Enfilade

Press release via Art Daily (30 December 2015). . .

Desk and bookcase, mid-18th century, Mexico. Inlaid woods and incised and painted bone, maque, gold and polychrome paint, metal hardware (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston).

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, has acquired a rare and important desk and bookcase (mid-18th century, Mexico) from the Ann and Gordon Getty Collection. Originally made in Puebla de los Ángeles, this work is a remarkable piece of furniture that displays influences from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The striking geometric exterior looks toward Europe with its wood-and-bone Mudéjar designs—a Hispano-Moresque style popular during the era. Opening the doors reveals a dramatic interior of chinoiserie-style painting in gold on a red background. The inside recalls early colonial mapping traditions of Nahuatl-speaking artists, showing views of an extensive hacienda in Veracruz drawn in an indigenous style. The estate, once owned by a wealthy Spaniard, was the site of one of the earliest free African settlements in Mexico; the maps may depict descendants of these early African slaves or free blacks. This truly global mix of sources extends to the object’s material: the red background is likely maque (from the Japanese word for lacquer, maki-e), a resin created using local materials in the style of Asian painting.

The work is among the most rare pieces of furniture currently on view in the exhibition, Made in the Americas: The New World Discovers Asia, the first major, pan-American exhibition to examine the profound influence of Asia on the arts of the colonial Americas (on view through February 15).

Desk and bookcase, mid-18th century, Mexico. Inlaid woods and incised and painted bone, maque, gold and polychrome paint, metal hardware (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

With cultural and religious ignorance and intolerance finding new, ever uglier modes of expression here in the United States, on what seems a daily basis, this remarkable portrait (a 2011 acquisition by the Philadelphia Museum of Art) usefully speaks to how diverse and complex American history has always been. –CH

◊  ◊  ◊  ◊  ◊

From the Philadelphia Museum of Art:

Charles Willson Peale, Portrait of Yarrow Mamout (Muhammad Yaro), 1819, oil on canvas, 24 x 20 inches (Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2011-87-1).

Yarrow Mamout, an African American Muslim who won his freedom from slavery, was reputedly 140 years old in 1819, when Charles Willson Peale painted this portrait for display in his Philadelphia Museum. Although Peale learned this was a miscalculation, the story of eighty-three-year-old Yarrow (c. 1736–1823), a native of the West African country of Guinea who was literate in Arabic, was still remarkable. As Peale noted, Yarrow was “comfortable in his Situation having Bank stock and [he] lives in his own house.”

A rare representation of ethnic and religious diversity in early America, and an outstanding example of Peale’s late naturalistic style, the picture is distinguished by the direct and sympathetic encounter between the artist and his subject and the skilled rendering of the details of physiognomy and age. Yarrow’s knit cap suggests a kufi, a hat traditionally worn by African Muslim men to assert their religion or African identity, but Peale artfully employs its yellow band to highlight his steady gaze with its glint of humor and wisdom.

Seventy-seven years old when he created this portrait, Peale was seeking a record of the personal traits that he believed supported a long life. In his writings and museum displays Peale celebrated making wise choices to maintain good health and a positive attitude, and he perceived Yarrow’s perseverance through his difficult life as a model of resourcefulness, industriousness, sobriety, and an unwillingness to become dispirited.

◊  ◊  ◊  ◊  ◊

More information about Mamout is available from this piece by Colbert King for The Washington Post (13 February 2015). For Mamout’s biography, see James Johnston, From Slave Ship to Harvard: Yarrow Mamout and the History of an African American Family (Fordham University Press, 2012). This past summer, the Historic Preservation Office dug shovel test pits in Georgetown in connection with the Yarrow Mamout Archaeology Project, led by Mia Carey (as reported by WAMU 88.5).

Now on view at Mia:

The Archangels Saint Michael and Saint Raphael: A Pair of 18th-Century Silver Sculptures
Minneapolis Institute of Art, 14 November 2015 — 3 January 2016

Giuseppe Sanmartino, Saint Raphael with Tobias, his Dog, and the Fish, c. 1780, 27 inches high; The Archangel Saint Michael in Triumph, c. 1780, 33 inches high, silver, gilt bronze (Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2015.24.1,2)

A pair of two silver statues by Neapolitan artist Giuseppe Sanmartino (1720–93), donated to the museum by long-time trustees Al and Mary Agnes McQuinn, marks one of the most important additions to Mia’s silver collection. Executed with amazing detail, the statues testify to a devotion to the two Archangels, an act that goes back to the Early Christian period and continues to flourish in Southern Italy (as well as in the Greek and Russian Orthodox churches) to the present day. Throughout Christianity, Saint Michael and Saint Raphael are venerated for their healing powers. The exhibition celebrates the acquisition of these unique masterpieces, without peer in any American museum collection, and whose only comparables remain in Italian churches.

From the Gardner:

Peggy Fogelman Named Next Director of Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum announced today that Peggy Fogelman is the next Norma Jean Calderwood Director, succeeding Anne Hawley as the fifth director in the Museum’s history. Hawley will step down after 26 years at the end of the year, and Fogelman will assume the directorship in January 2016.

“I am overjoyed to be entrusted with leading the Gardner, a unique and treasured museum where visitors feel so closely connected to the collection,” Fogelman said. “Being located in this creative and intellectual hub makes the potential enormously exciting as we continue to reach the next generation of museum-goers. It is truly a privilege to apply all my experience to a place that is beloved by so many.”

Since 2013, Peggy has been Director of Collections at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York, overseeing eight curatorial departments, conservation, registration, and 16 to 20 exhibitions per year. Earlier this year, Peggy served for 12 months as Acting Director while the Morgan searched for a new Director. She previously worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as Chairman of Education, the Peabody Essex Museum as Director of Education and Interpretation, and the J. Paul Getty Museum as Associate Curator of European Sculpture and later Assistant Director and Head of Education and Interpretive Programs.

“Peggy is the perfect fit for the Gardner with her impressive background ranging from work in large prestigious institutions to small, intimate museums,” said Steve Kidder, the Gardner Museum’s Board President. “She brings us the best intersection of creativity, vision, and successful execution. We look forward to seeing what she dreams up for this very special Museum.”

Longtime Gardner Museum Trustee and former Board President, Barbara Hostetter chaired the committee that conducted an international search to find Hawley’s successor. “We are overjoyed that the Museum has found a new director with the vision and expertise to take it to new heights,” she said “Peggy comes to us with a seasoned perspective, honed by working at some of the nation’s finest museums, and with a freshness of spirit that makes being part of the Gardner leadership so rewarding.”

The Morgan began much like the Gardner Museum as a private collection that evolved into a vibrant cultural institution offering exhibitions, musical concerts, public lectures and special events. Fogelman has been instrumental in building a larger audience, developing the exhibition program, and forging meaningful collaborations with other institutions, foundations, and private collectors.

From 2009 to 2013, Fogelman was the Met’s Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Chairman of Education where she oversaw education, concert, and lecture programs. She took on the challenge of restructuring the education department to advance visitor engagement and to create more collaboration in the large institution. She spearheaded first time artist-based residencies and commissioned performances, fellowships in education and public practice, studio classes, gallery talks, artists’ study days, and digital art-making activities.

Before being recruited to the Met, Fogelman was Director of Education and Interpretation at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. She began her career at the J. Paul Getty Museum with a curatorial focus, and over the next 13 years, rose to Associate Curator in the Department of Sculpture and Works of Art. She was then appointed Senior Project Specialist to the Director, and transitioned to become Assistant Director and Head of Education and Interpretative Programs, achieving a major restructuring of the museum education program at the Getty. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Arts from Brown University. Her work has been published widely for both general and specialized audiences.

As Anne Hawley prepares for her next chapter, she said she is delighted that the Museum will be in such capable hands. “I trust the magic and uniqueness of the Gardner Museum will continue to soar under Peggy’s leadership,” she said.

From The Louvre:

Be a Patron of Love
Louvre Launches Campaign to Acquire
Jacques Saly’s Cupid Testing One of His Arrows

In 1753, sculptor Jacques Saly signed and dated his masterpiece, the marble statue Cupid Testing One of His Arrows (L’Amour essayant une de ses flèches). The piece had been commissioned a year earlier by the Marquise de Pompadour, royal mistress of Louis XV, and was presented to the king in person on August 11, 1753, before being installed at the Salon de l’Académie at the Louvre to be shown to the public for one month.

Jacques Saly was made royal sculptor in 1750, when he became a member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Recommended by renowned sculptor Edme Bouchardon, Saly was called to Denmark in 1753 to work on the equestrian statue of Frederick V and help establish the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. He did not return to France until 1774, two years before his death.

Despite his short artistic career in France, Saly received a number of prestigious commissions. His masterpiece remains Cupid Testing One of His Arrows, which Madame de Pompadour presented in her three favorite residences: the Château de Crécy and the Château de Bellevue, on the outskirts of Paris, and the Hôtel d’Evreux, future site of the Palais de l’Elysée. Hidden from view in private collections for over two centuries, Saly’s sculpture of Cupid was revealed to the public in 2002 for the exhibition Madame de Pompadour and the Arts at the Château de Versailles. It was listed as a National Treasure by the French state in 2006.

A masterpiece of French art by its delicateness of composition and virtuosity of marblework, the statue is also outstanding for the pedestal that has remained with it since the beginning. It was executed by the great sculptor and ornamentalist Jacques Verberckt, who produced sumptuous wood paneling for the Château de Versailles and the Château de Fontainebleau, and who was also a friend of Saly’s. It is indeed quite remarkable that the two royal sculptors worked together on the same commission.

To execute this spectacular work of art, Saly gave of his best and applied all of his expertise. Its reappearance in France is an unhoped-for opportunity to shine light on the artist, a highly skilled sculptor who was sensitive to the art of his time.

The Société des Amis du Louvre has already provided half of the amount required for this major acquisition. In order for the exceptional work of art to enter the national collections, the Musée du Louvre is calling upon the generosity of the public to raise a minimum of €600,000 before February 14, 2016.

◊  ◊  ◊  ◊  ◊

Press release (14 October 2015) from Amsterdam’s National Maritime Museum:

After an eight-year absence, the Royal Barge will once again be on display at Het Scheepvaartmuseum. At a spectacular opening event on Wednesday evening, framed by the pipers and drummers of the Marine Corps, the Royal Barge was presented to more than 300 guests. Just one week before this event, the 200-year old barge and its new boathouse were transported across land and water. In the home port of Amsterdam, the doors will be opened to visitors every morning.

The director-general of Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Pauline Krikke, is overjoyed at the return of the crown jewel of the museum’s collection. “It is a momentous occasion to celebrate the return of the barge after such a long absence,” she says. “The Royal Barge is restored and seaworthy. The museum is incredibly grateful to all the people who helped to make this possible.”

The Royal Barge, also referred to as the ‘Golden Coach of the water’ (‘de gouden koets te water’), was given a thorough overhaul. With a donation of one million euros from the BankGiro Lottery, the Cultuur Lottery, and specialist input from AkzoNobel, this unique barge was completely renovated and restored to once again be admired in all its magnificence. Now, this public favourite has finally returned to Het Scheepvaartmuseum. With the new set-up in the boathouse, the beautiful golden ornaments are closer than ever before and can be admired in detail by the visitors.

The Royal Barge is a rowing barge that was built at the Navy shipyard in Rotterdam in 1816 for King William I. Since then, the Royal Barge has been used by the head of state for official events such as state visits, jubilees, naval reviews, and the launching of new ships. The barge marked its final voyage in 1962 with the silver wedding anniversary of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard, and was then retired from service.

The National Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum) tells the story of how the sea has defined Dutch culture. Visitors follow their own paths through twelve exciting and interactive exhibitions to discover 500 years of maritime history. Highlights of world-class collections are displayed in unforgettable exhibitions. A few of the exhibitions (like The Tale of the Whale and Life Onboard) are specially designed for families. The museum draws approximately 330,000 visitors per year, putting it among the top ten Amsterdam museums and making it a major attraction for both domestic and foreign tourism. Het Scheepvaartmuseum is located in ‘s Lands Zeemagazijn, an historic Golden Age building dating from 1656.

Douglas Druick, photo by Robert Carl

◊  ◊  ◊  ◊  ◊

Press release from the Art Institute of Chicago, via ArtDaily (8 October 2015). . .

Douglas Druick, President and Eloise W. Martin Director announced today his plans to retire from the Art Institute of Chicago. An internationally recognized scholar and curator who joined the Art Institute in 1985, during his distinguished 30 years of service Druick chaired two of the museum’s eleven curatorial departments and led the institution as its president and director since 2011, overseeing many milestones in the museum’s illustrious history.

“Douglas is one of the most respected, thoughtful, and innovative museum leaders in the world. He has made extraordinary contributions to the development of the Art Institute—ushering the museum into the digital age, achieving an unparalleled ranking among the world’s top three museums on TripAdvisor for three years running, and managing the largest gift of art since the museum’s founding with the contemporary works from Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson,” said Bob Levy, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Art Institute of Chicago. “Douglas’s initiatives to place a stronger emphasis than ever before on visitor access and engagement, and to champion global diversity as it is reflected in the museum’s audiences, collections, and programs, will only continue to advance the Art Institute’s global reach and reputation for excellence.”

“It has been my honor to serve as the Art Institute’s president and director,” said Druick. “I have been deeply proud to lead one of the finest museums in the world, and to work for three decades with an exceptional cadre of remarkably talented museum colleagues. It is my hope that together we have ensured a solid footing for the Art Institute to continue to grow stronger and more vibrant, financially stable and internationally renowned, with a future filled with more opportunities than challenges.”

Under Druick’s leadership, since 2011, the Art Institute has offered more than 100 internationally recognized and innovative exhibitions that have inspired and educated millions of visitors who count on the museum to encourage the individual experience of exceptional works of art. During Druick’s tenure, the museum achieved-and continues to record-the highest attendance numbers in its history. He managed the largest gift of art to the Art Institute since its founding, in the generous and extraordinary collection of Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, affirming the museum’s legacy as an international leader in contemporary art and realizing the promise of the Modern Wing.

Druick’s commitment to bring the museum fully into the digital age-overseeing a comprehensive plan to install wireless internet in the galleries and public spaces, launching a pioneering Online Scholarly Catalogue Initiative, and recalibrating the museum’s culture to prioritize visitor access and engagement-has ensured the Art Institute’s continued preeminence as one of the world’s most exceptional museums.

Druick noted, “The next chapter in the life and legacy of the Art Institute hinges on an all-important five to seven year endeavor to realize the museum’s long range plan that I believe requires uninterrupted leadership. I will retire with confidence, knowing that the foundation for the museum’s future is firmly in place and that we will energetically pursue our ambitious vision. For decades, the Art Institute’s life has been my own, but I need now to draw a distinction between my professional and personal life. I am doing so to realize long held plans with my partner and frequent collaborator Peter Zegers to actively pursue new directions and experiences together, here and abroad.”

Douglas Druick, 70, received a B.A. in English and Philosophy from McGill University in Montreal in 1966, and an M.A. in English from the University of Toronto in 1967. In 1972, he received his M.Phil. in the History of Art from Yale University, followed by his Ph.D., also from Yale, in 1979. From 1973 to 1984, Druick was the Curator of European and American Prints at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.

He first came to the Art Institute in 1985 as the Chair and Prince Trust Curator of Prints and Drawings. Four years later, in 1989, he also became the Searle Curator of European Painting at the Art Institute. In 2006, while remaining the Chair of the Department of Prints and Drawings, he was named the Chair of the Department of Medieval to Modern European Painting and Sculpture, deftly stewarding the Art Institute’s renowned Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and Modern collections.

As chair of two of the museum’s largest departments Druick oversaw the acquisition of thousands of notable prints and drawings of all schools and many important European paintings, both building on the collections’ strengths and expanding the geographical representation of nineteenth- and twentieth-century art.

During his tenure at the Art Institute, Druick conceived and organized or contributed to some of the most significant exhibitions in the museum’s history. These exhibitions include Odilon Redon: Prince of Dreams, 1840–1916 (1994); Gustave Caillebotte: Urban Impressionist (1994) with Gloria Groom; Van Gogh and Gauguin: The Studio of the South (2001) with Peter Zegers; Cézanne to Picasso: Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde (2006) with Gloria Groom; and, in contemporary art, Jasper Johns: Gray (2007) with James Rondeau-named ‘Best Monographic Museum Show Nationally’ by the American section of the International Art Critics Association.

Druick has published and lectured extensively, with 15 exhibition catalogues to his credit, numerous essays and articles, and talks and lectures from Vienna to London and from Amsterdam to San Francisco.

He has been awarded many professional honors and has served on various advisory councils and boards, including as the Chairman of the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Advisory Panel, National Endowment for the Arts (2002–2004); a Founding Board Member of the Association of Art Museum Curators (2002–2008); and the National Committee for the History of Art (2003–2009). The Government of France named him an ‘Officier des Arts et Lettres’ in 2012, and he was elected as a Fellow to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2013.

Douglas Druick will remain fully engaged in his duties as President and Eloise W. Martin Director until his successor has been appointed and installed. The Board of Trustees of the Art Institute of Chicago deeply respects and has enormous gratitude for Druick’s service and his stewardship of the museum, and will begin the important work to formulate an approach to his succession.