Denver Art Museum

CONTENTS

Introduction

8

Architecture and Design

13

Asian Art

43

European and American Art before 1900

71

The Mayer Center for Ancient and Latin American Art

115

Modern and Contemporary Art

163

Native Arts Indigenous Arts of North America African and Oceanic Art

201

Petrie Institute of Western American Art

235

Photography

267

Textile Art and Fashion

295

Publications on the Collection

320

Contributors

323

Index

325

Credits

332

CONTENTS

Introduction

8

Architecture and Design

13

Asian Art

43

European and American Art before 1900

71

The Mayer Center for Ancient and Latin American Art

115

Modern and Contemporary Art

163

Native Arts Indigenous Arts of North America African and Oceanic Art

201

Petrie Institute of Western American Art

235

Photography

267

Textile Art and Fashion

295

Publications on the Collection

320

Contributors

323

Index

325

Credits

332

I NTRODUCTION

When the Denver Art Museum was founded at the end of the nineteenth

the United States. He determined that the collection, in some cases, was

century, its location might have been viewed as a disadvantage—how could

too narrow in scope and, in other cases, held many redundant objects. He

a new museum in the Mountain West ever attain a world-class designation?

established collecting goals for South Asian, African, and Pacific art, and

Intrepid patrons, directors, and curators began to shape a distinct collection,

expanded the European and American art collections beyond the nineteenth

grounded in a sense of place and looking toward objects that were under-

century. He also began collecting the art of South and Central America under

represented in more established collections. Rather than pursuing paintings

the purview of the Native Arts department. In 1955, he formed a department

and sculpture by old masters, these early collectors sought to acquire arts of

dedicated to art of Denver’s own region—Western American art. It was not

Indigenous peoples and contemporary works by Europeans and Americans.

until 1961 that the museum was able to add a line item for art acquisitions to

For more than a century, museum staff and benefactors have built on the

its annual budget.

strength of these early collecting areas and expanded the museum’s holdings into a global collection. Today, the collection of the Denver Art Museum

was now housed in a dedicated space, with curatorial departments separated

is seventy thousand objects strong. The works represent almost every conti-

by floor. The opening of the building spurred generous gifts across virtually

nent and stretch through time, dating from 4000 bce to the present.

all departments. By 2000, growing collections and attendance inspired the

The museum traces its beginnings to 1893, when a small group of professional artists in Denver founded the Artists’ Club. In 1917, that club became the Denver Art Association, which became the Denver Art Museum in 1923,

museum to embark on another major building project. The Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind, opened in 2006.

This publication marks the fiftieth anniversary of the building Ponti

when the organization officially added maintenance of an art collection to

designed, now known as the Lanny and Sharon Martin Building, and its

its mission. The Artists’ Club had been collecting contemporary paintings

opening after a three-year closure for renovation. The building is still home

since 1909; by 1924, the collection consisted of eighteen paintings. That

to the majority of the permanent collection galleries, organized by floor as

soon changed.

originally conceived in the 1960s. Today, for the first time, every curatorial

Director Cyril Kay-Scott refined the museum’s collecting goals, and

department has purpose-built, dedicated space for display and interpreta-

by the early 1930s the collection numbered ten thousand objects, largely

tion. A new gallery constructed on what was the rooftop of the Ponti

amassed through generous gifts. In 1932, the museum opened galleries in

building houses the Western American art collection. This gallery frames

the new City and County Building, displaying a range of artworks that reveal

views of the city and mountains and includes a new outdoor space that was

the beginnings of its current holdings: Renaissance and contemporary paint-

not previously accessible to visitors. A double-height gallery was divided

ings; sculpture and works on paper; Japanese and Chinese ceramics, bronzes,

vertically, carving out a permanent home for Architecture and Design on the

prints, and paintings; period furniture; American colonial textiles, china, and

second floor. In all, the renovation added more than eleven thousand square

furniture; and Southwestern folk art. The museum’s first permanent home,

feet of display space. A former exhibition gallery on the first floor—in use for

a downtown mansion called Chappell House, displayed the quickly growing

a decade for staging and storage—is now a gallery dedicated to exhibitions

collection of Indigenous arts.

developed from the museum’s permanent holdings.

Otto Bach became the museum director in 1944 and evaluated the collection based on the standards of older, more established museums in

In addition to new space for display, the museum has strengthened its commitment to maintaining its vast collections by expanding its art storage

INTRODUCTION

DENVER ART MUSEUM 8

A new building designed by Gio Ponti opened in 1971. The collection

9

I NTRODUCTION

When the Denver Art Museum was founded at the end of the nineteenth

the United States. He determined that the collection, in some cases, was

century, its location might have been viewed as a disadvantage—how could

too narrow in scope and, in other cases, held many redundant objects. He

a new museum in the Mountain West ever attain a world-class designation?

established collecting goals for South Asian, African, and Pacific art, and

Intrepid patrons, directors, and curators began to shape a distinct collection,

expanded the European and American art collections beyond the nineteenth

grounded in a sense of place and looking toward objects that were under-

century. He also began collecting the art of South and Central America under

represented in more established collections. Rather than pursuing paintings

the purview of the Native Arts department. In 1955, he formed a department

and sculpture by old masters, these early collectors sought to acquire arts of

dedicated to art of Denver’s own region—Western American art. It was not

Indigenous peoples and contemporary works by Europeans and Americans.

until 1961 that the museum was able to add a line item for art acquisitions to

For more than a century, museum staff and benefactors have built on the

its annual budget.

strength of these early collecting areas and expanded the museum’s holdings into a global collection. Today, the collection of the Denver Art Museum

was now housed in a dedicated space, with curatorial departments separated

is seventy thousand objects strong. The works represent almost every conti-

by floor. The opening of the building spurred generous gifts across virtually

nent and stretch through time, dating from 4000 bce to the present.

all departments. By 2000, growing collections and attendance inspired the

The museum traces its beginnings to 1893, when a small group of professional artists in Denver founded the Artists’ Club. In 1917, that club became the Denver Art Association, which became the Denver Art Museum in 1923,

museum to embark on another major building project. The Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind, opened in 2006.

This publication marks the fiftieth anniversary of the building Ponti

when the organization officially added maintenance of an art collection to

designed, now known as the Lanny and Sharon Martin Building, and its

its mission. The Artists’ Club had been collecting contemporary paintings

opening after a three-year closure for renovation. The building is still home

since 1909; by 1924, the collection consisted of eighteen paintings. That

to the majority of the permanent collection galleries, organized by floor as

soon changed.

originally conceived in the 1960s. Today, for the first time, every curatorial

Director Cyril Kay-Scott refined the museum’s collecting goals, and

department has purpose-built, dedicated space for display and interpreta-

by the early 1930s the collection numbered ten thousand objects, largely

tion. A new gallery constructed on what was the rooftop of the Ponti

amassed through generous gifts. In 1932, the museum opened galleries in

building houses the Western American art collection. This gallery frames

the new City and County Building, displaying a range of artworks that reveal

views of the city and mountains and includes a new outdoor space that was

the beginnings of its current holdings: Renaissance and contemporary paint-

not previously accessible to visitors. A double-height gallery was divided

ings; sculpture and works on paper; Japanese and Chinese ceramics, bronzes,

vertically, carving out a permanent home for Architecture and Design on the

prints, and paintings; period furniture; American colonial textiles, china, and

second floor. In all, the renovation added more than eleven thousand square

furniture; and Southwestern folk art. The museum’s first permanent home,

feet of display space. A former exhibition gallery on the first floor—in use for

a downtown mansion called Chappell House, displayed the quickly growing

a decade for staging and storage—is now a gallery dedicated to exhibitions

collection of Indigenous arts.

developed from the museum’s permanent holdings.

Otto Bach became the museum director in 1944 and evaluated the collection based on the standards of older, more established museums in

In addition to new space for display, the museum has strengthened its commitment to maintaining its vast collections by expanding its art storage

INTRODUCTION

DENVER ART MUSEUM 8

A new building designed by Gio Ponti opened in 1971. The collection

9

Desk (Bureau Mazarin) France About 1700 Pine and oak veneered with tortoiseshell, brass, ebony, and walnut marquetry; pewter and gilt bronze 31 7/8 × 51 1/8 × 291/2 in. (81 × 129.9 × 74.9 cm) Funds provided by the Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust, 2005.10

While the Architecture and Design collection is particularly strong in objects from the mid-twentieth century to the present, it also contains important examples of earlier European and American decorative arts. The bureau Mazarin is a form of French desk featuring drawers on either side of a kneehole opening. In the nineteenth century, connoisseurs named the design after Cardinal Jules Mazarin (1602–1661), an influential advisor to King Louis XIV, although the form did not come into fashion until after his death, in the 1670s. Lavish case pieces such as this displayed the skill of French cabinetmakers and reflected the splendor of the court.

With the exception of the back, the desk’s surfaces are finished with a thin layer of brass and red-stained tortoiseshell. This marquetry technique became popular among French aristocrats during the late 1600s and was later named after master artisan André Charles Boulle (1642–1732), who perfected its use.

DA

DENVER ART MUSEUM 14

Desk (Bureau Mazarin) France About 1700 Pine and oak veneered with tortoiseshell, brass, ebony, and walnut marquetry; pewter and gilt bronze 31 7/8 × 51 1/8 × 291/2 in. (81 × 129.9 × 74.9 cm) Funds provided by the Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust, 2005.10

While the Architecture and Design collection is particularly strong in objects from the mid-twentieth century to the present, it also contains important examples of earlier European and American decorative arts. The bureau Mazarin is a form of French desk featuring drawers on either side of a kneehole opening. In the nineteenth century, connoisseurs named the design after Cardinal Jules Mazarin (1602–1661), an influential advisor to King Louis XIV, although the form did not come into fashion until after his death, in the 1670s. Lavish case pieces such as this displayed the skill of French cabinetmakers and reflected the splendor of the court.

With the exception of the back, the desk’s surfaces are finished with a thin layer of brass and red-stained tortoiseshell. This marquetry technique became popular among French aristocrats during the late 1600s and was later named after master artisan André Charles Boulle (1642–1732), who perfected its use.

DA

DENVER ART MUSEUM 14

Herter Brothers New York, 1864–1906

Renaissance Revival Cabinet About 1877 Rosewood, wood inlay, gilding, gilt bronze, and brass 85 × 841/2 × 231/4 in. (215.9 × 214.6 × 59.1 cm) Funds from Bruce and Nancy Benson, Estelle R. Wolf, DAM Yankees, the Junior League of Denver, and in memory of Walton W. Wilson, 1989.202

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

DENVER ART MUSEUM 16

Herter Brothers, established by German-born brothers Gustave and Christian Herter, furnished the elaborate mansions of American industrialists during the Gilded Age and became one of the most prestigious furniture makers and interior decorating firms in the United States by the 1870s. The company was at the forefront of the American Aesthetic movement, in which designers combined a variety of historical and foreign styles while maintaining a sense of elegance and visual harmony.

This three-part Renaissance Revival cabinet was purchased in the 1870s by John Shillito, the owner of Cincinnati’s foremost department store. For many of America’s wealthy entrepreneurs, whose fortunes were newly acquired, the Renaissance Revival style signaled affluence and authority. The style is characterized by an eclectic use of classical Greek and Roman motifs popular during the Italian Renaissance, including flowers, medallions, classical figures and statues, and architectural elements such as columns and pediments.

In its abundance of carving and incising, its intricate multicolored marquetry, and its touches of gilding, this imposing cabinet is typical of Herter Brothers’ work of the mid- to late 1870s. DA

17

Herter Brothers New York, 1864–1906

Renaissance Revival Cabinet About 1877 Rosewood, wood inlay, gilding, gilt bronze, and brass 85 × 841/2 × 231/4 in. (215.9 × 214.6 × 59.1 cm) Funds from Bruce and Nancy Benson, Estelle R. Wolf, DAM Yankees, the Junior League of Denver, and in memory of Walton W. Wilson, 1989.202

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

DENVER ART MUSEUM 16

Herter Brothers, established by German-born brothers Gustave and Christian Herter, furnished the elaborate mansions of American industrialists during the Gilded Age and became one of the most prestigious furniture makers and interior decorating firms in the United States by the 1870s. The company was at the forefront of the American Aesthetic movement, in which designers combined a variety of historical and foreign styles while maintaining a sense of elegance and visual harmony.

This three-part Renaissance Revival cabinet was purchased in the 1870s by John Shillito, the owner of Cincinnati’s foremost department store. For many of America’s wealthy entrepreneurs, whose fortunes were newly acquired, the Renaissance Revival style signaled affluence and authority. The style is characterized by an eclectic use of classical Greek and Roman motifs popular during the Italian Renaissance, including flowers, medallions, classical figures and statues, and architectural elements such as columns and pediments.

In its abundance of carving and incising, its intricate multicolored marquetry, and its touches of gilding, this imposing cabinet is typical of Herter Brothers’ work of the mid- to late 1870s. DA

17

Flatware

Don Wallance American, 1909–1990

Design 1 Flatware 1953

through these domestic tools. The American industrial designer Don Wallance undertook ergonomic studies to perfect the gently rounded handles of his Design flatware. Gio Ponti developed an angular Domus flatware that reflects his interest in diamond shapes, which he also utilized on the exterior of the Denver Art Museum’s Lanny and Sharon Martin Building. Tapio Wirkkala designed the restrained Composition flatware to complement his biomorphic tableware, which stands in contrast with Jean-Marie Patois’s whimsical, eye-catching Esotismo flatware. Takenobu Igarashi’s training as a graphic designer informed the geometric shapes of his TI-1 flatware, which inventively combines linear and circular elements including an unusually curved knife blade.

Finally, nendo’s Skeleton flatware, a recent addition to the collection, uses attenuated lines to playfully suggest the outlines of these familiar forms. JB

Funds from Design Council of the Denver Art Museum, 2016.214.1–5

Gio Ponti Italian, 1891–1979

Domus Flatware About 1956 Stainless steel Manufactured by Krupp Italiana, Milan, Italy Gift of Dung Ngo, 2014.121.1–5

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

DENVER ART MUSEUM 28

The Architecture and Design collection includes a growing selection of stainless steel flatware dating from the 1950s to the present.

Since World War II, stainless steel flatware has largely replaced traditional silver and silver-plated wares on middle-class tables in the United States. The availability of stainless steel flatware was precipitated by increased industrial capabilities following the war, and its desirability was ensured by the widespread promotion and ensuing popularity of modernist designs suited to fabrication in steel.

Furthermore, table settings became less formal as the traditional distinction between the kitchen and the dining room was replaced by the open-plan living space in postwar suburban homes.

Examples by American, Italian, Scandinavian, French, and Japanese architects and designers illustrate the international scope of this phenomenon and reveal the diversity of artistic language expressed

Stainless steel Manufactured by C. Hugo Pott, Solingen, Germany, for H.E. Lauffer, New York

29

Flatware

Don Wallance American, 1909–1990

Design 1 Flatware 1953

through these domestic tools. The American industrial designer Don Wallance undertook ergonomic studies to perfect the gently rounded handles of his Design flatware. Gio Ponti developed an angular Domus flatware that reflects his interest in diamond shapes, which he also utilized on the exterior of the Denver Art Museum’s Lanny and Sharon Martin Building. Tapio Wirkkala designed the restrained Composition flatware to complement his biomorphic tableware, which stands in contrast with Jean-Marie Patois’s whimsical, eye-catching Esotismo flatware. Takenobu Igarashi’s training as a graphic designer informed the geometric shapes of his TI-1 flatware, which inventively combines linear and circular elements including an unusually curved knife blade.

Finally, nendo’s Skeleton flatware, a recent addition to the collection, uses attenuated lines to playfully suggest the outlines of these familiar forms. JB

Funds from Design Council of the Denver Art Museum, 2016.214.1–5

Gio Ponti Italian, 1891–1979

Domus Flatware About 1956 Stainless steel Manufactured by Krupp Italiana, Milan, Italy Gift of Dung Ngo, 2014.121.1–5

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

DENVER ART MUSEUM 28

The Architecture and Design collection includes a growing selection of stainless steel flatware dating from the 1950s to the present.

Since World War II, stainless steel flatware has largely replaced traditional silver and silver-plated wares on middle-class tables in the United States. The availability of stainless steel flatware was precipitated by increased industrial capabilities following the war, and its desirability was ensured by the widespread promotion and ensuing popularity of modernist designs suited to fabrication in steel.

Furthermore, table settings became less formal as the traditional distinction between the kitchen and the dining room was replaced by the open-plan living space in postwar suburban homes.

Examples by American, Italian, Scandinavian, French, and Japanese architects and designers illustrate the international scope of this phenomenon and reveal the diversity of artistic language expressed

Stainless steel Manufactured by C. Hugo Pott, Solingen, Germany, for H.E. Lauffer, New York

29

Ancient Bronzes and Their Inscriptions Korea Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), 1800s Color and gold on silk 7 ft. 1 in. × 10 ft. 71/4 in. (2.2 × 3.2 m) Anonymous gift, 1973.73

ASIAN ART

DENVER ART MUSEUM 56

This eight-panel screen, painted with simplified images of forty ancient Chinese ritual bronzes and inscriptions, represents the prevailing taste and philosophy in Korea during the Joseon period. Founded in 1392, the Joseon dynasty established Neo-Confucianism as its governing doctrine. The strict practice of this philosophy, which had originated in China, inspired admiration for Chinese art and ancient rituals. Chinese ritual bronzes became symbols of an educated Neo-Confucian gentleman’s ability to collect and appreciate Chinese art.

Painted in gold and ink against a black background, the bronzes on this screen were probably copied from catalogs published in China.

Most of the objects represented are from the Shang and Zhou dynasties (about 1600–221 BCE); two lamps date from the Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE). Each object is labeled with a name and inscriptions. In China, beginning in the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), ritual bronzes were often used to evoke the ceremonial rites that Confucius had advocated during his lifetime (551–479 BCE). Because Chinese ritual bronzes were difficult to obtain, painted images served the same purpose for the Korean elite. TJ

57

Ancient Bronzes and Their Inscriptions Korea Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), 1800s Color and gold on silk 7 ft. 1 in. × 10 ft. 71/4 in. (2.2 × 3.2 m) Anonymous gift, 1973.73

ASIAN ART

DENVER ART MUSEUM 56

This eight-panel screen, painted with simplified images of forty ancient Chinese ritual bronzes and inscriptions, represents the prevailing taste and philosophy in Korea during the Joseon period. Founded in 1392, the Joseon dynasty established Neo-Confucianism as its governing doctrine. The strict practice of this philosophy, which had originated in China, inspired admiration for Chinese art and ancient rituals. Chinese ritual bronzes became symbols of an educated Neo-Confucian gentleman’s ability to collect and appreciate Chinese art.

Painted in gold and ink against a black background, the bronzes on this screen were probably copied from catalogs published in China.

Most of the objects represented are from the Shang and Zhou dynasties (about 1600–221 BCE); two lamps date from the Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE). Each object is labeled with a name and inscriptions. In China, beginning in the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), ritual bronzes were often used to evoke the ceremonial rites that Confucius had advocated during his lifetime (551–479 BCE). Because Chinese ritual bronzes were difficult to obtain, painted images served the same purpose for the Korean elite. TJ

57

Sukhu of Haugala Nepalese, active mid-1800s

Ten Inauspicious Sins 1849 Painted cloth 39 in. × 17 ft. 11/4 in. (99.1 × 5.2 cm) Gift of Joseph R. Pietri, 1986.160

ASIAN ART

DENVER ART MUSEUM 62

Artists in Nepal often conflated the Buddhist and Hindu imagery of the nation’s two largest neighbors, Tibet and India. This colorful work illustrates Buddhism’s Ten Inauspicious Sins, in which ten scenes from previous lives of the Buddha are used as lessons for proper living. Notably, it starts with an image of and a prayer to Ganesha, a popular Hindu deity known as the remover of obstacles, which suggests that Ganesha played a role in Buddhism in Nepal. Paintings of this type, known as bilampau (spread paintings), are arranged much like a comic strip. This particular example has a colophon describing it as a tvalampati (rolling scroll). TJ

63

Sukhu of Haugala Nepalese, active mid-1800s

Ten Inauspicious Sins 1849 Painted cloth 39 in. × 17 ft. 11/4 in. (99.1 × 5.2 cm) Gift of Joseph R. Pietri, 1986.160

ASIAN ART

DENVER ART MUSEUM 62

Artists in Nepal often conflated the Buddhist and Hindu imagery of the nation’s two largest neighbors, Tibet and India. This colorful work illustrates Buddhism’s Ten Inauspicious Sins, in which ten scenes from previous lives of the Buddha are used as lessons for proper living. Notably, it starts with an image of and a prayer to Ganesha, a popular Hindu deity known as the remover of obstacles, which suggests that Ganesha played a role in Buddhism in Nepal. Paintings of this type, known as bilampau (spread paintings), are arranged much like a comic strip. This particular example has a colophon describing it as a tvalampati (rolling scroll). TJ

63

Thomas Cole American, born in England, 1801–1848

Dream of Arcadia About 1838 Oil paint on canvas 38 1/8 × 62 3/4 in. (96.8 × 159.4 cm) Gift of Mrs. Lindsey Gentry, 1954.71

EU ROPEAN AN D AMER ICAN ART B EFOR E 1900

Thomas Cole studied in Philadelphia for two years and made his living as a portrait painter and engraver before turning to landscape painting. His move in 1826 to Catskill, on New York’s Hudson River, coincided with his growing reputation as the foremost painter of America’s pristine wilderness as well as with the growing belief among contemporary writers that such images possessed moral lessons. Not content with being, as he said, “a mere leaf painter,” Cole believed that landscape alone was insufficient as a subject of fine art. Instead, he strove to build upon prior examples of landscape paintings by other artists. In this instance, he followed the example of the French artist Claude Lorraine by setting up the composition with tall trees to the left, gradual shifts of terrain into the middle distance, and classical architecture and towering peaks to the right. Cole’s educated patrons expected and enjoyed such references. Moreover, they understood that his image of an American wilderness was meant to communicate moral values of the classical past of Arcadia, a secluded region of ancient Greece where people led simple, happy lives in harmony with nature. TJS

93

Thomas Cole American, born in England, 1801–1848

Dream of Arcadia About 1838 Oil paint on canvas 38 1/8 × 62 3/4 in. (96.8 × 159.4 cm) Gift of Mrs. Lindsey Gentry, 1954.71

EU ROPEAN AN D AMER ICAN ART B EFOR E 1900

Thomas Cole studied in Philadelphia for two years and made his living as a portrait painter and engraver before turning to landscape painting. His move in 1826 to Catskill, on New York’s Hudson River, coincided with his growing reputation as the foremost painter of America’s pristine wilderness as well as with the growing belief among contemporary writers that such images possessed moral lessons. Not content with being, as he said, “a mere leaf painter,” Cole believed that landscape alone was insufficient as a subject of fine art. Instead, he strove to build upon prior examples of landscape paintings by other artists. In this instance, he followed the example of the French artist Claude Lorraine by setting up the composition with tall trees to the left, gradual shifts of terrain into the middle distance, and classical architecture and towering peaks to the right. Cole’s educated patrons expected and enjoyed such references. Moreover, they understood that his image of an American wilderness was meant to communicate moral values of the classical past of Arcadia, a secluded region of ancient Greece where people led simple, happy lives in harmony with nature. TJS

93

Chimu artist

Tasseled Tunic Peru 900–1400 Cotton and camelid fiber 21 × 53 × 2 1/2 in. (53.5 × 134.6 × 6.4 cm) Neusteter Textile Collection at the Denver Art Museum: Gift in memory of Richard Levine, 2011.358

ART OF TH E ANC I ENT AMER ICAS

By 1200, the Kingdom of Chimor controlled nearly eight hundred miles of territory, including Peru’s north coast, the most fertile region in the Andes. Using sophisticated irrigation techniques, the Chimu oversaw an extensive regional economy that traded its agricultural bounty, plus key goods such as salt and cotton, in return for luxury items: spondylus shells, cochineal dye, and precious metals. Known for the monumental adobe architecture of their capital city Chan Chan, the Chimu amassed great wealth and converted large compounds into veritable museums.

Among Andean communities, a textile as extravagantly ornate as this one was considered an object of prestige. Its intricate structure consists of an openwork, knotted net made of thin cotton cords. The vertical cords also serve as warps on which brilliantly dyed camelid fiber (probably alpaca) yarns are woven.

Elaborate knotted tassels, attached separately to the surface, hide small embroidered medallions set in an alternating pattern. Only when movement causes the tassels to rise can the pattern be seen. In other words, this extraordinary garment captures the kinetic, sensory aspect of Andean adornment that we can never fully appreciate in a museum setting. VL

133

Chimu artist

Tasseled Tunic Peru 900–1400 Cotton and camelid fiber 21 × 53 × 2 1/2 in. (53.5 × 134.6 × 6.4 cm) Neusteter Textile Collection at the Denver Art Museum: Gift in memory of Richard Levine, 2011.358

ART OF TH E ANC I ENT AMER ICAS

By 1200, the Kingdom of Chimor controlled nearly eight hundred miles of territory, including Peru’s north coast, the most fertile region in the Andes. Using sophisticated irrigation techniques, the Chimu oversaw an extensive regional economy that traded its agricultural bounty, plus key goods such as salt and cotton, in return for luxury items: spondylus shells, cochineal dye, and precious metals. Known for the monumental adobe architecture of their capital city Chan Chan, the Chimu amassed great wealth and converted large compounds into veritable museums.

Among Andean communities, a textile as extravagantly ornate as this one was considered an object of prestige. Its intricate structure consists of an openwork, knotted net made of thin cotton cords. The vertical cords also serve as warps on which brilliantly dyed camelid fiber (probably alpaca) yarns are woven.

Elaborate knotted tassels, attached separately to the surface, hide small embroidered medallions set in an alternating pattern. Only when movement causes the tassels to rise can the pattern be seen. In other words, this extraordinary garment captures the kinetic, sensory aspect of Andean adornment that we can never fully appreciate in a museum setting. VL

133

Sui Jianguo Chinese, born 1956

Made in China 2005 Painted fiberglass 7 ft. 3 3/4 × 3 ft. 41/8 × 6 ft. 7/8 in. (2 × 1 × 1.9 m) Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum, 2011.357

DENVER ART MUSEUM

MODER N AN D CONTEMPORARY ART

Inspired by toys mass-produced in China in the early 1990s, Sui Jianguo began recreating small dinosaur figurines on a monumental scale.

Sui’s interest in questioning the significance of China’s manufacturing chain through art derives from his parents’ professions as factory workers and from working in factories himself as a young boy.

The massive scale of this sculpture plays with expectations and blurs the distinction between works of art and everyday objects.

The giant fiberglass dinosaur also comments on how China’s economic prominence coexists with an ancient culture that is itself grand and imposing. The words “Made in China,” which are featured prominently on the dinosaur’s chest, allude to China’s new identity as the factory of the world and, subversively, connote pride. At the same time, the words challenge notions of authenticity and draw attention to issues of social justice and poor working conditions in China’s industrial economy. LA

190

191

Sui Jianguo Chinese, born 1956

Made in China 2005 Painted fiberglass 7 ft. 3 3/4 × 3 ft. 41/8 × 6 ft. 7/8 in. (2 × 1 × 1.9 m) Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum, 2011.357

DENVER ART MUSEUM

MODER N AN D CONTEMPORARY ART

Inspired by toys mass-produced in China in the early 1990s, Sui Jianguo began recreating small dinosaur figurines on a monumental scale.

Sui’s interest in questioning the significance of China’s manufacturing chain through art derives from his parents’ professions as factory workers and from working in factories himself as a young boy.

The massive scale of this sculpture plays with expectations and blurs the distinction between works of art and everyday objects.

The giant fiberglass dinosaur also comments on how China’s economic prominence coexists with an ancient culture that is itself grand and imposing. The words “Made in China,” which are featured prominently on the dinosaur’s chest, allude to China’s new identity as the factory of the world and, subversively, connote pride. At the same time, the words challenge notions of authenticity and draw attention to issues of social justice and poor working conditions in China’s industrial economy. LA

190

191

The Denver Art Museum thanks the

Front cover: Birger Sandzén, A Mountain Symphony

Names: Denver Art Museum, author. Title: Denver

residents who support the Scientific and

(Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado),

Art Museum : collection highlights / Denver Art

1927, pp. 258–59; Frontispiece: Claude Monet,

Museum. Description: [Denver] : Denver Art Museum

Waterlilies or The Waterlily Pond (Nymphéas), 1904,

[New York] : in association with Scala Arts Publishers,

pp. 112–13; p. 4: Leslie Tillett and unknown Mexican

Inc., [2021] | Includes bibliographical references

embroiderers, Tapestry of the Conquest of Mexico,

and index. | Summary: “Published to celebrate

1965–77, pp. 136–37; p. 6: Zeng Fanzhi, Mask Series

the opening of the Denver Art Museum’s newly

Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

No. 10, 1998, pp. 186–87.

Published by Scala Arts Publishers, Inc. in asUnless noted below, all photography is © Denver

Founded in 1893, the Denver Art Museum is now

Art Museum; pp. 4, 136: © Estate of Leslie Tillet;

one of the largest art museums between Chicago

pp. 6, 186: © Zeng Fanzhi; p. 11: Photo by James

and the West Coast. Featuring around 70,000

Denver Art Museum

Florio; p. 24: © Valentina Gonzalez Wohlers; p. 23:

works, the collection represents cultures from the

Managing Editor: Kati Woock

© Ron Arad; pp. 12, 27: © Joris Laarman; p. 36: Eames

Americas, Africa and Asia to Europe and Oceania,

Rights and Reproductions Coordinator: Renée B.

Storage Unit (ESU), 400 series is designed by and

from the ancient past to the present day. Housed in

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