret conversation, adding to the work’s air of quiet mystery. Kept with its original frame, this mid-career work provides Mia’s visitors an exceptional opportunity to encounter the sophisticated visual poetry that defined symbolist painting at its height. Executed in an unusual, nearly square format that enhances its contemplative quality, Hawkins created a scene that is simultaneously specific and timeless. And the painting’s elusive title—Sa demeure (‘his home’, or ‘its home’)—further compounds its mysterious allegory.

Clog-shaped tea bowl with wisteria motif, early 17th century, Japan, Edo period (1603–1868).

Clog-shaped tea bowl with wisteria motif, Japan, early 17th century. Mino ware, black Oribe type; glazed stoneware with glaze inlays (Minneapolis: Mia, The Mary Griggs Burke Endowment Fund established by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation. 2025.45).

This clog-shaped tea bowl represents one of the most complex and labor-intensive examples of black Oribe ceramics, embodying the radical aesthetic experimentation that defined early 17th century Japanese tea culture. Named after the influential tea master and samurai Furuta Oribe, this style emerged from the Mino kilns of Gifu Prefecture during a brief but revolutionary period when tea practitioners pushed novelty to its limits, seeking what contemporaries described as the ‘warped’ (hizumitaru) aesthetic. The bowl’s sophisticated decoration—where black glaze was selectively scraped away and exposed areas were then filled with white clay slip, requiring each motif to be glazed separately rather than uniformly—demonstrates the extraordinary precision demanded by Oribe ware production. The horizontal spray of wisteria flowers, traditionally associated with early summer and typically depicted in vertical clusters, suggests this work may have been a special seasonal commission.

While Mia has an extensive Japanese ceramics collection, this work is a significant addition reflecting Japan’s enduring tea culture. The bowl’s deliberately triangular profile defies conventional ceramic forms. At the same time, its construction showcases exceptional technical mastery: after wheel-throwing and shaping, artisans omitted the traditional foot rim in favor of an intricately crafted, separately fabricated high-splayed foot with hollow interior, possibly influenced by imported glass or metalware bases. It captures a pivotal moment when Japanese tea masters embraced deliberate irregularity and bold innovation, forever changing the aesthetic landscape of ceremonial tea culture.

Library Exhibition Hall and West Hall, The Huntington, San Marino, California
(Photo by David Esquivel)

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From the press release (24 June 2025) . . .

Modernization of The Huntington’s Library building aims to connect collections, expand conservation capacity, enhance research access, and deepen public engagement.

Key Takeaways
• A multiyear renovation will strengthen how the Library and Art Museum’s collections support research, conservation, and public engagement.
• Plans include an 8,000-square-foot expansion of conservation studio capacity, redesigned exhibition spaces, and a new gallery focused on the history of science.
• The groundbreaking is planned for spring 2026.
• During construction, the Library will remain open to researchers, while a new exhibition series in the Art Museum showcases the Library’s book and manuscript collections.

In spring 2026, The Huntington will begin an extensive renovation of its Library building, designed in 1919 by architect Myron Hunt, a leading figure of early 20th-century Southern California architecture. The project will revitalize the Library’s landmark exhibition halls and replace outdated back-of-house space with modern facilities that serve both the Library and Art Museum. The unified Library/Art Building (LAB) will be a transformative 83,000-square-foot modernization that honors the building’s historic character while reimagining its spaces for interdivisional collaboration. The design is being led by RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects). Samuel Anderson Architects is providing expertise on collections storage and conservation studio design.

The idea took shape when President Karen R. Lawrence sought a single solution to meet needs that emerged in both the Library and Art Museum. Her proposal reflected the institution’s strategic plan, which calls for integrated, cross-divisional approaches under the guiding principle of “One Huntington.” With support from senior colleagues and the Board of Trustees, the concept advanced as a unified investment in conservation infrastructure, collections care, and the visitor and researcher experience.

The LAB will replace legacy book stacks with state-of-the-art storage for more than eight linear miles of the Library’s book and manuscript collections, along with the Art Museum’s 38,000 works on paper. Light-filled, modernized spaces for consultation, collaboration, and meetings will support cross-disciplinary exchange among staff, fellows, and general readers. The building will also include a dedicated conservation studio for treating paintings and objects.

“This is the most ambitious building project in The Huntington’s history,” President Lawrence said. “It reflects our commitment to stewardship, scholarship, and public engagement, and to creating spaces that will serve our collections and our communities for the next century.”

Photograph of Henry E. Huntington in front of the Library’s bronze doors, ca. 1920 (The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens).

Henry E. Huntington was once asked whether he planned to write an autobiography describing his career. He demurred and said in response, “This Library will tell the story; it represents the reward of all the work that I have ever done and the realization of much happiness.”

A century later, The Huntington ranks among the world’s great independent research libraries, holding a growing collection of some 12 million rare books, manuscripts, photographs, prints, drawings, and ephemera. Each year, the Library welcomes thousands of researchers, including more than 175 fellows in the nation’s largest humanities research program. To further support these visiting fellows, The Huntington is also developing Scholars Grove—a 33-unit residential complex that will provide convenient, reasonably priced housing and community space on campus.

“The Library has always anchored The Huntington’s commitment to knowledge and public access,” said Sandra Brooke Gordon, Avery Director of the Library. “Now, we’re evolving that legacy with revitalized spaces designed to support collaboration and a broader community of researchers. The LAB will also enhance the experience of the hundreds of thousands of visitors who each year discover the Library’s collections in our exhibition halls.”

While the Library’s exhibition halls are closed for renovation, visitors can experience some of its most iconic and unexpected works in the exhibition series Stories from the Library, located in the Huntington Art Museum.

Stories from the Library debuted 21 June 2025, with two exhibitions: one centered on Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the other on visionary figures who have shaped Los Angeles. The series will continue through 2028. The research library will remain open throughout construction of the LAB. All of the Library’s collections will be on site and available to researchers.

The LAB will also become the new home for the Art Museum’s extensive collection of works on paper—over 38,000 drawings, watercolors, and prints, representing upwards of 80% of its holdings. Because these works are light sensitive, this major part of the art collection is rarely accessible to the public in gallery displays. A new Works on Paper Study Center will provide space for consultation, research, and display, expanding access for scholars, students, and early-career professionals.

“Housing the museum’s works on paper and library collections under one roof will deepen scholarship and spark new forms of inquiry,” said Christina Nielsen, Hannah and Russel Kully Director of the Art Museum. “This kind of proximity will foster not only interdisciplinary research but richer, more nuanced exhibitions.”

The Art Museum’s collection features over 45,000 artworks from Europe, America, and East Asia that span more than 2,000 years. Conserving paintings and objects across the Art Museum and Library’s collections helps preserve fragile materials for future generations and yields new information about how they were made and used.

The LAB will not only integrate staff but also significantly enhance experiences for general visitors to The Huntington. A new gallery dedicated to the history of science will replace the former “Beautiful Science” exhibition with “Worlds Unfolding: Science on the Page.” The new installation will showcase the Library’s extensive holdings in science, technology, and medicine. It will feature a diverse selection of medieval through modern works on topics ranging from astronomy, anatomy, and geology to electricity, the aerospace industry, and futuristic dream worlds of science fiction.

Expanding public access to its collections has long been central to The Huntington’s mission, and today, a wide range of readers makes use of its research resources. Any adult working on a research project that is well served by the collections is welcome to apply for a reader’s card. Fifteen percent of recent consultations have come from beyond the traditional ranks of advanced researchers, reflecting the Library’s broadened access for artists, writers, and community researchers. The LAB will support this wider audience with accessible study areas, clearer navigation, and more streamlined access to research materials—ensuring that rare items are both useable and protected.

As groundbreaking approaches in spring 2026, The Huntington nears completion of its $126.6 million fundraising campaign. More than $100 million has already been committed by foundations and donors who recognize the project’s long-term impact.

Generous support for the Stories from the Library exhibition series is provided by the Robert F. Erburu Exhibition Endowment. Additional support is provided by The Neilan Foundation, the Steinmetz Foundation, and Laura and Carlton Seaver.