The love affair between The Huntington and the paintings of Thomas Gainsborough is nearly 100 years old. Since Henry E. Huntington began collecting Gainsborough’s work in 1911, the institution has presented numerous exhibitions, publications, and special programs dedicated to various aspects of the 18th-century British master’s work. Soon, another tribute … Continue reading
Author Archives: Thea M. Page
Cheeke to Cheeke
A special treat for art aficionados is now on view in the Huntington Art Gallery. Just outside the Thornton Portrait Gallery (where hangs the famous Blue Boy) is a rare double portrait of The Cheeke Sisters: Essex, Countess of Manchester and Anne, Lady Rich, painted around 1640 by the great … Continue reading
EXHIBITIONS | The Installation Is the Art
In theory, putting on an art exhibition is a rather formulaic process. You develop a theme, select works, design a layout for the gallery, and then, in the final weeks before opening, the show is installed according to plan. Well, not always. For “Lesley Vance & Ricky Swallow,” on view … Continue reading
New Digs for Neptune
Everyone who visited The Huntington noticed him. Standing eight feet high, on a two-foot pedestal, the figure of the god of the sea, Neptune, loomed large over all who passed in front of the Library building. But few are aware that this imposing figure was once in the collection of … Continue reading
The New Renaissance and Baroque Galleries
Who knew The Huntington was so rich in works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods? If you’re in the mood for some splendor, along with a stunning reminder that The Huntington’s art collections go beyond huge 18th-century British portraits, all you have to do is enter the Huntington Art Gallery … Continue reading
EXHIBITIONS | Whistler’s Brother (In Law)
Google “Whistler’s Mother” and you’ll get 504,000 results. But even famous painters had a “before” period. For James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), it was when he was allowed to crash at the London home of his half sister and brother-in-law before his career took off. That’s when a rich and … Continue reading
“California’s First Major Artist”
Photograph collectors get a glint in their eyes when you mention Carleton Watkins (1829-1916). Named “California’s first major artist” by the Los Angeles Times’ Christopher Knight, the 19th-century American photographer had an extraordinary sense of composition, produced expert, richly toned prints, and captured the beauty of the American West’s natural … Continue reading
EXHIBITIONS | A Catalog to Covet Like an Ancient Chinese Mirror
At the opening events late last week for “Ancient Chinese Bronze Mirrors from the Lloyd Cotsen Collection,” a table was set in the corner of the room, covered with a black cloth. Opened on the table under a spotlight shone two sumptuous, richly illustrated and weighty volumes. Together they form … Continue reading
EXHIBITIONS | When the L.A. County Fair Was Totally Mod
It’s 1954. Where do you go to see the hottest interior design trends? The Los Angeles County Fair, of course. In the Fine Arts Building of the 1954 L.A. County Fair, Millard Sheets, director of exhibitions—and accomplished painter, influential chair of Scripps College’s art department, designer of dozens of bank … Continue reading
EXHIBITIONS | Using a Band Saw Like a Pencil
Peter Kirby, an L.A. producer specializing in art and culture, filmed woodworker Sam Maloof in his workshop and home in 1990. We’re posting excerpts from this footage to whet your appetite for the upcoming Huntington exhibition “The House That Sam Built: Sam Maloof and Art in the Pomona Valley, 1945–1985.” Continue reading