May 14
Iconic Lion of the New York City Public Library (Photo: Daydream Tourist)
While I was in town, I stopped by the New York Public Library to do some research for the Friedrich Wahle Project. While I was able to cross out one lead, most of the books I needed were in storage or locked up in the prints department. I did at least get to wander around and enjoy the beautiful library interior which made the trip over to Bryant Park well worth it.
While in New York City this past weekend visiting friends, I happened across a lamp post advertisement featuring one of my favorite portraits ever, Femme au collier jaune (1946) by Pablo Picasso. (This image should be familiar to anyone who reads my blog!) Turns out this privately owned work is in New York as part of the exhibit, “Picasso and Françoise Gilot: Paris–Vallauris 1943–1953” at the Gagosian Gallery from May 2 – June 30, 2012. Having not previously heard about the exhibit, I stumbled upon the poster around the corner from the gallery; clearly this was fate!
Take a good look at the icon below (without reading its name).
Holy Virgin of the Three Hands (Museum of Russian Icons)
Apr 12
I came across and interesting article this week. “The Sphere”, a 25 foot tall bronze and steel sculpture by Fritz Koenig, was once part of the fountain in the plaza between the World Trade Center buildings in New York City. The work was meant to symbolize the advancement of peace through international trade. The sculpture miraculously survived the 9/11 attacks and was moved to Battery Park ten yeas ago as a memorial. Due to some upcoming improvements to the park, “The Sphere” will be removed and it is unclear where and when it will ultimately be placed.
Juno in her former home, a suburban Boston estate garden (Photo: MFA)
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is hosting an interesting conservation project. An impressive Trajanic or Hadrianic Period (early second century A.D.) statue of Juno was moved into the George D. and Margo Behrakis Gallery of ancient art this week. Given its massive size of 13ft and 13,000 lbs, conservator will be examining, cleaning and repairing the work in situ. Recently donated to the Museum of Fine Arts, the statue has spent the last 100 years in an estate garden just outside of Boston. The resulting wind, snow, freeze-thaw, biological and vandal damage has taken a toll on the piece. The Museum is raising money to support the conservation. You can learn more about this on-going project at the MFA’s website.
I’m particularly interested in the analysis of the head. It is clear that it was reattached at one or more times in the piece’s history; however, it also seems that the head and body are not the same marble and may have been united at a later time. Given that little historical information exists about the piece prior to the 17th century, curators and conservators will have to rely on scientific analysis to understand the past of this statue.
Juno's head was removed to protect it during transport (Photo: MFA, Boston)
Layers of plaster and glue illustrate past repairs to the neck of Juno. (Photo: MFA, Boston)
Close up of the iron pin holding the right arm in place. (Photo: MFA, Boston)
Daydream Tourist 