Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Museum Mania Dr. Lori useums say a lot about their locale, the unique qualities of a collection, or the founders’ mission. In my travels, I visit many museums. They run the gamut from the fun to the funky. Here is sampling of museums, both on and off the beaten path, that recently captured my attention.
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vote for one of the top five best artists ever!). For 19th-century art, Degas’ work was, by far, represented with the greatest number of pieces, yet there were outstanding works of art by Courbet, Rodin (including his famous, life-size figural sculpture group called The Burghers of Calais), Gauguin, Renoir, and Cezanne on display too. If you find yourself in Southern California, take a short drive to Pasadena—pass the Rose Bowl—and visit this great museum in a small package. Memphis Music Museums (www.sunstudio.com and www.staxmuseum.com) In Memphis, Tenn., there are many museums that chronicle the city’s numerous contributions to American culture. The Sun Studio museum tour gives visitors the opportunity to experience the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll. Just a short walk from Beale Street, visitors can stand in the spot where Elvis sang; learn about the careers of B.B. King, Ike Turner, and Johnny Cash; and listen to vintage recordings. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music has a great collection and an equally great promotional tagline … “Nothing against the Louvre, but you can’t dance to DaVinci.” If that doesn’t make you consider a visit, I don’t know what will! The Stax Museum displays 2,000 artifacts and exhibits that feature the
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Musee Lalique (www.musee-lalique.com) There is a new museum devoted to jeweler and glassmaker Rene Lalique in the village of Wingen sur Moder, where his glass factory was built in 1919. The museum is a sight to behold, located north of Strasbourg, near the German border. Musee Lalique opened in June 2011 after receiving numerous gifts. For instance, the Lalique Company donated crystal pieces from its archives and Lalique’s chairman of the board donated perfume bottles from his own private collection. Rene Lalique was born in 1860 and opened his own shop in 1885. Jewelry was his first love and first commercial success. Exquisite jewelry pieces including enamel, gold and diamond pendants, and aquamarine and citrine brooches became Lalique’s trademark. In the Art Nouveau style of the late 19th century, Lalique pieces were characterized by a concentration of sinuous lines and organic forms based on nature. After success in the jewelry realm, Lalique moved to the making of art glass.
His objects— residents of perfume Southern bottles, vases, California chandeliers— as well as were all the the world of rage at the art Paris enthusiasts. International Located on Exhibition of 8 acres in 1925. Pasadena, At Rene Calif., in a Lalique’s California death in Modern1945, his son style Marc took building over the renovated Rodin’s Burghers of Calais from the collection of the Norton Simon. Wingen by architect factory and Frank changed it Gehry, the from producing glass to making crystal. Norton Simon is a place of wonder with Marc designed the crystal chandelier that 10 major galleries broken down by art now hangs in the Musee Lalique’s main historical period. When I visited the museum, there foyer and he also designed the medals for the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. were enough museum security guards on duty to fill a major museum, like The At the Musee Lalique, the tradition of Met or the Louvre. For such a small making great objects lives on. museum, I was taken by the sheer amount of masterpieces. The Norton Norton Simon Museum Simon is known for its impressive (www.nortonsimon.org) Like many intimate yet fine American masterpieces of Impressionism, museums, the story of the Norton Simon particularly paintings, works on paper, and sculpture after sculpture by Edgar is a story of an industrialist with a love Degas. for art. Yet, the Italian Renaissance was well In business, Norton Simon (1907represented by works by Botticelli, the 1993) enjoyed unprecedented success by Baroque was highlighted with paintings establishing corporations such as Max by Rembrandt and Rubens, and the 18th Factor, McCall’s publishing, Avis rental century shined with pieces by Elizabeth car, and Hunts Foods, among others. Vigee le Brun (the personal artist to He shared his private art collection, one of the best in the United States, with Marie Antoinette) and Chardin (he is my
March 2012
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