It’s just one shot, really. It might not even be in the final show. But creating that one shot took permission from the highest levels of The Huntington art division and several hours of direct supervision over the course of two days by a specialist from Rosa Lowinger and Associates, … Continue reading
Category Archives: Art
At the Top of the List
The Huntington lost a good friend and supporter recently when Carol Pearson passed away in her sleep on March 7, 2013. Carol first came to The Huntington in 1958 to work for the publications department. More than 50 years later, she was still seen frequently on campus, most recently volunteering … Continue reading
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
EXHIBITIONS | What Roger Medearis and the Italian Masters Had in Common
Paints are composed of pigments, normally mineral or plant based, and a binder, which is a sort of glue that holds the pigment together. Oil paints use an oil binder, such as linseed or walnut oil. By contrast, tempera uses eggs as a binder. Before the widespread adoption of oil-based … Continue reading
Sarah Siddons as Gore Vidal’s Muse
I feel as if I met Gore Vidal years before I actually did. In 2006 I saw him dining at Musso and Frank’s on Hollywood Blvd. with several young and attractive men. I was star struck. I walked over and hovered nearby. Sensing my interest, the waiters protectively moved forward … 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
Something to Celebrate
If the Independence Day holiday has put you in the spirit to celebrate all things American this week, be sure to stop by the Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art to see our newest acquisition. Robert Rauschenberg’s Global Loft (Spread) was installed today and will be on public display … Continue reading
From Gainsborough to Rauschenberg
When one thinks of The Huntington’s art collections, the works that often come to mind first are Gainsborough’s Blue Boy, Lawrence’s Pinkie, and the other Grand Manner portraits. And such was probably the case for major postwar American artist Robert Rauschenberg, whose Global Loft (Spread) from 1979 will begin gracing … Continue reading