Natura Morta
Still-Life Painting and the Medici Collections
Exhibition on Tour 2006 - 2008
Flowers, Fruit and a Parrot
Bartolomeo Ligozzi
The Medici dynasty, which dominated the political and cultural life of Florence, Italy, from the fifteenth to the mid-eighteenth centuries is still acclaimed today for its artistic patronage and enlightened collectors. Among the vast Medici collections bequeathed to the city of Florence in perpetuity is an extensive collection of still-life paintings, known as natura morta in Italian. Today these paintings are distributed among the Medici villas and Florentine museums.
This exhibition of 43 works of art from the Medici collections offers a rare and unique opportunity to see exemplary works of art. These paintings beautifully illustrate the artistic concern with “abundance of nature,” a preoccupation which, in turn, has influenced the development of western art and culture. Curated by the respected Marco Chiarini and his colleague, Stefano Casciu of the Galleria Palatina of Florence, Italy, the exhibition project has been developed by Contemporanea Progetti, also of Florence, in association with the Trust for Museum Exhibitions of Washington, D.C.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
American Sculptor of the Gilded Age
Guest Curators: Henry J. Duffy, Curator, and John H. Dryfhout, Superintendent, Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
Exhibition on Tour 2006 - 2007
Sherman Monument, Head of Victory
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
The Trust for Museum Exhibitions is privileged to mount the extended tour representing the major projects of the classic American sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The exhibition, which includes full-sized works, reductions and casts of approximately 60 objects, provides an outstanding retrospective of the work of one of America’s greatest virtuoso sculptors. He received commissions for monumental figures from clients across the United States as well as from Europe. Even President Theodore Roosevelt asked Saint-Gaudens to design solid gold 10-dollar and 20-dollar pieces of great beauty and rarity. Touring exhibitions of sculpture such as this monumental collection are rare.
The estate known as “Aspet” was the artist’s first haven and studio. With an impressive collection of the artist’s sculpture, Aspect became, in 1962, a National Historic Landmark and part of the U.S. National Park Service. This exhibition is drawn from that unequaled collection of the artist’s work.
Exhibition on Tour 2006 - 2007
Trois Femmes Sur Fond BlancLe Corbusier
Fondation Le Corbusier
In the 1950s, Pablo Picasso asked Jean Lurçat why he wove his pictures in wool. Lurçat, the leading revivalist of tapestry among his contemporaries, replied easily, "One fiber of my wool is a thousand times more precious than a piece of your paper." That playful challenge inspired Picasso to transform some of his own compositions into monumental wall hangings.
Thanks largely to Jean Lurçat's vision and unflagging commitment to the art of weaving, a surprising number of modern
painters and sculptors were inspired to transfer a selection of their enduring masterpieces to tapestry. This unusual exhibition brings together the vibrant and joyful colors of Calder, Arp and both Delaunays, the bold figural architectonics of Léger and Le Corbusier, the cutouts of Matisse, and the cubism of Picasso. Woven works by Kandinsky, Vasarely, Braque, Dufy, Chagall and Ernst also add a diversity and verve to this exhibition that should delight and inspire visitors.
"Tapestry" refers to a weaving technique characterized by hand-woven textiles traditionally used for hangings, curtains and upholstery. In French, the term, "tapisser les murs", literally means to cover the walls with textiles. Unlike painting, creating art on a loom requires a very different conceptual approach, and an extraordinary amount of teamwork.
The Trust for Museum Exhibitions is pleased to present 20 grand tapestries from modern European and American collections. These major works of art offer a fresh perspective on 20th century modernism and its intriguing relationship to the time honored tradition of tapestries.
Fashion in Film
Period Costumes for the Screen
Exhibition Available 2007
From the film Dangerous Liaisons Dress worn by Swoosie Kurtz
Cosprop Exhibitions and Props
Titanic… Pride and Prejudice… Evita… Out of Africa… Gosford Park… Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom… Give life to these memorable films right in your museum! Show film stills alongside 35 original costumes made for these and other recent films, and many singled out for Academy Award and other nominations for costume design!
Created for beautiful films by award-winning directors and filmmakers, and elegantly worn by the likes of Madonna, Anjelica Huston, Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow, this exquisite selection of costumes comes from a stock of nearly 100,000 costumes and accessories made by the renowned British costumer, Cosprop. Founded in 1965, Cosprop specializes in creating costumes for film, television and theater pieces set in the period 1700 to 1960.
Having mostly been made for film adaptation of classical novels, the costumes in this exhibition closely follow original models in the cut and materials used. Their high quality and authenticity derive from the period-drama-in-films made in recent years under directors such as James Ivory, Jane Champion and Ang Lee. The 35 costumes selected for this exhibition stills and film posters.