WHAT WILL YOU DISCOVER?
MEMBERS MAGAZINE
WINTER 2011
CONTENTS
TREASURES OF HEAVEN PAGE 4
10
THE RELIQUARY PANEL OF THE TRIUMPHANT CHRIST: A STUDY
Walters conservators and research scientists explore the mysteries of reliquaries.
11
TREASURES OF HEAVEN COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL UNIVERSITIES
The Walters works with MICA and JHU in a unique partnership related to Treasures of Heaven.
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PROGRAMS & EVENTS ART, FOR FREE, ON THE INTERNET OUTREACH UPCOMING EXHIBITION PROFILES IN GIVING ONGOING EXHIBITIONS MUSEUM NEWS MUSEUM STORE
Our Mission The Walters Art Museum brings art and people together for enjoyment, discovery and learning. We strive to create a place where people of every background can be touched by art. We are committed to exhibitions and programs that will strengthen and sustain our community. The Walters Art Museum is open Wednesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. above: St. Demetrios Phylactery / Byzantine (Thessalonike ?) / 12–13th century / The British Museum / M& LA 1926.4–9.1 / © Trustees of the British Museum cover: Bust of a Companion of St. Ursula / Gothic (Brussels) / ca. 1520–30 / The Metropolitan Museum of Art, bequest of Susan Vanderpool Clark, 1967 / 67.155.23 / Image copyright © The Metropolitian Museum of Art / Art Resource
board of trustees 2010–2011 Chair andrea b. laporte President peter l. bain Vice-President ellen n. bernard Vice-President thomas s. bozzuto Vice-President douglas w. hamilton, jr. Vice-President dr. hervey (peter) s. stockman, jr. Treasurer frank k. turner, jr. Secretary dr. gary k. vikan, director — julianne e. alderman calvin h. baker neal d. borden c. sylvia brown h. ward classen rosalee c. davison michael de havenon cynthia l. egan christine m. espenshade jonathan m. fishman bruce w. fleming guy e. flynn michael b. glick sanford m. gross the honorable c. yvonne holt-stone mary c. mangione stanley mazaroff bailey morris-eck jennifer murphy charles j. nabit marilyn a. pedersen william h. perkins lynn homeier rauch george k. reynolds, iii john r. rockwell edward l. rosenberg nancy r. sasser judy van dyke mary baily wieler — ex-officio members the honorable stephanie rawlings-blake the honorable bernard c. young the honorable martin j. o’malley the honorable kevin kamenetz the honorable ken ulman rosemary eck margaret z. ferguson constance j. fitzpatrick laura l. freedlander barbara guarnieri elizabeth koontz marco k. merrick tom noonan diana ulman — trustees emeriti dr. robert s. feinberg samuel k. himmelrich, sr. cynthia r. mead william l. paternotte adena w. testa jay m. wilson — international advisory board dr. james michael bradburne wendyce h. brody eddie c. brown dr. myrna bustani constance r. caplan philip d. english sam fogg laura l. freedlander leah gansler joel goldfrank bruce livie dr. james marrow angela moore dwight platt george roche paul ruddock the honorable paul sarbanes donald j. shepard george m. sherman john waters, jr. dr. daniel h. weiss benjamin b. zucker
The Walters Magazine, Vol. 64, No. 1 Published by the Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. Editor, mindy riesenberg Designer, tony venne Art Photography, susan tobin Please send membership questions to membership@thewalters.org Please send editorial comments to magazine@thewalters.org
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Members: On Tuesday evening, October 12, I attended the festive Inaugural Reception at the Onassis Cultural Center in New York for Heroes: Mortals and Myths in Ancient Greece, an exhibition conceived by the Walters and inaugurated in our own galleries 12 months earlier. Between Baltimore and New York, Heroes had been seen by more than 150,000 visitors at venues in Nashville, Tennessee and San Diego, California. Just two days later, on October 14, Walters Curator of Medieval Art, Martina Bagnoli, and Associate Director for Collections and Exhibitions, Nancy Zinn, represented the Walters in Cleveland for the Circles Preview of Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe. Under Martina’s leadership, the Walters co-organized the exhibition with the Cleveland Museum of Art and the British Museum, where it will be displayed next summer, after its stop in Baltimore from February 13 to May 15. An indication of the anticipated impact of this major international loan exhibition is the press run of its catalogue, at more than 12,000 copies. And there was yet a third Walters show to be seen across America in October. Emeritus Curator Bill Johnston represented the museum at the October 2nd opening of Turner to Monet: Masterpieces from the Walters Art Museum at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas—an exhibition seen by more than 50,000 visitors earlier in the year at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in Santa Barbara, California. Clearly, the Walters’ mission to bring “art and people together for enjoyment, discovery and learning” is being realized in many locations, from California to London. In fact, since we began circulating Walters exhibitions in earnest, a decade ago, our shows have been seen by nearly 3,000,000 visitors—before these three October openings. On one level this shows how we have managed to leverage the quality of our collections and our staff to reach audiences that, for the most part, will likely never see these works in their home institution. On another level, by partnering with larger institutions like the British Museum, we are able to secure loans of works (and share costs), which allows us to bring important exhibitions to Baltimore audiences that we otherwise could not afford. And finally, in doing this, we project the Walters’ message of excellence and access in the arts across the globe, and with it, a very positive message about our hometown, Baltimore. I look forward to celebrating the opening of Treasures of Heaven with you on February 12! Sincerely,
Gary Vikan, Director
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fig. 1 Reliquary Arm of St. Luke / Naples / before 1338 Musée du Louvre, Paris, Departement des Objets d’art / OA 10944 / Photo Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resources
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february 13 – may 15
TREASURES OF HEAVEN Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe
D
Martina Bagnoli, Robert and Nancy Hall Associate Curator, Head of Medieval Art Department
id you ever attend a public event and find yourself in a crowd so jampacked that you feared for your life? In the Middle Ages this situation was more common than you might think. Suger (c. 1081–1151), abbot of the church of St. Denis in Paris, France, wrote one of the most vivid commentaries on the perils one faced when visiting a church on feast days. In a blood-curdling account he explained “at times you could see, a marvel to behold, that the crowded multitude offered so much resistance to those who strove to flock in… that no one among the countless thousands of people because of their density could move a foot… women, squeezed in by the mass of strong men as winepress, exhibited bloodless faces as in imagined death; how they cried out horribly as though in labor, several of them, miserably trodden underfoot….” The people that thronged St. Denis were there not to drink and dance but rather to venerate and kiss the holy relics. Relics, the physical remains of saints and objects associated with them, played a central role in Christianity. They were believed to be a conduit channeling the power of the saints and providing a direct link between the faithful and God. Relics healed the sick and granted special requests. They allowed communion with God who could forgive sins and assure one’s place in heaven. A precious commodity (akin to oil today), relics granted power and riches to their possessors. People traveled
far to see them and fought wars to own them. Relics permeated almost every facet of medieval life. They were integrated into the altars of churches, used in swearing oaths, carried onto battlefields and coveted as talismans. They were the focus of pilgrimage, were exchanged as gifts and were collected by kings, emperors and popes. Relics were treated with reverence and were often enshrined in containers that used luxurious and precious materials to proclaim their importance. The exhibition Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe explores how art worked in the service of faith and how craftsmen enlisted a variety of materials and techniques to portray the presence of God. Powerful in their capacity to inspire religious devotion among believers, reliquaries became cutting-edge works of art that combined innovative techniques with beautiful design. Visitors to the exhibition will discover that reliquaries were the subject of some of the most imaginative artistic transformations of the Middle Ages. From simple boxes to elaborate portraits of the saints, reliquaries evolved over time to accommodate shifting devotional patterns and expectations of the sacred. A container shaped like an extended arm was used to collect several fragments of the apostles in 12th-century Germany (fig. 3); two centuries later in Italy, the same basic shape was used to distill the main characteristic of the apostle Luke,
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TREASURES OF HEAVEN: SAINTS, RELICS AND DEVOTION IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE
author of the Gospel. It was made in the form of his writing hand (fig. 1). Considering these two arms, the first stands as a visual manifestation of the Church empowered by the legacy of its founders, while the second portrays the human nature of the same institution by focusing on one individual.
ity in the late Roman world until the crisis of the church during the Reformation, the objects on view offer an ideal window into the Middle Ages as a period that used art to express deeply held beliefs, to connect human beings with the divine and to forge tangible connections between past and present.
The reliquaries on view will challenge notions about the Middle Ages as a period of darkness and poverty. Technical prowess and sumptuous material reveal this to have been a time that was anything but dark. The gleaming beauty of the objects on view is a testament to the idea that the bodies of the saints were resplendent with divine light. Reliquaries inspired faith by titillating the senses, their beauty being a key component of their appeal. One does not need to be a scholar of the arts or a devout Catholic to appreciate these works—looking is all it takes.
The exhibition is organized in partnership with the Cleveland Museum of Art and the British Museum, which like the Walters Art Museum, owns important collections of medieval art.
The objects in the exhibition come from a host of lending institutions across the United States and Europe. Some reliquaries have never been seen outside their home countries, such as the gleaming bust of St. Baudime (fig.2), which has never left France, and will be seen for the first time in the United States in this exhibition. Others come from a set once housed inside the private chapel of the pope in Rome, the Holy of Holies. Yet another, the Holy Face, reputed to be an impression on a linen towel of Christ’s own visage, is still part of the papal collection and is revered as a cult object. Spanning 1,000 years from the emergence of Christian6 × WWW.THEWALTERS.ORG
This project received important early support through planning grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. Magnanimous gifts from Paul Ruddock and an anonymous benefactor made the catalogue possible. We acknowledge with gratitude the support of Marilyn and George Pedersen and the Sheridan Foundation, which together with additional implementation funds from the Kress Foundation, a Museums for America grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and gifts from other generous individuals made the exhibition possible.
ADMISSION adults
$8
seniors
$6
students / young adults (18–25)
$4
17 and under
free
members
free
Tickets are available online at www.thewalters.org or at the box office. MEMBER TICKETING Walters members are entitled to unlimited tickets based upon membership level. # OF TICKETS PER DAY student
1
individual
2
dual and above
4
supporter and above
4
Members may upgrade their membership level to receive additional tickets. Members who exceed their amount of free tickets on a given day can purchase additional $4 guest tickets. Tickets can be obtained in person at the admissions desk. There will be no timed entry. QUESTIONS? Call (410) 547-9000, ext. 283, email us at membership@thewalters.org or visit www.thewalters.org.
fig. 2 Bust Reliquary of St. Baudime / Romanesque (French, Auvergne) / c. 1180–1200 / Mairie de Saint-Nectaire, France, MH 1897 / 0127 / Photo: Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz / Art Resource
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Reliquary with Madonna and Child with Saints / Gothic, Lippo Vanni (Italian, Siena) / c. 1350 / The Walters Art Museum / 37.750
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OPENING EVENTS
Annual Patron Event: Discover the Mystery Saturday, February 12, 6–8 p.m. Invitation only. Annual Giving Circles members at the Patron level ($1,000) and above are invited to uncover the mystery surrounding Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe. Enjoy an evening reception on the Sculpture Court, a preview of the new exhibition and stay on for the Members’ Opening Night Party.
Members’ Opening Night Party Saturday, February 12, 7:30–9:30 p.m. Free for Members. Reservations required. 2 people per Individual levels; 4 people per Dual levels and above. Join us for a night of medieval merriment! Be among the first to view the new exhibition, enjoy light fare, medieval music and remarks by Director Gary Vikan, Associate Curator of Medieval Art Martina Bagnoli and her team. Cash bar. Cocktail attire. rsvp by February 7 online at membership@thewalters.org, or call (410) 547-9000, ext. 283.
A WALTERS PILGRIMAGE
During your visit to see Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe, be sure to ask for a copy of The Walters Pilgrimage guide. This small booklet is your map leading you on a pilgrim’s route through the Walters’ collections. On your journey you will discover spectacular works of art chosen because they reveal sacred sites, revered objects and important personalities. Followers will encounter both familiar works and overlooked treasures as they wend their way through our many galleries. Each work of art on this pilgrimage route is accompanied by an identifying marker, and the guide provides fascinating information exploring the connections shared by pilgrims. The illustrated guide is yours to keep.
fig. 3 Arm Reliquary of the Apostles / Romanesque (German, Lower Saxon, Hildesheim?) / c. 1195 The Cleveland Museum of Art, gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust / 1930. 739
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EXHIBITION RELATED
The Reliquary Panel of the Triumphant Christ: A Study D
iscoveries providing new insights for scholars and the public often come to light during preparations for major exhibitions, and Treasures of Heaven is no exception. A major object in the show, The Reliquary Panel of the Triumphant Christ, is currently the focus of a study by our Curatorial and Conservation and Technical Research staff. This glittering medieval object was purchased by Henry Walters around 1900. Its focal point is a central silver plaque with a relief figure of Christ attached to a gable-shaped oak panel. The relief was created using the repoussé (pushed out from the back) technique and the silver was then gilded in selected areas. The decorative parts surrounding the figure are gilded copper, polished rock crystals and colorful champlevé enamel. One can see relics—fabric with threads wrapped in silver and parchment with red vermillion inscriptions—through eight translucent windows made from thin sheets of horn. The Walters’ reliquary panel is strikingly similar to another in the exhibition belonging to the British Museum. Both may have been original parts of a 12th-century shrine of St. Oda of Amay. The intent of the current study is to understand more about the history and composition of these reliquary panels and to determine whether they are indeed from the same reliquary shrine. In collaboration with scholars at the British Museum, a technical examination is focusing on how the reliquary panels are constructed. The various metal alloys and enamels used to decorate the reliquary panels are being analyzed to determine their composition. The results will be compared to find out if there is physical evidence that these two panels were originally part of the same shrine, and how the reliquary panels have been changed over time. A significant difference between the two panels is that the central silver plaques have very different degrees of relief— the British Museum plaque being much more highly raised. Also, the original edges of the Walters’ silver plaque do not conform to the shape of the framing arches, while the British Museum plaque edges appear to fit precisely. This fact and the style of the figure suggest that the Walters’ plaque is from an earlier reliquary and was incorporated into the shrine made for the British Museum piece. 10 × WWW.THEWALTERS.ORG
Reliquary Panel of the Triumphant Christ / Mosan Workshop / Panel: late 12th century; Frame: 13th century / The Walters Art Museum / 57.519
Enamel recipes have changed over the centuries, providing a basis for estimating the date of parts decorated with this material. A study of the composition of the enamels on the Walters’ panel has proven fruitful, indicating that these parts were likely made from recycled Roman glass mosaic tiles. This composition is typical of medieval enamels produced before 1200. Analyses of most of the metal parts are also consistent with a medieval date. We are sharing our findings with scientists at the British Museum, and as we compare our data we hope to shed more light on whether these two reliquary panels truly have a shared history. –Terry Drayman-Weisser, Director of Conservation and Technical Research, and Glenn Gates, Conservation Scientist
EXHIBITION RELATED
Treasures of Heaven collaborations with local universities D
Curator Martina Bagnoli discusses the layout for Treasures of Heaven with Johns Hopkins students.
uring the past fall semester, two of Baltimore’s most prestigious schools have been directly involved with the exhibition Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe. Relics and Reliquaries: Reconsidered is an exhibition created by students at the Maryland Institute College of Art (mica) in conjunction with the Walters’ special exhibition. The Department of Interdisciplinary Sculpture at mica has dedicated a course to the exploration of shrines and reliquaries. Throughout the semester, 12 students met with Walters Curatorial and Education staff to learn more about the historical tradition, while creating their own reliquaries and shrines in response to medieval Christian practice. The sculptures produced by mica artists will be presented in an exhibition on the third floor of the museum February 26–May 22, 2011. “It is wonderful to see how engaged these emerging Baltimore artists are creating works addressing the themes in the exhibition,” said Jann RosenQueralt, who teaches the mica sculpture class. “It is a testimony to ideas in art that are timeless and transcend boundaries of time and place.” Across town, another school is also involved in the Walters exhibition. During the past fall semester, students in the Museums in Society program of the Johns Hopkins University had the option of taking the class “Walking with Reliquaries.” The aim of the class was to research, write and produce the audio tour for the Treasures of Heaven exhibition. “Ideally, the audio tour will provide visitors with information about specific objects and also a glimpse into the world of medieval pilgrims by relying on eyewitness accounts of pilgrims’ experiences,” said Hayley Plack, one of the students in the course. “We hope that this approach will allow the public to experience the objects on display as they would have been perceived in their original context. In this way, the tour becomes itself a kind of pilgrimage through the exhibition.”
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PROGRAMS & EVENTS
MEMBERS EVENTS THE ART OF READING BOOK CLUB Members free / Non-Members $5 Members receive a 10% discount on books purchased in the museum store. Meet at 3 p.m. in the Walters’ Parlor, located at 5 W. Mt. Vernon Place. For more information or to register for the Book Club, please call Elissa Winer at (410) 547-9000, ext. 335. Sunday, February 20 The Miracles of Prato: A Novel by Laurie Albanese and Laura Morowitz Sunday, April 17 Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
MEMBERS MONTHLY CURATOR AND CONSERVATOURS Join a Walters’ expert for an intimate tour on a Wednesday afternoon. Meet in the first floor lobby at 2 p.m. Wednesday, February 9 Black Europeans in Renaissance Art Joaneath Spicer, Curator of Renaissance and Baroque Art Wednesday, March 9 Symbols of Power and the Power of Symbols in Chinese New Year
the Arts of East Asia Rob Mintz, Associate Curator of Asian Art Wednesday, April 6
CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR 2011 AND THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT Sunday, February 6
SPRING FORUM DISCUSSION: THE RELIGION OF RELICS, CHRISTIAN TO ISLAM
Henry Walters’ Collection of Islamic Art Amy Landau, Assistant Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books
12–3 p.m.
Sunday, March 6
Wednesday, May 4
Free
10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Treasures of Heaven
The Chinese New Year starts with a bang
Members: Free / Non-members: $25 (Non-
Martina Bagnoli, Associate Curator of
at the Walters with performances by
members: $8 per session / $25 for all 4 ses-
Medieval Art
the Johns Hopkins University Lion Dance
sions) pre-registration recommended
Troupe, the Baltimore Chinese School and
Talks and panelists include: Derek Krueger,
more. Ensure your own good fortune in the
Department of Religious Studies, Uni-
New Year by creating your own rabbit-
versity of North Carolina at Greensboro;
inspired works of art!
Alisa LaGamma, Department of the Arts
SPOTLIGHT WITH GARY VIKAN AND LEE SANDSTEAD: PILGRIMAGES TO THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO & GRACELAND Sunday, February 27 2–3 p.m. Members: Free / Students: $5 / Non-members: $10 For this discussion, Vikan joins with Lee Sandstead, host of the Emmy-nominated television program, “Art Attack with Lee Sandstead.”
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of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Michelle C. Wang, Department of Art and Art History, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
FAMILY FUN FREE MLK JR FAMILY FESTIVAL
SCOUT MUSEUM DAYS
WALK, WONDER & CREATE TOURS
Monday, January 17
Saturday, March 5, 1–3 p.m.
Every 3rd Saturday
10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Jr. and Brownie Girl Scout—Global Girls
11 a.m.
Don’t miss one of the most popular festi-
Saturday, March 12, 1–3 p.m.
Free, online registration required
vals of the season! All ages come together
Brownie Girl Scout—Global Girls
This once-a-month, 45-minute experi-
to celebrate the life and triumphs of one
Saturday, March 19, 1–3 p.m.
ence allows families to enjoy an inter-
of the nation’s greatest heroes, Dr. Martin
Cub Scout—Treasure Hunt
active tour of the Walters’ collection
Luther King, Jr. Special guests will pay
$10 per scout, online pre-
and then create artwork that relates
tribute through theatrical performances
registration required
to the gallery objects. Recommended
and stories, and all ages will share their
Treasure boxes, secrets and stories
for children ages 6–8 and an adult.
dreams, personal heroes and peaceful
of great travels abound during this
January 15
Unleash the Beast
testimonies through art projects, videos
special program just for scouts. Brown-
February 19
Shake, Rattle & Roll
and collaborative community activities!
ies will work toward their Listening
March 19
Rags to Riches
to the Past badge, Junior Girl Scouts
April 16
Storm the Castle
FREE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY FESTIVAL
will work toward their Globe Trotting
Saturday, February 26
badge and Cub Scouts will work toward
ARTKIDS PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS
10 a.m.–4 p.m
their Art Academics Pin or Belt Loop.
10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. You and your child will use all your
globe. Travel through a village marketplace
FAMILY ART DAY: THE APPRENTICE’S WORKSHOP
in search of new art, fabrics, instruments,
Sunday, April 3 or 10
on experience that combines a story
spices and friends! Explore family histories
1–4:30 p.m.
chosen for its theme, a short tour
through storytelling, play acting and video
Members: $20 / Non-members: $30
and an art activity. Recommended
interviews. Share where your family has
Family Art Day is a new way to bring the
for children ages 3–5 and an adult.
come from as well as the stories and ideas
whole family together. Spend a special
January 4, 5, 8 or 15
that they brought with them. Create your
afternoon transported back to the medi-
Animal Strike at the Zoo. It’s True!
own African-inspired artwork and delight
eval times and explore daily life and art
by Karma Wilson
in awe-inspiring performances all day!
from the middle ages. Recommended for
February 1, 2, 5 or 12
children ages 5 and up and their families.
Violet’s Music by Angela Johnson
DROP-IN ART ACTIVITIES
Russell and the Lost Treasure
Join us as we celebrate African American heritage and communities from around the
FREE MEDIEVAL FAMILY FESTIVAL Saturday, April 23
Free, online registration required senses during this 90-minute, hands-
March 1, 2, 5 or 12
10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Saturdays & Sundays
by Rob Scotton
Explore a medieval kingdom from corner
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Apr 2, 5, 6 or 9
to corner, meeting colorful characters
Free
The Prince Won’t Go to Bed!
and creating dazzling artwork along
Join museum educators as they
by Dayle Ann Dodds
the way. Marvel at lively performers
help families create artful projects
ART TOTS PROGRAM
and feats of medieval might! Visit the
related to the collection, special
special exhibition Treasures of Heaven,
exhibitions and family programs.
Select Tuesdays
celebrate the debut of the new Medieval
January
Animal Kingdom
10–11 a.m.
Art Family Guide and get a peek at the
February
Traveling Tunes
Free, online registration required
new Medieval Art Discovery Quilt. Dress
March
All That Glitters…
Start with ArtTots, our newest early
up as a medieval lord or lady, take your
April
Medieval Kingdoms
childhood museum program designed
place in the court and much more!
SPRING BREAK DROP-IN ART ACTIVITIES
just for 2–3 year olds and their favorite adult! Each class will introduce toddlers
April 20–22
to art and the museum through short
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
stories, gallery play and art activities.
Give yourself a break and make some
January 25
Wild Thing
art with us! Come in for special
February 22
Making Music
ArtCart appearances and spring-
March 22
Sparkle & Shine
inspired art activities all week long.
April 26
Royal Romp
Members can register for programs early! All registration takes place online. Jan. 3—member registration begins. Jan. 10—public registration begins.
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ART, FOR FREE, ON THE INTERNET
F
or the past several years, the Walters Art Museum has been engaged in an effort to digitize thousands of artworks from the permanent collection. Once they’re digitized, we put them on the internet, for all to see. So far, we’ve published more than 9,000 works of art. You can see them for yourself, online at http://art.thewalters.org.
What does it take to “digitize” a work of art, exactly? The first step, of course, is to take a photograph. We move the work of art from the gallery, or from storage, to one of our photo studios, where it is photographed using specialized, high-resolution digital cameras. For digitizing our manuscripts and rare books, we use a piece of equipment to photograph each of the pages within the books. There are only a handful of devices like this in the world. Ours is the only one that is operated continuously. We don’t just publish pictures of the art, though. For each of these, we’re also eager to show you the location of the object, within the museum. This will help you to come and see the actual object. You might find that for many of these objects the location is listed as “not on view.” There are a variety of reasons why various works of art cannot be displayed in the galleries. That’s why we try, as often as possible, to digitize those objects. This way you can see them online, when otherwise you may not be able to see them at all. Of course, our website will also tell you the basic information about the works of art: Who created it? When was it created and where? From what materials is it made? What are its measurements? In addition, the website also displays information about the provenance of these works of art, so that you can know how the museum acquired them and who has owned them before. Once we publish a work of art to our website, its online life has only just begun. Next, we share the art with as many people as possible, in as many ways as we can. Our website features a different “art of the day,” every day, even when the museum is closed. Visitors enjoy this feature, because it makes our enormous collection of art into something that can be enjoyed on a daily basis, in small pieces.
Digitization Specialist Diane Bockrath is pictured here, working to digitize an Islamic manuscript. The apparatus she is using is nicknamed “Omar,” after the actor Omar Sharif. It supports and stabilizes the manuscript for digital imaging; a camera mounted above the book cradle captures the shot. Images are then color corrected, processed and transferred to archival digital storage. Image courtesy of Baltimore Housing. We are grateful for the support of leadership grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services that have made our digitization process possible.
Our artworks appear in more than one place on the internet, so that they can enjoy a larger audience. We share the “art of the day” with fans of the museum on internet social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. If you use either of those networks, you’re invited to find the Walters there and connect with the museum. We’ll also send the “art of the day” to you, every day. This is all part of our mission to bring people and art together. Now, thanks to the internet, we can bring even more people together with even more art, in new and interesting ways. Take a look online and see for yourself what you can discover. –Dylan Kinnett, Manager of Web and Social Media Initiatives
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OUTREACH
Going Global: Community Outreach at the Walters
Education staff member Rebecca Green works with youth from BCCC's Refugee Youth Project.
I
f you have visited the Walters within the last year, you may have seen, heard or even tasted or smelled something new and unexpected.
You may have seen one of our community partner exhibitions and the art that tells the stories of Baltimore’s immigrant and refugee youth. Perhaps you noticed the addition of Spanish language to our special exhibition and other gallery spaces. Maybe you heard the crashing of cymbals and the beating of drums as we celebrated the Chinese New Year. Or, if you attended our Day of the Dead celebration, you tasted Pan de Muerto, or Bread of the Dead, or visited our studios and smelled sugar skulls! All of these new experiences are a result of our Community Outreach initiatives, made possible by the addition of the position of Community Outreach Coordinator to the Education Division through an endowment created by the David and Barbara Hirshhorn Foundation. In 2010, new Community Outreach programs served over 9,000 people, or just under 10% of the total served by the Education Division.
in the community and partnerships with social service organizations. They are planned and executed in close collaboration with community partners and use the museum’s space as a tool to help varied groups share their own backgrounds and life experiences. This year, we are excited to be using the museum’s collection as a teaching tool in English as a Second Language classes at casa of Maryland. Our partnerships with social service organizations and other arts non-profits enable us to ensure that the museum is serving the needs of Baltimore’s many communities. Through ongoing partnerships with the Baltimore City Community College’s Refugee Youth Project, and the Education Based Latino Outreach, we provide outreach and museum visits to refugee and immigrant youth enrolled in after-school sites. We’ve only just begun to explore the museum’s potential in being a space for disparate groups of people to come together and learn about themselves and each other. We look forward to new communities discovering the museum in the future, and new ways for the museum to be seen as a shared community space.
Community Outreach programs bring diverse groups of people together around art for discussion and cultural sharing. –Lindsey Anderson, David Hirschhorn Community Outreach They include special events at the museum, free workshops Coordinator
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UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
Realistic Perfection: The Making of Oriental Ceramic Art MARCH 12–JUNE 4
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n the spring of 1896, the New York firm of D. Appleton and Company published the oversized, 10-volume silkbound catalog of William T. Walters’ Asian ceramics entitled Oriental Ceramic Art. The creation of this book had been William’s ambition since he began to form his collection, the first of its type in America. For almost 15 years, he personally oversaw the book’s production, paying closest attention to the faithful and sumptuous color images that documented the collection. In order to create exacting images of his most treasured pieces, William enlisted the services of Louis Prang and Company of Roxbury, Massachusetts. Prang was renowned for his skill as America’s preeminent chromolithographer, an artist skilled in the making of naturalistic color prints, as well as a popular writer on color theory and art education. In the exhibition Oriental Ceramic Art, you will encounter the process of capturing the likeness of one of the Walters’ Chinese porcelains. This began with a watercolor portrait of the piece painted by Prang’s technical artists James Callowhill and his sons James Jr. and Percy. Their careful rendering of the vase was sent to Mr. Prang and his workshop, who translated the watercolor into a series of as many as 26 printing stones, each of which added a distinct layer of semiopaque ink, building up to the finished image. Drawing on the resources of the Walters’ archives, you will see many of the working proofs that present the individual layers of the lithographic print coming together to form the final plate.
William Walters, who died in November 1894, did not live to see the finished publication, but his son Henry saw the project through to its completion. When it was done, Oriental Ceramic Art stood as the model American publication on Asian ceramics and became the standard against which later catalogs of rival collections would be judged. Just 500 copies of Oriental Ceramic Art were published and even fewer survive today, spread among prestigious libraries, art museums and a handful of private collections. – Rob Mintz, Associate Curator of Asian Art
Top: Vase / Anonymous; Chinese / 1736–1745 Bottom: The watercolor portrait by James Callowhill that was used as the model for the litho-illustration of this vase in Oriental Ceramic Art.
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PROFILES IN GIVING
Steve and Betsy Scott
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teve and Betsy Scott have been involved with the Walters for 31 years. In fact, they had their first date at a Walters exhibition opening in 1977. It is our good fortune that both of them chose to get involved with the museum as volunteer leaders, and they have continued to give generously of both time and expertise over the years.
Steve served on the Board of Trustees for three full terms (12 years of service). He served on the Development Committee, the 2001 Campaign Committee, the William T. Walters Committee, the Committee on the Gallery and the Hackerman House Committee. Steve is also proud to point out that he was on the search committee that appointed Gary Vikan to succeed Robert Bergman when Bergman left for the Cleveland Museum of Art. Steve reflects, “There are not many institutions that have two people as pre-eminent in their fields—Bergman and Vikan—serving back to back as director. The Walters has been very fortunate indeed.” Betsy has been on the Women’s Committee in various capacities since 1991. She co-chaired Art Blooms in 1993, the first year that Art Blooms successfully solicited advertisers and sponsors for its printed program.
Throughout the past three decades, Steve and Betsy have provided financial support for many programs at the Walters, and this past spring they informed Gary Vikan of their decision to include the Walters Art Museum in their will. Steve explains, “We feel the Walters Art Museum is among the best led and best run institutions in Maryland. Betsy and I have traveled extensively and have seen a lot of museums, and the Walters is one of the finest. Betsy adds, “There are very few places you can see art of this caliber in such an intimate setting. The Walters has meant so much to us and to our children over the years. The people who are involved here stay involved for decades. The staff really works hard to make it an interesting place for us and other volunteers.” What’s love got to do with it? It brought this dynamic and well-loved couple to the Walters Art Museum over 30 years ago, for which we are extraordinarily grateful! If you are interested in putting the Walters in your will, or if you have questions about gift planning, please call Anne G. King, Manager of Gift Planning and Major Gifts, at (410) 547-9000, ext. 295.
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EXHIBITIONS ONGOING EXHIBITIONS Beasts on Parchment: Picturing Animals in Medieval Manuscripts THROUGH FEBRUARY 6
The animals that medieval people encountered in their daily lives were supplemented by fantastic beasts that inhabited the realm of the medieval imagination, and which were thought to occupy unknown territory in this world and in the next. The artworks showcased in this exhibition offer the visitor the chance to explore medieval attitudes about animals, and to enjoy the extraordinary creations that pepper the margins and miniatures of the Walters’ outstanding collection of medieval manuscripts. Battling beasts (details), bottom margin / Book of Hours /ca. 1490 / W.233.93
German Drawings from the Walters’ Collection THROUGH FEBRUARY 13
These German drawings from the mid-19th century are notable for their clear storytelling, appealing subject matter and precise draftsmanship. William Walters purchased most of the works in this exhibition during his time in Europe. Highlights include picturesque landscapes, charming animal studies and incisive character sketches. F. Kommerer / Women in Costume of 1880 (detail) / 19th C. / W.37.1399
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MUSEUM NEWS
Federal Grant Awards for 2010
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o far this fiscal year, the museum has been awarded an unprecedented string of successful federal grants. We would like to extend a special thank you to our elected officials who supported the Institute of Museum and Library Services (imls), the National Endowment for the Arts (nea), the National Endowment for the Humanities (neh) and the National Science Foundation (nsf). Without this funding, the Walters would be unable to take on innovative and transformative projects. In today’s world, the museum is focused on building strong relationships with our individual donors and with all of the players at the local, regional and federal level. These public grants, combined with our private support, give us the ability to carry out unique projects, including temporary special exhibitions, educational programs, conservation efforts and digitization projects. If you have questions or would like more information about these grants, please contact Sarah Walton, Manager of Foundation and Government Relations, at (410) 547-9000, ext. 614, or swalton@ thewalters.org. grants received this year: Retrofitting Casework at the Walters Art Museum $123,200 (imls) Exploring the Medieval World: Connecting Art and Community $150,000 (imls) Improvements to the Works of Art Website $110,000 (nea) Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe $50,000 (nea) Parchment to Pixel: Creating a Digital Resource of Medieval Manuscripts $315,000 (neh) Protecting Silver Objects from Corrosion $79,170 (nsf)
top: John Bohl helps with case retrofits designed to minimize pollutants. middle: A new treatment for the protection of silver will be funded by the nsf. below: Mike McKee and John Bohl close up newly retrofitted casework.
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MUSEUM NEWS TREASURES OF HEAVEN AT THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART Walters curator Martina Bagnoli traveled to Cleveland for the opening of Treasures of Heaven in October. below: James Robinson, Curator of late Medieval Europe, the British Museum, London / Martina Bagnoli, Robert and Nancy Hall Associate Curator of Medieval Art, the Walters Art Museum / C. Griffith Mann, Chief Curator, the Cleveland Museum of Art / Holger A. Klein, Associate Professor of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University, New York
GÉRÔME OPENING IN PARIS In October, Walters curator Alicia Weisberg-Roberts attended the opening of The Spectacular Art of Jean-Léon Gérôme at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris, which featured several major works from the Walters.
ONASSIS FOUNDATION HEROES OPENING The Onassis Cultural Center opened the Walters-curated exhibition, Heroes: Mortals and Myths in Ancient Greece in October. Gary Vikan was on hand for the event. above: Dr. Gary Vikan below: The Honorable Dimitris Avramopoulos, Vice President of the New Democratic Party; former mayor of Athens and former Minister of Tourism, as well as former Minister of Health and Welfare / His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America / Dr. Gary Vikan / The Honorable Pavlos Geroulanos, Minister of Culture of Greece / Dr. Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation
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TREASURES FROM THE EARTH: ART BLOOMS 2011 The Women’s Committee of the Walters Art Museum presents the 22nd annual Art Blooms, Treasures from the Earth, April 8–10. Each spring, Art Blooms enhances the Walters’ collection with interpretative floral arrangements by over 30 regional garden clubs. Activities include the preview party, tours with docents, floral arranging demonstrations, engaging speakers, and of course, the spectacular combination of flowers and art. Please visit www.wamwc.org for information on events and to purchase tickets.
WALTER WICK OPENING On September 16, members of the Annual Giving Circles at the Curators Circles level and above previewed Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos and Toys in the Attic before the official opening, met Walter Wick and enjoyed a festive evening. For more information about the Annual Giving Circles, please contact Julia Keller at (410) 547-9000, ext.314, or jkeller@thewalters.org top: Anne King, Planned Giving Officer / Susan Katzenberg, Exhibition Sponsor / Wendy Jachman middle: Kate Powell, Exhibition Sponsor/ Mary Wieler, Lead Exhibition Sponsor / Ellen Riordan, Enoch Pratt Free Library Children’s Services Coordinator bottom: Exhibition Sponsors Gina Hirschhorn and Nancy Patz WWW.THEWALTERS.ORG × 21
MUSEUM NEWS
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WALTERS GALA 2010 CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?
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Thanks to the Gala Co-Chairs, Jane and Michael Glick, Mary Kay and Chuck Nabit and Frances and Rick Rockwell, the Party at the Walters CoChairs, Christine Espenshade and Guy Flynn, the Party Committee and all subscribers, this year’s annual gala was a smashing success, raising crucial funds for the operating budget. Mark your calendar for October 15, 2011, and be part of another memorable evening. ❶ Co-Chairs Jane and Michael Glick and Director of Development Joy Heyrman. ❷ Trustee Guy Flynn, Nupur Flynn, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Kent Blake. ❸ State Senator Verna Jones and husband Gary Rodwell. ❹ Francie and John Keenan, Sprockit the Robot and Tom and Barbara Guarnieri. ❺ Jane and Stanley Rodbell.
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❻ Can You See What I See? revelers with their kaleidoscope place cards.
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IN THE STORE Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe Hardcover $65 / Members $58.50 Softcover $39.95 / Members $35.95 Drawing together a vast array of treasured objects from collections throughout Europe and the United States, this beautifully illustrated volume examines the cult of sacred relics in greater depth than ever before. 278 pages.
St. Francis Mobius Bracelet $109.95 / Members $98.95 The Prayer of Saint Francis is a Christian prayer for peace. It is attributed to the 13th-century St. Francis of Assisi, and is read all over the world for comfort and hope. Imprinted here on this exquisite sterling silver mobius bracelet, the words of the prayer flow all around, inside and out, without end. Gift boxed with provenance card.
One Hundred Saints Softcover $24.95 / Members $22.45 This exquisite book is a collection of the stories of 100 popular saints, illustrated with art works from galleries around the world. The saints are listed alphabetically in a table of contents, with a larger list of patron saints at the end of the book. Perfect for gift giving! 288 pages.
Adoration of the Magi Stained Glass Panel $149.95 / Members $134.95 In the Middle Ages, church interiors were transformed into spaces of breathtaking beauty as sunlight streamed through colorful stained glass. Medieval glassmakers used metal oxides for coloring, which fused with molten glass under high heat to provide the rich, jewel-like colors. Using similar techniques, Truth in Glass produces this Magi and the Holy Family in hand-painted glass with a copper patina frame. Acrylic stand and chain for hanging included.
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600 north charles street baltimore, maryland 21201-5185 www.thewalters.org / 410-547-9000
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POETRY & PRAYER CONTINUES‌ Perhaps you had the chance to see our recent focus show, Poetry and Prayer: Islamic Manuscripts from the Walters Art Museum. The show coincided with the initiative to catalogue and create highresolution digital surrogates of all Islamic manuscripts and single pages preserved at the Walters Art Museum. The project was generously funded by a Preservation and Access Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Soon, those digital manuscripts will be on view in the galleries once more, at a computer kiosk in the Islamic art gallery. If you would like a sneak-peek of the kiosk and its beautiful digital manuscripts, visit the website at http://poetryprayer.thewalters. org/. There, you can read through dozens of books, page-by-page, and learn about their remarkable stories. Illustrated page from the Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusraw of Delhi / W.624, fol. 94b