Observer

‘Cult’ following

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 20:49:00 +0000

Beginning in the 1860s, a small group of British designers and artists scandalized Victorian society by rejecting conventional ornament and crass materialism in favor of stylized creations that placed beauty above all else. Their radical notions eventually led to changes in decor and dress, and laid the foundation for the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements to follow.

This revolution is chronicled in The Cult of Beauty: The Victorian Avant-Garde, 1860–1900, a major exhibition opening February 18 and running through June 17 at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. This is the only U.S. venue for the show, which was organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and follows a stop at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

The exhibition includes more than 180 works of fine and applied art by such notables as William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, James McNeill Whistler, E.W. Godwin and Christopher Dresser. It charts the development of the British Aesthetic Movement from the artist’s studio to the middle-class drawing room, pausing to explore the domestic environments crafted by the Aesthetes; the impact of the progressive Grosvenor Gallery; the concurrent Dress Reform Movement; and the paintings, sculptures and book designs that resulted from this crusade.

More information about The Cult of Beauty: The Victorian Avant-Garde, 1860–1900 is available by calling (415) 750-3600 or visiting famsf.org. A catalog of the same name, edited by Dr. Lynn Federle Orr and Stephen Calloway, is also available at the museum store and online.

Wright Plus

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 20:46:00 +0000

Enjoy rare interior tours of nine private homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries at the 38th annual Wright Plus June 2 in Oak Park, Ill. This year’s houses include Wright’s Oscar B. Balch (above), William G. Fricke and William E. Martin residences, as well as three other landmark Wright structures. Tickets are $85–$100 and often sell out in advance; other tours and experiences are available for additional fees. For full details, call (877) 848-3559 or visit gowright.org.

Twin Cities Bungalow Club Home Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:45:00 +0000

Get inspired at the annual Twin Cities Bungalow Club Home Tour, taking place this May in Minneapolis–St. Paul. Tickets are $5 (free for members); call (612) 724-5816 or visit bungalowclub.org for further details.

Making History: Antiquaries in Britain

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 27 May 2012 21:04:00 +0000

Works by William Morris are among the more than 140 objects on display in Making History: Antiquaries in Britain, on view February 2 to May 27 at the Yale Center for British Art; phone (877) BRIT ART or visit britishart.yale.edu to learn more.

Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:39:00 +0000

Expect more than 100 top dealers in antiques and fine art at the Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair April 27–30 in Chicago. Admission is $15–$25, which includes access to the Artropolis and NEXT art fairs. Call (800) 677-MART or go to merchandisemartantiques.com for more information.

A Secret Book of Designs: The Burne-Jones Flower Book

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:03:00 +0000

More than three dozen circular images by pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones are featured in A Secret Book of Designs: The Burne-Jones Flower Book, on display through April 22 at the Delaware Art Museum. For more information, phone (302) 571-9590 or visit delart.org.

Secret Book of Designs: The Burne-Jones Flower Book

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:03:00 +0000

Society of Architectural Historians Annual Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:41:00 +0000

Expect more than 140 lectures, as well as architectural tours and social events, at the Society of Architectural Historians Annual Meeting April 18–22 at Detroit’s Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center. Call (312) 573-1365 or visit sah.org for details.

American Art Pottery Association’s 2012 Convention

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:41:00 +0000

Pottery enthusiasts should head to Ohio April 19–22 for the American Art Pottery Association’s 2012 Convention at the Holiday Inn Cleveland South/Independence Hotel in Independence. Attend seminars and an auction, then peruse wares from 50 of the nation’s premier pottery dealers at the AAPA show and sale Saturday and Sunday ($6). Call (609) 407-9997 or visit aapa.info for details.

Fine Furnishings & Fine Craft Show

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:38:00 +0000

See handcrafted furniture, accessories, fine art and crafts at the Fine Furnishings & Fine Craft Show April 13–15 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Admission is $10; phone (401) 816-0963 or visit finefurnishingsshow.com for more information.

Historic Seattle Building Renovation

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:39:00 +0000

Get expert advice on restoring, renovating or preserving a vintage house at the Historic Seattle Building Renovation Fair April 14 at Washington Hall. Admission is $5–$10 (free for students); call (206) 622-6952 or visit historicseattle.org for details.

Esthétique Moderne

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:54:00 +0000

Belgium’s storied history of silversmithing is celebrated in Esthétique Moderne, an exhibition highlighting Art Nouveau and Art Deco works from the late-19th and early-20th centuries, now through April 9 at the Sterckshof Silver Museum in Antwerp. For details, visit provant.be/vrije_tijd/cultuur/musea/zilvermuseum.

19th Century Modern

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:53:00 +0000

Modern design might have blossomed in the 20th century, but the embrace of industrial design and emergence of abstraction began much earlier, as demonstrated by 19th Century Modern, an exhibition of more than 40 works of decorative art on view through April 1 at the Brooklyn Museum;
call (718) 638-5000 or visit brooklynmuseum.org for details.

19th Century Modern - through April 1, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:14:00 +0000

Modern design might have blossomed in the 20th century, but the embrace of industrial design and emergence of abstraction began much earlier, as demonstrated by 19th Century Modern, an exhibition of more than 40 works of decorative art on view through April 1, 2012, at the Brooklyn Museum; call (718) 638-5000 or visit brooklynmuseum.org for details.

Arts and Crafts Tiles: From Cincinnati to Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:40:00 +0000

Historic Seattle presents two lectures on Arts and Crafts tiles in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts’ annual conference March 28–31. On March 27, Richard Mohr will
discuss Rookwood faience tiles and their migration from the Midwest to the Northwest in Arts and Crafts Tiles: From Cincinnati to Seattle. The following day, Joseph Taylor will explore the development of West Coast decorative tile manufacturing in Creating Beauty from the Earth: California Decorative Tiles, 1910–1930. Tickets to each lecture are $15–$20 ($5 for students); call (206) 622-6952 or visit historicseattle.org for details.

Arts & Crafts Moments: Simplicity in Design

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:53:00 +0000

Books, pottery, furniture and textiles culled from private collections are featured in Arts & Crafts Moments: Simplicity in Design, on display through March 30 at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site in Nashville, Ind. Call (812) 988-2785 or visit tcsteele.org for more information.

Arts & Crafts Moments: Simplicity in Design

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Nashville, TN - Now through March 30 2012: Indiana painter T.C. Steele and his wife, Selma, were avid proponents of the Arts and Crafts movement, and followed its principles in designing their own home—now a State Historic Site just west of Nashville, Ind. That’s also the setting for Arts & Crafts Moments: Simplicity in Design, an exhibition of Arts and Crafts artifacts derived from the Steeles’ home, the Indiana State Museum and a private collection. The exhibit is on view now through March 30, 2012; call (812) 988-2785 or visit indianamuseum.org/tc_steele for details.

Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:33:00 +0000

View handcrafted furnishings by approximately 70 seasoned artisans at the Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show March 23–25 at the 23rd Street Armory. Admission is $12; phone
(215) 387-8590 or visit philaifs.com for details.

International Art Jewelry: 1895–1925

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 20:52:00 +0000

Jewelry and related decorative arts objects representing the Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Jugendstil movements are featured in International Art Jewelry: 1895–1925, on display through March 17 at the Forbes Galleries in New York City. Phone (212) 206-5548 or visit forbesgalleries.com for details.

Denver’s Old House Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 20:33:00 +0000

Get tips on maintaining and improving your vintage dwelling at Denver’s Old House Fair March 10 at the Tivoli. Admission is $12–$15, and includes speakers, workshops, exhibits and tours of the historic venue. Learn more at (720) 472-9216 or denversoldhousesociety.org.

Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains & Paintings by Franz A. Bischoff

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:51:00 +0000

An illustrious California artist is celebrated in Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains & Paintings by Franz A. Bischoff, continuing through March 8 at the Irvine Museum; call (949) 476-0294 or visit irvinemuseum.org to learn more.

Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:51:00 +0000

The Delaware Art Museum remembers illustrator Howard Pyle with a major retrospective, Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered, now through March 4; phone (866) 232-3714 or visit delart.org for details.

Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered - November 12, 2011 – March 4, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Illustrator Howard Pyle (1853–1911) was nationally renowned for his contributions to popular magazines, conjuring images of knights, pirates and historical figures that would remain in the public imagination for generations to come. In honor of the centenary of his death, the Delaware Art Museum is mounting a major retrospective, Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered, November 12, 2011, to March 4, 2012. Phone (866) 232-3714 or visit delart.org for details.

Aesthetic Ambitions: Edward Lycett and Brooklyn’s Faience Manufacturing Company

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Aesthetic Ambitions: Edward Lycett and Brooklyn’s Faience Manufacturing Company continues through February 26 at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C.; phone (704) 337-2000 or go to mintmuseum.org for more information.

Aesthetic Ambitions: Edward Lycett and Brooklyn’s Faience Manufacturing Company - through February 26, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Style 1900) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Aesthetic Ambitions: Edward Lycett and Brooklyn’s Faience Manufacturing Company continues through February 26, 2012, at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C.; phone (704) 337-2000 or go to mintmuseum.org for more information.