Curio Cabinet / Art Curio
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This goddess doesn’t take bull from anyone. The drinking vessel pictured above originates from modern-day Iran or Afghanistan, and depicts the Hindu goddess Durga. It’s made of silver with glass inlays and gold details, and it depicts a woman’s head on top of a water buffalo’s head. The woman has a gold mark on her forehead and the buffalo has horns that curve backward. In Hinduism, Durga was created by the principal gods of Hinduism to defeat the demon Mahishasura, who had taken the form of a buffalo. The goddess is typically depicted with up to 10 arms, and is often seen riding atop a white lion, or slaying the buffalo demon. Her portrayal here contains elements of both Greek and Persian art, as well as art from the Indus River Valley and Hindu Kush regions. What can’t be seen is the filling hole on her head, though the vessel’s drinking spout is visible on the buffalo’s mouth. It’s wine from the divine.
Woman and Water Buffalo Rhyton, 500-700, silver with mercury gilding and glass inlays, 7.5 in. (19.1 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1964.96, Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.This goddess doesn’t take bull from anyone. The drinking vessel pictured above originates from modern-day Iran or Afghanistan, and depicts the Hindu goddess Durga. It’s made of silver with glass inlays and gold details, and it depicts a woman’s head on top of a water buffalo’s head. The woman has a gold mark on her forehead and the buffalo has horns that curve backward. In Hinduism, Durga was created by the principal gods of Hinduism to defeat the demon Mahishasura, who had taken the form of a buffalo. The goddess is typically depicted with up to 10 arms, and is often seen riding atop a white lion, or slaying the buffalo demon. Her portrayal here contains elements of both Greek and Persian art, as well as art from the Indus River Valley and Hindu Kush regions. What can’t be seen is the filling hole on her head, though the vessel’s drinking spout is visible on the buffalo’s mouth. It’s wine from the divine.
Woman and Water Buffalo Rhyton, 500-700, silver with mercury gilding and glass inlays, 7.5 in. (19.1 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1964.96, Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation. -
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Even in ancient times, big cats were a big deal. The people of the Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire were enamored with exotic animals, but not in quite the same way that people are today. The piece above is a mosaic made of square tiles called tesserae. The image shows a female tiger with three cubs, one of which is laying on her back. Tigers rarely feature in Roman art, but when they do, it’s usually a female tiger. No one knows for sure why this is, but it might be because hunters trapped female tigers after stealing their cubs to lure them. Once captured, tigers and other exotic animals were placed in the Roman coliseum to be “hunted” for entertainment in events called “venationes.” But just because this brutal sport was popular doesn’t mean that it was universally accepted. Philosopher Cicero believed that the coliseum games appealed to the worst of human nature, and even some emperors like Marcus Aurelius had little interest in or even outright disdain for them. Nowadays, when you hear about a big cat getting destroyed in a stadium, it’s usually a football team!
Mosaic of Tigress and Cubs, 300s CE, Tesserae, 56.25 x 53.31 in. ( 142.9 x 135.4 cm.)
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Eastern Roman Empire, John L. Severance Fund 1987.65, Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.Even in ancient times, big cats were a big deal. The people of the Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire were enamored with exotic animals, but not in quite the same way that people are today. The piece above is a mosaic made of square tiles called tesserae. The image shows a female tiger with three cubs, one of which is laying on her back. Tigers rarely feature in Roman art, but when they do, it’s usually a female tiger. No one knows for sure why this is, but it might be because hunters trapped female tigers after stealing their cubs to lure them. Once captured, tigers and other exotic animals were placed in the Roman coliseum to be “hunted” for entertainment in events called “venationes.” But just because this brutal sport was popular doesn’t mean that it was universally accepted. Philosopher Cicero believed that the coliseum games appealed to the worst of human nature, and even some emperors like Marcus Aurelius had little interest in or even outright disdain for them. Nowadays, when you hear about a big cat getting destroyed in a stadium, it’s usually a football team!
Mosaic of Tigress and Cubs, 300s CE, Tesserae, 56.25 x 53.31 in. ( 142.9 x 135.4 cm.)
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Eastern Roman Empire, John L. Severance Fund 1987.65, Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation. -
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This leader certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders. The carving above portrays a Mayan ruler who has undergone artificial cranial deformation (ACD), also known as head binding. The carving appears on a large fragment of a conch shell. The white shell is engraved with the image of a seated Mayan man with an elongated head smoking a cigar while wearing an animal headpiece, possibly made from a rabbit or deer. ACD has been practiced among a variety of cultures around the world, and it was particularly popular throughout various indigenous cultures in the Americas. The process of reshaping the skull started when the subject was still an infant, and usually involved applying constant pressure with wooden boards or tightly wrapped cloth. The infants were usually restrained so they couldn’t move, and the process could last around six months. In ancient Mayan culture, elongated heads were considered a sign of nobility. Still, the long, involved process sounds like a bit of a headache.
Shell with Seated Noble, Maya, 600-900, Medium, 6.56 x 3.12 x 1.37 in. (16.6 x 7.9 x 3.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]This leader certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders. The carving above portrays a Mayan ruler who has undergone artificial cranial deformation (ACD), also known as head binding. The carving appears on a large fragment of a conch shell. The white shell is engraved with the image of a seated Mayan man with an elongated head smoking a cigar while wearing an animal headpiece, possibly made from a rabbit or deer. ACD has been practiced among a variety of cultures around the world, and it was particularly popular throughout various indigenous cultures in the Americas. The process of reshaping the skull started when the subject was still an infant, and usually involved applying constant pressure with wooden boards or tightly wrapped cloth. The infants were usually restrained so they couldn’t move, and the process could last around six months. In ancient Mayan culture, elongated heads were considered a sign of nobility. Still, the long, involved process sounds like a bit of a headache.
Shell with Seated Noble, Maya, 600-900, Medium, 6.56 x 3.12 x 1.37 in. (16.6 x 7.9 x 3.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
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That looks like an impressive haul for a day's work. Claude-Emile Schuffenecker created this scene out of black chalk, and despite its humble subject matter, it’s one of the defining pieces of the Synthetism movement. Seaweed Gatherers, Yport, shows women at a rocky beach carrying bundles of seaweed on their backs. The women are crouched forward as they walk on the sand with the sea in the background. Schuffenecker, along with Paul Gaugin, created Synthetism, a post-Impressionist style that moved away from relying on nature and the focus on the study of light. Instead, the artists relied more on memory and emphasized flat, two-dimensional shapes. Synthetism also heavily featured symbolism, and often had surreal, dream-like scenes. Despite his contributions to art, Schuffenecker's legacy was forever marred after his death, when it was discovered that he was involved in the sale of fake van Gogh paintings. It’s a revelation that certainly doesn’t paint him in a good light.
Seaweed Gatherers, Yport, Claude-Emile Schuffenecker (1851–1934), 1889, Black chalk, 11.5 x 8.93 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Claude-Emile Schuffenecker, Gift from Samuel and Paul Josefowitz in tribute to Jane Glaubinger and Heather Lemonedes, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]That looks like an impressive haul for a day's work. Claude-Emile Schuffenecker created this scene out of black chalk, and despite its humble subject matter, it’s one of the defining pieces of the Synthetism movement. Seaweed Gatherers, Yport, shows women at a rocky beach carrying bundles of seaweed on their backs. The women are crouched forward as they walk on the sand with the sea in the background. Schuffenecker, along with Paul Gaugin, created Synthetism, a post-Impressionist style that moved away from relying on nature and the focus on the study of light. Instead, the artists relied more on memory and emphasized flat, two-dimensional shapes. Synthetism also heavily featured symbolism, and often had surreal, dream-like scenes. Despite his contributions to art, Schuffenecker's legacy was forever marred after his death, when it was discovered that he was involved in the sale of fake van Gogh paintings. It’s a revelation that certainly doesn’t paint him in a good light.
Seaweed Gatherers, Yport, Claude-Emile Schuffenecker (1851–1934), 1889, Black chalk, 11.5 x 8.93 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Claude-Emile Schuffenecker, Gift from Samuel and Paul Josefowitz in tribute to Jane Glaubinger and Heather Lemonedes, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
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Is this pottery too kitschy, or is that just a matter of taste? Tin-glazed earthenware has been around for millennia, and allowed for colorful creations like this charming ceramic serving dish. Its lid is shaped and painted to look like a bundle of asparagus. One side of the piece is a yellowish off-white color that gradually turns into a dark green at the “head” of the asparagus. Elaborate pieces like this serving dish were produced at a factory in Sceaux, France, outside of Paris. The factory mainly produced a type of tin-glazed earthenware called faience, which uses tin oxide to create a white glaze, and porcelain starting in the mid-1700s up to the early 1800s. While most faience were more conventionally shaped with elaborate designs painted on, the factory also produced whimsical designs like this one, often used when entertaining guests. As for what might have been served in this particular piece of earthenware…why not some veggies?
Box in the Form of Asparagus, probably Sceaux Factory (active 1748–66), c. 1765, Tin-glazed earthenware (faience) with enamel decoration, 2.5 x 7 x 3.25 in. (6.4 x 17.8 x 8.3 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Sceaux Factory (active 1748–66), the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection 1966.229, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) public domain.]Is this pottery too kitschy, or is that just a matter of taste? Tin-glazed earthenware has been around for millennia, and allowed for colorful creations like this charming ceramic serving dish. Its lid is shaped and painted to look like a bundle of asparagus. One side of the piece is a yellowish off-white color that gradually turns into a dark green at the “head” of the asparagus. Elaborate pieces like this serving dish were produced at a factory in Sceaux, France, outside of Paris. The factory mainly produced a type of tin-glazed earthenware called faience, which uses tin oxide to create a white glaze, and porcelain starting in the mid-1700s up to the early 1800s. While most faience were more conventionally shaped with elaborate designs painted on, the factory also produced whimsical designs like this one, often used when entertaining guests. As for what might have been served in this particular piece of earthenware…why not some veggies?
Box in the Form of Asparagus, probably Sceaux Factory (active 1748–66), c. 1765, Tin-glazed earthenware (faience) with enamel decoration, 2.5 x 7 x 3.25 in. (6.4 x 17.8 x 8.3 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Sceaux Factory (active 1748–66), the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection 1966.229, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) public domain.] -
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If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this portrait might have been a confession letter. French Impressionist Edouard Manet often painted his colleagues, but his relationship with the subject of this painting was a little more complicated than usual. It’s a portrait of a woman with dark hair wearing a fur coat. She has her hands in a matching fur muff and her eyes are looking to one side. The subject’s name was Berthe Morisot, and she was a renowned Impressionist in her own right. Morisot and Manet became close after meeting each other in 1868 through a mutual friend, and ultimately, she would become a frequent model for him. Although Morisot married Manet’s younger brother Eugène, some art historians suspect that Morisot and the elder Manet brother may have shared a romantic connection on account of their close bond, their prolific correspondence, and her frequent role as his model. Much of their most intimate correspondence was destroyed by the authors themselves, so all that remains is speculation. It’s just like Impressionists to leave a muddled picture.
Berthe Morisot, Edouard Manet (1832–1883), c. 1869–73, Oil on fabric, 29.12 x 23.62 in. (74 x 60 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Edouard Manet, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. 1958.34, Public Domain CC0.]If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this portrait might have been a confession letter. French Impressionist Edouard Manet often painted his colleagues, but his relationship with the subject of this painting was a little more complicated than usual. It’s a portrait of a woman with dark hair wearing a fur coat. She has her hands in a matching fur muff and her eyes are looking to one side. The subject’s name was Berthe Morisot, and she was a renowned Impressionist in her own right. Morisot and Manet became close after meeting each other in 1868 through a mutual friend, and ultimately, she would become a frequent model for him. Although Morisot married Manet’s younger brother Eugène, some art historians suspect that Morisot and the elder Manet brother may have shared a romantic connection on account of their close bond, their prolific correspondence, and her frequent role as his model. Much of their most intimate correspondence was destroyed by the authors themselves, so all that remains is speculation. It’s just like Impressionists to leave a muddled picture.
Berthe Morisot, Edouard Manet (1832–1883), c. 1869–73, Oil on fabric, 29.12 x 23.62 in. (74 x 60 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Edouard Manet, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. 1958.34, Public Domain CC0.] -
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This is certainly one way to beat the heat. French-born British artist Edmund Dulac painted this scene of the Queen of Sheba staying cool as she rides on the back of a camel. The Queen of Sheba depicts the titular queen in an elaborate dress sitting on a camel litter. The camel is being led by its reins, and a city is visible in the distance. The Queen of Sheba is a figure who appears in a number of texts in Abrahamic religions, and though accounts differ somewhat, she is invariably described as being a woman of fantastical splendor who was adorned in the finest jewels. It’s only natural, then, that she would be portrayed by Dulac. A prolific book illustrator known for his dreamlike imagery, Dulac spent much of his career creating artwork to accompany the literature of everyone from Hans Christen Andersen to Edgar Allan Poe. His style is defined by meticulous detail and an otherworldly atmosphere that lends itself well to portraying scenes written by similarly imaginative authors. If this depiction isn’t classy enough for you, then you just might be the “Queen of Sheba” yourself.
The Queen of Sheba, Edmund Dulac (1882–1953), 1911, Pen and brown ink, watercolor, and gouache, with graphite and color wax crayon, on artist’s drawing board, 12.43 x 10 in. (31.6 x 25.4 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright:The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edmund Dulac, Bequest of James Parmelee 1940.738. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.]This is certainly one way to beat the heat. French-born British artist Edmund Dulac painted this scene of the Queen of Sheba staying cool as she rides on the back of a camel. The Queen of Sheba depicts the titular queen in an elaborate dress sitting on a camel litter. The camel is being led by its reins, and a city is visible in the distance. The Queen of Sheba is a figure who appears in a number of texts in Abrahamic religions, and though accounts differ somewhat, she is invariably described as being a woman of fantastical splendor who was adorned in the finest jewels. It’s only natural, then, that she would be portrayed by Dulac. A prolific book illustrator known for his dreamlike imagery, Dulac spent much of his career creating artwork to accompany the literature of everyone from Hans Christen Andersen to Edgar Allan Poe. His style is defined by meticulous detail and an otherworldly atmosphere that lends itself well to portraying scenes written by similarly imaginative authors. If this depiction isn’t classy enough for you, then you just might be the “Queen of Sheba” yourself.
The Queen of Sheba, Edmund Dulac (1882–1953), 1911, Pen and brown ink, watercolor, and gouache, with graphite and color wax crayon, on artist’s drawing board, 12.43 x 10 in. (31.6 x 25.4 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright:The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edmund Dulac, Bequest of James Parmelee 1940.738. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.] -
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If funerary rites are a reflection of a culture’s values, this is practically a kaleidoscope. Egypt was, at various times, ruled by Greeks, Romans, and the Byzantines, and each regime left a mark on the culture of the area. The piece above is a portrait of a young girl with gilded details. Her lips, crown, earrings, necklaces, and robe are painted with gold. The gold paint in this portrait isn’t just a way to represent the deceased’s accessories—it has symbolic meaning. Her golden lips symbolize her transformation into an akh, an effective entity and an aspect of the deceased’s soul that can visit the world of the living. The girl in the portrait was also mummified, as was customary in Egypt at the time, but her manner of dress and hairstyle suggest strong Hellenic influence. That’s not too surprising, since she lived and died less than a century after the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which consisted of the descendants of Ptolemy I Soter, a general of Alexander the Great. What a time to be alive. Or dead.
Funerary Portrait of a Young Girl, c. 25–37 CE, Encaustic on wood, 15.5 x 6.87 in. (39.4 x 17.4 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright:The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1971.137, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]If funerary rites are a reflection of a culture’s values, this is practically a kaleidoscope. Egypt was, at various times, ruled by Greeks, Romans, and the Byzantines, and each regime left a mark on the culture of the area. The piece above is a portrait of a young girl with gilded details. Her lips, crown, earrings, necklaces, and robe are painted with gold. The gold paint in this portrait isn’t just a way to represent the deceased’s accessories—it has symbolic meaning. Her golden lips symbolize her transformation into an akh, an effective entity and an aspect of the deceased’s soul that can visit the world of the living. The girl in the portrait was also mummified, as was customary in Egypt at the time, but her manner of dress and hairstyle suggest strong Hellenic influence. That’s not too surprising, since she lived and died less than a century after the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which consisted of the descendants of Ptolemy I Soter, a general of Alexander the Great. What a time to be alive. Or dead.
Funerary Portrait of a Young Girl, c. 25–37 CE, Encaustic on wood, 15.5 x 6.87 in. (39.4 x 17.4 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright:The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1971.137, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
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Sitting for a portrait by a master painter might seem like an honor anyone would relish, but the subject of this piece didn’t care for the finished product. Adeline Ravoux was the 13-year-old daughter of the innkeeper at the Auberge Ravoux, where Vincent van Gogh spent the last 70 days of his life. The piece above is a portrait of her, a young girl in a greenish-blue dress next to white flowers. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and she’s looking to the right. Van Gogh made several portraits of the innkeeper’s daughter, but Adeline herself didn’t like the paintings, believing they looked nothing like her. These portraits were among the dozens of paintings the artist made in his final days. After van Gogh shot himself in the chest in an apparent suicide attempt, Adeline witnessed the artist’s rapid decline as he succumbed to infection. The details of the last two days of van Gogh’s life were recorded by Adeline in a memoir she wrote decades later. Maybe the portraits would have been more to her liking if the artist had been in a better state.
Adeline Ravoux, Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), 1890, Oil on fabric, 19.75 x 19.87 in. (50.2 x 50.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Vincent Van Gogh, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. 1958.31. Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, Public Domain.]Sitting for a portrait by a master painter might seem like an honor anyone would relish, but the subject of this piece didn’t care for the finished product. Adeline Ravoux was the 13-year-old daughter of the innkeeper at the Auberge Ravoux, where Vincent van Gogh spent the last 70 days of his life. The piece above is a portrait of her, a young girl in a greenish-blue dress next to white flowers. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and she’s looking to the right. Van Gogh made several portraits of the innkeeper’s daughter, but Adeline herself didn’t like the paintings, believing they looked nothing like her. These portraits were among the dozens of paintings the artist made in his final days. After van Gogh shot himself in the chest in an apparent suicide attempt, Adeline witnessed the artist’s rapid decline as he succumbed to infection. The details of the last two days of van Gogh’s life were recorded by Adeline in a memoir she wrote decades later. Maybe the portraits would have been more to her liking if the artist had been in a better state.
Adeline Ravoux, Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), 1890, Oil on fabric, 19.75 x 19.87 in. (50.2 x 50.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Vincent Van Gogh, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. 1958.31. Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, Public Domain.] -
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Would you buy a painting of yourself looking at a painting by the painter who painted you? Honoré Daumier was a French painter and caricaturist who contributed to the rise of Impressionism. His piece above, Art Lovers, is a mostly black-and-white image of charcoal and watercolor with only small bits of color. A group of men are looking at various paintings on display, and the one at the very front is crouching down for a closer look. Daumier’s work could be anything from dark and satirical to pointed and melancholy. Whether in caricatures, paintings, or prints, Daumier excelled at producing vibrant human figures, depicting movement and emotion with striking silhouettes and sometimes grotesque details. Art Lovers is one of his more subdued works but still characteristic of his style. Apparently, Daumier liked to paint art collectors as they browsed his works, and these pieces were sold to the collectors themselves. It’s possible, then, that this piece was sold to the very person it depicts. Now that’s a hustle!
Art Lovers, Honoré Daumier (1808–1879), 1863, Gray and black wash, charcoal, and graphite, with watercolor, on cream laid paper, 10.31 x 7.62 in. (26.2 x 19.4 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Dudley P. Allen Fund 1927.208. Public domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.Would you buy a painting of yourself looking at a painting by the painter who painted you? Honoré Daumier was a French painter and caricaturist who contributed to the rise of Impressionism. His piece above, Art Lovers, is a mostly black-and-white image of charcoal and watercolor with only small bits of color. A group of men are looking at various paintings on display, and the one at the very front is crouching down for a closer look. Daumier’s work could be anything from dark and satirical to pointed and melancholy. Whether in caricatures, paintings, or prints, Daumier excelled at producing vibrant human figures, depicting movement and emotion with striking silhouettes and sometimes grotesque details. Art Lovers is one of his more subdued works but still characteristic of his style. Apparently, Daumier liked to paint art collectors as they browsed his works, and these pieces were sold to the collectors themselves. It’s possible, then, that this piece was sold to the very person it depicts. Now that’s a hustle!
Art Lovers, Honoré Daumier (1808–1879), 1863, Gray and black wash, charcoal, and graphite, with watercolor, on cream laid paper, 10.31 x 7.62 in. (26.2 x 19.4 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Dudley P. Allen Fund 1927.208. Public domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation. -
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This sure beats an ID card on a lanyard. During the Ming dynasty (14th to 17th century), Chinese officials were given elaborate, woven badges to show their rank. The piece above depicts a white bird flying over water, surrounded by vibrant flowers hanging from tree branches. The image is made of different colored threads in the overall shape of a square. Rank badges such as these were worn on the front and back of military robes. The image denoted a person’s rank through iconography, with birds representing civil officials and terrestrial animals representing military officials. The red circle on the upper left is the sun, which represents the emperor, and shows the official’s allegiance to him. More than a form of identification, these were also intricate works of textile art. This type of tapestry is called kesi, and dates back to the Tang dynasty (7th to 10th century). Kesi combined silk and metal threads to create detailed images, and some kesi even had different images on both sides. Now those are some sharp threads!
Rank Badge (buzi), 1736–95, Silk, satin weave; silk, gold metal thread, and peacock feather embroidery, 12.25 x 12.25 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright:The Cleveland Museum of Art. Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1948.70. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]This sure beats an ID card on a lanyard. During the Ming dynasty (14th to 17th century), Chinese officials were given elaborate, woven badges to show their rank. The piece above depicts a white bird flying over water, surrounded by vibrant flowers hanging from tree branches. The image is made of different colored threads in the overall shape of a square. Rank badges such as these were worn on the front and back of military robes. The image denoted a person’s rank through iconography, with birds representing civil officials and terrestrial animals representing military officials. The red circle on the upper left is the sun, which represents the emperor, and shows the official’s allegiance to him. More than a form of identification, these were also intricate works of textile art. This type of tapestry is called kesi, and dates back to the Tang dynasty (7th to 10th century). Kesi combined silk and metal threads to create detailed images, and some kesi even had different images on both sides. Now those are some sharp threads!
Rank Badge (buzi), 1736–95, Silk, satin weave; silk, gold metal thread, and peacock feather embroidery, 12.25 x 12.25 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright:The Cleveland Museum of Art. Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1948.70. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
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No need to beg for mercy from this deity; mercy is kind of their whole thing. Guanyin is a deity of Chinese mythology and Buddhism who helps people in the afterlife. The ancient sculpture above, Seated Guanyin, depicts the deity sitting with one leg raised and one arm resting atop it. The figure is wearing a crown and jewelry, and there are faint traces of red and gold paint. Guanyin was the Chinese name for the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. A bodhisattva is someone who is on their way to attaining Buddhahood, and they are often revered as deities in their own right. In the case of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva vowed to delay his own Buddhahood until every sentient being escaped Samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth. In China, Guanyin is mostly depicted in their female form, and English translations of her title refer to her as the Goddess of Mercy. When someone manages to leave Samsara and is on their way to the Pure Land, the eternal afterlife, Guanyin is said to send them on their way in the heart of a lotus. It seems a fitting way to get around in a blissful afterlife.
Seated Guanyin, late 1100s–1200s, Wood with polychromy and gilding, 54.31 in. (138 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1984.70, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]No need to beg for mercy from this deity; mercy is kind of their whole thing. Guanyin is a deity of Chinese mythology and Buddhism who helps people in the afterlife. The ancient sculpture above, Seated Guanyin, depicts the deity sitting with one leg raised and one arm resting atop it. The figure is wearing a crown and jewelry, and there are faint traces of red and gold paint. Guanyin was the Chinese name for the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. A bodhisattva is someone who is on their way to attaining Buddhahood, and they are often revered as deities in their own right. In the case of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva vowed to delay his own Buddhahood until every sentient being escaped Samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth. In China, Guanyin is mostly depicted in their female form, and English translations of her title refer to her as the Goddess of Mercy. When someone manages to leave Samsara and is on their way to the Pure Land, the eternal afterlife, Guanyin is said to send them on their way in the heart of a lotus. It seems a fitting way to get around in a blissful afterlife.
Seated Guanyin, late 1100s–1200s, Wood with polychromy and gilding, 54.31 in. (138 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1984.70, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
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It doesn’t hurt to look good on the battlefield—in fact, it helps. Maximilian armors were as stylish as they were practical, and became popular during the 16th century. The piece above, Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, is a woodcut print depicting a man sitting on a horse. Both are wearing intricately detailed armors, and the man’s helmet has peacock feathers on the top. Maximilian I ruled over the Holy Roman Empire between 1486–1519. He was known for greatly expanding the holdings of his family, the Habsburgs, through both military conquests and diplomacy. He had a particular inclination for the former, though, and is even credited with creating the Landsknechte, a highly-organized mercenary group that utilized the pike and shot formation. However, he might be remembered more for his association with Maximilian style armors, known for extensive fluting and intricate details that made them as much fashion statements as military equipment. The fluting was more than cosmetic, though—it made the plate armor more resilient against blows. Sadly for martial fashion mavens, such armor fell out of style by 1530, when artillery became more popular. That’s fashion for you.
Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, Hans Burgkmair (1473–1531), 1508, Woodcut on paper, 12.68 x 8.93 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1950.72. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]It doesn’t hurt to look good on the battlefield—in fact, it helps. Maximilian armors were as stylish as they were practical, and became popular during the 16th century. The piece above, Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, is a woodcut print depicting a man sitting on a horse. Both are wearing intricately detailed armors, and the man’s helmet has peacock feathers on the top. Maximilian I ruled over the Holy Roman Empire between 1486–1519. He was known for greatly expanding the holdings of his family, the Habsburgs, through both military conquests and diplomacy. He had a particular inclination for the former, though, and is even credited with creating the Landsknechte, a highly-organized mercenary group that utilized the pike and shot formation. However, he might be remembered more for his association with Maximilian style armors, known for extensive fluting and intricate details that made them as much fashion statements as military equipment. The fluting was more than cosmetic, though—it made the plate armor more resilient against blows. Sadly for martial fashion mavens, such armor fell out of style by 1530, when artillery became more popular. That’s fashion for you.
Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, Hans Burgkmair (1473–1531), 1508, Woodcut on paper, 12.68 x 8.93 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1950.72. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
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Seems he was making waves rather than going with the flow. American artist John La Farge painted this dramatic scene of a Daoist master after learning about he philosophy in Japan. A Rishi Stirring Up a Storm depicts a man dressed in blue robes standing by the sea. Blue-green waves can be seen crashing in the background under a dark, gray sky. La Farge visited Japan in 1886 and studied Daoism under Okakura Kakuzō, a Japanese writer and philosopher. Inspired by the philosophy and by Japanese woodblock prints, he created richly textured waves by layering transparent watercolor to create a sense of depth. While the painting is a tribute to his Daoist studies, he may not have been the best student. He apparently mistook “Rishi” to be a title that could be given to anyone, when it was really the Japanese pronunciation of Liezi (Master Lie), the honorific name of Daoist philosopher Lie Yukou. Maybe La Farge was too busy doodling during his lessons.
A Rishi Stirring Up a Storm, John La Farge (1835–1910), 1897, watercolor and gouache over graphite, 10.75 x 15.31 in. (27.3 x 38.9 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio.
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1939.267. Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, public domain.]Seems he was making waves rather than going with the flow. American artist John La Farge painted this dramatic scene of a Daoist master after learning about he philosophy in Japan. A Rishi Stirring Up a Storm depicts a man dressed in blue robes standing by the sea. Blue-green waves can be seen crashing in the background under a dark, gray sky. La Farge visited Japan in 1886 and studied Daoism under Okakura Kakuzō, a Japanese writer and philosopher. Inspired by the philosophy and by Japanese woodblock prints, he created richly textured waves by layering transparent watercolor to create a sense of depth. While the painting is a tribute to his Daoist studies, he may not have been the best student. He apparently mistook “Rishi” to be a title that could be given to anyone, when it was really the Japanese pronunciation of Liezi (Master Lie), the honorific name of Daoist philosopher Lie Yukou. Maybe La Farge was too busy doodling during his lessons.
A Rishi Stirring Up a Storm, John La Farge (1835–1910), 1897, watercolor and gouache over graphite, 10.75 x 15.31 in. (27.3 x 38.9 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio.
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1939.267. Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, public domain.] -
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Artists can paint history, but sometimes they live through it. French painter Joseph-Marie Vien was once the favored painter of the king, but not even the French Revolution could slow him down. His piece above, Sweet Melancholy, depicts a young woman in a gold dress seated on a chair draped with a blue robe. She is looking down at the floor with her head resting on her right hand. Vien was a neoclassical painter known for his meticulously detailed historical paintings (although he also painted biblical and mythological scenes). Sweet Melancholy was made to be as accurate as possible in depicting ancient furniture and garments. For his exemplary skills, Vien was made the director of the Académie Royale and made the Premier peintre du Roi, which translates to “First painter of the King.” However, he received the appointment in 1789, just in time for the beginning of the French Revolution. Vien would be the last to hold this title, as the post and the Académie Royale were both dissolved during the revolution. That’s one way to be both first and last.
Sweet Melancholy
1756, Joseph-Marie Vien (1716–1809), 1756, oil on canvas, 26.75 x 21.62 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1996.1. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]Artists can paint history, but sometimes they live through it. French painter Joseph-Marie Vien was once the favored painter of the king, but not even the French Revolution could slow him down. His piece above, Sweet Melancholy, depicts a young woman in a gold dress seated on a chair draped with a blue robe. She is looking down at the floor with her head resting on her right hand. Vien was a neoclassical painter known for his meticulously detailed historical paintings (although he also painted biblical and mythological scenes). Sweet Melancholy was made to be as accurate as possible in depicting ancient furniture and garments. For his exemplary skills, Vien was made the director of the Académie Royale and made the Premier peintre du Roi, which translates to “First painter of the King.” However, he received the appointment in 1789, just in time for the beginning of the French Revolution. Vien would be the last to hold this title, as the post and the Académie Royale were both dissolved during the revolution. That’s one way to be both first and last.
Sweet Melancholy
1756, Joseph-Marie Vien (1716–1809), 1756, oil on canvas, 26.75 x 21.62 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1996.1. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
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April showers bring May flowers, but we prefer to indulge a little early. Dutch painter Ambrosius Bosschaert helped popularize flower paintings during his career, sharing the beauty of precious petals year-round. His piece above, Flowers in a Glass, is an oil painting depicting a bouquet of flowers arranged in a vase against a black background. Around the base are a few loose flowers and several insects, including a snail and a dragonfly. The flowers’ stems are faintly visible through the glass vase. Bosschaert was born in 1573 and was likely trained in painting from an early age by his father. When he was still young, his family moved to Middelburg in the province of Zeeland, which was known for its botanical gardens. There, he joined Saint Luke’s Guild, a group of painters and other artists, and combined his passion for painting with the area’s botanical bounty. Flowers like the ones in this painting were extraordinarily expensive in Bosschaert’s time, since non-native species were difficult to transport. Thus, his paintings were highly valued for showcasing rarefied arrangements that most people wouldn’t get to see in real life. This bouquet buffet is a feast for the eyes.
Flowers in a Glass, Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573–1621), 1606, Oil on copper, 14 x 11.56 in. (35.6 x 29.3 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Carrie Moss Halle in memory of Salmon Portland Halle 1960.108. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.]April showers bring May flowers, but we prefer to indulge a little early. Dutch painter Ambrosius Bosschaert helped popularize flower paintings during his career, sharing the beauty of precious petals year-round. His piece above, Flowers in a Glass, is an oil painting depicting a bouquet of flowers arranged in a vase against a black background. Around the base are a few loose flowers and several insects, including a snail and a dragonfly. The flowers’ stems are faintly visible through the glass vase. Bosschaert was born in 1573 and was likely trained in painting from an early age by his father. When he was still young, his family moved to Middelburg in the province of Zeeland, which was known for its botanical gardens. There, he joined Saint Luke’s Guild, a group of painters and other artists, and combined his passion for painting with the area’s botanical bounty. Flowers like the ones in this painting were extraordinarily expensive in Bosschaert’s time, since non-native species were difficult to transport. Thus, his paintings were highly valued for showcasing rarefied arrangements that most people wouldn’t get to see in real life. This bouquet buffet is a feast for the eyes.
Flowers in a Glass, Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573–1621), 1606, Oil on copper, 14 x 11.56 in. (35.6 x 29.3 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Carrie Moss Halle in memory of Salmon Portland Halle 1960.108. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.] -
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What’s this? Your guess is good as anyone else’s! Very little is known about this ancient marble statuette, possibly depicting a woman looking upward. The piece is a white marble carving in a roughly human shape. It has a wide head, thin neck, and a body that starts with wide shoulders which taper down into a point, like an arrowhead. This statuette is from the Bronze Age, which lasted from between 3300 BCE and 1200 BCE. During this time, very few groups of people carved marble. Sometimes called the The Stargazer, the statuette was found in Western Anatolia near the city of Kırşehir in Turkey. However, it’s possible that the statuette was actually made further west in Greece, where the artisans in the Cyclades carved similarly shaped idols out of marble. Marble was prized early on by the Greeks for its ability to take on a fine polish. The Greek word for it even means “shiny.” Like most other works of marble, The Stargazer was likely painted with vibrant colors at one point, but has now faded to a plain white. She may look stone-faced without paint, but she’s still beautiful.
Statuette of a Woman: "The Stargazer", c. 3000 BCE, Marble, 6.75 x 2.56 x 2.5 in. (17.2 x 6.5 x 6.3 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund; John L. Severance Fund 1993.165. Public Domain CC0 1.0 Universal.]What’s this? Your guess is good as anyone else’s! Very little is known about this ancient marble statuette, possibly depicting a woman looking upward. The piece is a white marble carving in a roughly human shape. It has a wide head, thin neck, and a body that starts with wide shoulders which taper down into a point, like an arrowhead. This statuette is from the Bronze Age, which lasted from between 3300 BCE and 1200 BCE. During this time, very few groups of people carved marble. Sometimes called the The Stargazer, the statuette was found in Western Anatolia near the city of Kırşehir in Turkey. However, it’s possible that the statuette was actually made further west in Greece, where the artisans in the Cyclades carved similarly shaped idols out of marble. Marble was prized early on by the Greeks for its ability to take on a fine polish. The Greek word for it even means “shiny.” Like most other works of marble, The Stargazer was likely painted with vibrant colors at one point, but has now faded to a plain white. She may look stone-faced without paint, but she’s still beautiful.
Statuette of a Woman: "The Stargazer", c. 3000 BCE, Marble, 6.75 x 2.56 x 2.5 in. (17.2 x 6.5 x 6.3 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund; John L. Severance Fund 1993.165. Public Domain CC0 1.0 Universal.] -
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Ciao! Thought to have been founded this day in 451 C.E., the city of Venice, Italy, has been inspiring artists for centuries with its natural and man-made wonders. The piece above, Piazza San Marco, Venice, shows the eponymous city square sparsely populated with small groups of people. Ornately designed buildings stand under a gray-blue sky. Attributed to Italian landscape painter Bernardo Bellotto, the painting includes some of the most famous structures in Venice. To the left is St. Mark's Basilica, at the center is the St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) and filling up the right side of the canvas is the Procuratie Nuove. Venice was once an independent republic ruled by the Doge of Venice, whose palatial residence is visible off in the distance of the painting. While the Venetian Republic fell in 1797, the city’s illustrious architecture keeps its legacy as an artistic and cultural hub alive to this day. It surely takes a special artist to depict the City of Canals in such accurate detail.
Piazza San Marco, Venice, Bernardo Bellotto (1721–1780), 1740, Oil on canvas, 53.62 x 91.56 in. (136.2 x 232.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Bernardo Bellotto, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1962.169. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.]Ciao! Thought to have been founded this day in 451 C.E., the city of Venice, Italy, has been inspiring artists for centuries with its natural and man-made wonders. The piece above, Piazza San Marco, Venice, shows the eponymous city square sparsely populated with small groups of people. Ornately designed buildings stand under a gray-blue sky. Attributed to Italian landscape painter Bernardo Bellotto, the painting includes some of the most famous structures in Venice. To the left is St. Mark's Basilica, at the center is the St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) and filling up the right side of the canvas is the Procuratie Nuove. Venice was once an independent republic ruled by the Doge of Venice, whose palatial residence is visible off in the distance of the painting. While the Venetian Republic fell in 1797, the city’s illustrious architecture keeps its legacy as an artistic and cultural hub alive to this day. It surely takes a special artist to depict the City of Canals in such accurate detail.
Piazza San Marco, Venice, Bernardo Bellotto (1721–1780), 1740, Oil on canvas, 53.62 x 91.56 in. (136.2 x 232.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Bernardo Bellotto, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1962.169. Public Domain, CC0 1.0 Universal.] -
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Here’s hoping you had a great Saint Patrick’s Day. Of course, there’s more to Ireland than St. Patrick and shamrocks. Take the word “Limerick,” for example. It may bring to mind clever rhymes, but the Irish town of Limerick was once famous for its textiles. For much of the 1800s, Limerick lace was considered very luxurious indeed. The Limerick lace above has been fashioned into a “V” shape. It features floral designs around its edges and its net. Much of the empty space in the net is filled with dots. Lace manufacturing was introduced to Limerick in 1829 by an English businessman named Charles Walker. He hired lacemakers from Nottingham to teach local seamstresses and other women how to make lace using a hybrid technique of sewing elaborate designs onto machine-made nets. For decades, Limerick lace was prized for its intricate details, but the industry fell into decline around the latter half of the century due to competition from manufacturers back in Nottingham. Since then, there have been several revivals in interest in Limerick lace, and there are still some smaller workshops that produce it to this day. After all, heritage matters more than net profit.
Machine Lace (Embroidered Net) Fichu, 19th century, Cotton embroidery in tambour stitch on white machine-made net, 29.5 x 50 in. (75 x 127 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Martha H. Jennings 1943.379. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.Here’s hoping you had a great Saint Patrick’s Day. Of course, there’s more to Ireland than St. Patrick and shamrocks. Take the word “Limerick,” for example. It may bring to mind clever rhymes, but the Irish town of Limerick was once famous for its textiles. For much of the 1800s, Limerick lace was considered very luxurious indeed. The Limerick lace above has been fashioned into a “V” shape. It features floral designs around its edges and its net. Much of the empty space in the net is filled with dots. Lace manufacturing was introduced to Limerick in 1829 by an English businessman named Charles Walker. He hired lacemakers from Nottingham to teach local seamstresses and other women how to make lace using a hybrid technique of sewing elaborate designs onto machine-made nets. For decades, Limerick lace was prized for its intricate details, but the industry fell into decline around the latter half of the century due to competition from manufacturers back in Nottingham. Since then, there have been several revivals in interest in Limerick lace, and there are still some smaller workshops that produce it to this day. After all, heritage matters more than net profit.
Machine Lace (Embroidered Net) Fichu, 19th century, Cotton embroidery in tambour stitch on white machine-made net, 29.5 x 50 in. (75 x 127 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Martha H. Jennings 1943.379. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation. -
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Well, at least he won’t wake up with any neck pain! French artist Odilon Redon created this scene featuring the character Orpheus from Greek mythology, a figure he portrayed multiple times throughout his career. Orpheus, is a pastel work featuring a human head with closed eyes resting by a lyre. In the background is a mountain beneath a purple sky. As the original Symbolist artist, Redon incorporated recurring themes and images throughout his body of work, with one of his favorites being a severed head. It’s no wonder, then, that he was so fixated by the story of Orpheus. Orpheus was a Greek hero whose head continued to sing after he was killed by a mob of women in Thrace. Redon was fascinated by the character’s story and seemed to be inspired by Orpheus’s dedication to his craft, which persisted even after death. Then again, there’s something to be said for a quiet, nonviolent retirement.
Orpheus, Odilon Redon (1840–1916), c. 1903–10, Pastel on brown paper, 27.06 x 22.37 in. (68.8 x 56.8 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain.]Well, at least he won’t wake up with any neck pain! French artist Odilon Redon created this scene featuring the character Orpheus from Greek mythology, a figure he portrayed multiple times throughout his career. Orpheus, is a pastel work featuring a human head with closed eyes resting by a lyre. In the background is a mountain beneath a purple sky. As the original Symbolist artist, Redon incorporated recurring themes and images throughout his body of work, with one of his favorites being a severed head. It’s no wonder, then, that he was so fixated by the story of Orpheus. Orpheus was a Greek hero whose head continued to sing after he was killed by a mob of women in Thrace. Redon was fascinated by the character’s story and seemed to be inspired by Orpheus’s dedication to his craft, which persisted even after death. Then again, there’s something to be said for a quiet, nonviolent retirement.
Orpheus, Odilon Redon (1840–1916), c. 1903–10, Pastel on brown paper, 27.06 x 22.37 in. (68.8 x 56.8 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain.]