WHAT WILL YOU DISCOVER?
MEMBERS MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2013
FEATURE STORY: THE SPECIAL EXHIBITION page xxx
SITE UNSEEN: GREGORY VERSHBOW page 6
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SONDHEIM ARTSCAPE PRIZE 2013 FINALISTS EXHIBITION LIVING BY THE BOOK: MONKS, NUNS AND THEIR MANUSCRIPTS IMAGING THE HOURS PUBLIC PROGRAMS FAMILY FUN MUSEUM NEWS IN THE MUSEUM STORE MEMBERSHIP NEWS CONSERVATION
board of trustees 2012–2013 Chair andrea b. laporte President douglas w. hamilton, jr. Vice-President ellen n. bernard Vice-President thomas s. bozzuto Vice-President nancy r. sasser Vice-President mary baily wieler Treasurer frank k. turner, jr. Secretary dr. julia marciari-alexander — julianne e. alderman peter l. bain calvin h. baker neal d. borden h. ward classen rosalee c. davison michael de havenon cynthia l. egan christine m. espenshade jonathan m. fishman bruce w. fleming guy e. flynn kris anne gitlin michael b. glick sanford m. gross neil a. meyerhoff bailey morris-eck mark mullin jennifer murphy charles j. nabit william h. perkins judy witt phares lynn homeier rauch george k. reynolds, iii john r. rockwell edward l. rosenberg bernard selz gail l. shawe judith van dyke — 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 anne n. apgar adam borden mary demory margaret z. ferguson adele kass elizabeth koontz rebecca lawson 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 — director’s advisory council eddie c. brown constance r. caplan philip d. english laura l. freedlander sir paul ruddock the honorable paul sarbanes benjamin b. zucker
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. and until 9 p.m. on Thursdays.
The Walters Magazine, Vol. 66, No. 2 Published by the Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore
above: Archangel / Gregory Vershbow / 2012
Editor, charles dibble Designer, tony venne Art Photography, susan tobin
cover: The Beaupré Antiphonary (Volume III) / fol. 1r / Flemish, ca. 1290
Please send membership questions to membership@thewalters.org Please send editorial comments to magazine@thewalters.org
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DIRECTOR’S WELCOME It is with a great sense of joy and humility that I write to all of you, members of the Museum’s family, as the Walters’ new Executive Director. The Walters Art Museum upholds the two tenets that have guided my path as an educator and a museum professional: rigorous scholarship focused on the products of the creativity of men and women from all eras and from across the globe, and a deep commitment to making that scholarship and those objects accessible to all. It is my great hope that we, together, will continue to excel in accomplishing these goals—and that we will have fun doing it! Many of you have asked me, “Why the Walters?” First, the Walters has soared as an example of best practices in the museum field, with exemplary projects in curatorial and conservation work, innovative public programming, and engaging opportunities for staff, supporters, and visitors to come together around art. The permanent collection is the heart of any museum of excellence, and, under my leadership, we will continue to create exciting opportunities for all visitors to experience the wonders of the Walters in new ways. Second—and more personally—it will be a joy to work each day at this museum among so many objects from my own academic specialty, 17th- and 18th-century French and British art, and also among some that I remember from my earliest days as an art historian, including the Sarcophagus with Dionysius and Ariadne. I am especially eager, however, to join each of you in discovering some new favorite objects in the collection. This summer the Walters has an exciting program that brings contemporary artists and contemporary art into dialogue with historical art. On July 6, we open Site Unseen: Gregory Vershbow, featuring Vershbow’s compelling photographs of the lives of works of art when they are not on public display (see p. 6). Works of art in their own right, these photographs mesmerize the viewer by bringing together contemporary art, museum practice, and historical objects. Just a week later, on July 13, we will be celebrating together a new venture for the Walters, the Janet and Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize Finalists Exhibition (see p. 4). The Sondheim Exhibition honors the wonderful work of visual artists from the Baltimore community, and the $25,000 prize will assist in furthering the career of an artist or collaborative group of artists from our region. Projects like these reflect the productive synergy that arises from the combination of a vibrant visual arts community with great historical works of art. In closing, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Search Committee and the outstanding Board of Trustees for having the faith in me to see this institution into its next years. It is my privilege to become the newest member of the spectacular team of individuals who work tirelessly to make the museum come alive for all. I look forward to working with them and with each of you to create our future by fulfilling the Walters’ mission “to bring art and people together.” My family and I will see you in the Museum!
Julia Marciari-Alexander, Ph.D. Executive Director
Photography by Sachs Photography, Baltimore
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Sondheim Artscape Prize 2013 Finalists Exhibition June 29–August 11
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his summer the Baltimore arts community will converge on the Walters to celebrate the artists who make this one of the most supportive and dynamic cities in the country. The works of a handful of finalist artists will fill the Walters’ special exhibition galleries as they compete for the eighth annual Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize. This $25,000 fellowship prize provides an artist or group of artists from the greater Baltimore region with the critical resources they need to further their career or careers. Artscape, Baltimore’s annual festival of the arts scheduled for July 19–21, 2013, is the largest free arts festival in the country. The event takes place across our city, involving organizations and people whose lives are dedicated to the creation, promotion and celebration of the arts. We will kick off this year’s festival in honor of the creative spirit at 7 p.m. on July 13 in the Walters’ Graham Auditorium with the announcement of the winner of the 2013 Sondheim Artscape Prize.
memory and acknowledges the extraordinary contributions they each made to Baltimore and to its thriving arts community. The judges for this year’s prize are Caroline Busta, a Monkton, Maryland, native and New York–based art critic and associate editor of Artforum magazine; Jenny Schlenzka, associate curator at New York’s MoMA PS1; and Beverly Semmes, an internationally recognized mixedmedia artist who teaches at the Pratt Institute in New York. They will be judging the works of several finalists on public exhibition June 29. The finalist artists will each have a one-on-one interview with the panel of judges, and then the competitors’ works and installations will be given their final judging immediately before the announcement of the winner. Exhibiting the Sondheim Artscape Prize Finalists’ works is a first for the Walters, and it promises to bring new energy and new creativity to the museum. Like the masterworks of the artists of past generations that so long defined the Walters’ collections, these finest works of our current generation of artists promise to inspire us all as we reflect on the importance of the arts as a driving force in the history and future of our city.
The Sondheim Artscape Prize is named for two of Baltimore’s most important and influential citizens, the late Janet and Walter Sondheim. Together the Sondheims had a profound impact on the shaping of the Baltimore we —Robert Mintz, Chief Curator and Mr. & Mrs. know and love today. Walter Sondheim Jr. is Thomas Quincy Scott Curator of Asian Art perhaps best remembered for his oversight of the desegregation of the Baltimore City The 2013 Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize Public Schools in 1954, when he was presiis made possible through the generous support of dent of the Board of School Commissioners the Abell Foundation, Alex. Brown & Sons Chariof Baltimore City. He was later involved in table Foundation, Charlesmead Foundation, Ellen the development of Charles Center and the Sondheim Dankert, France-Merrick Foundation, Inner Harbor, and he served as the senior Hecht-Levi Foundation, Legg Mason, M&T Bank advisor to the Greater Baltimore Committee Foundation, Henry & Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg until his death in February 2007. Janet SondFoundation, John Sondheim and Whiting-Turner heim danced with the Denishawn Dancers, a Contracting. renowned dance troupe founded by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. She spent fifteen years The presentation of the Sondheim Prize at the teaching at the Children’s Guild, working with Walters has been generously sponsored by The severely emotionally disturbed children; after Talkin Fund of the Columbia Foundation, The her retirement, Janet volunteered as a tutor at Zamoiski, Barber, Segal Foundation, Rachel and Highlandtown Elementary School, where she Joseph Rabinowitz, and the Greif Family Fund. served the community until her death in 1992. The Artscape Prize keeps alive the Sondheims’
left: Total Exploding / Matthew Jansen / 2010
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Site Unseen: Gregory Vershbow July 6–September 8
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EXHIBITIONS
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ince 2010, Gregory Vershbow has been photographing monuments under restoration and artworks in museum storage facilities and conservation laboratories. Describing his subject as “art in the absence of an audience,” Vershbow documents the appearance of objects that are off their pedestals, out of public view, dismantled, wrapped and stored. These photographs demonstrate the unexpected visual impact of sites unseen by museum visitors. Imbuing unassuming moments in the lives of objects with a sense of drama, Vershbow’s work implicitly contrasts the calibrated stage set of the museum gallery with the inadvertent showcase of the storeroom.
“Rather than neglected or seemingly at rest because they are not on public display,” Vershbow explains, “the artifacts in these spaces are animated by their new contexts.” In a photograph taken by Vershbow at the Walters Art Museum in 2012 (image at left), storage within a wooden box transforms an early nineteenth-century marble statuette of a nude woman arranging her hair (Joseph-Charles Marin’s “After the Bath”) into a “Magician’s Assistant.” The folded arms of a fourteenth-century sandstone statue of the Archangel Gabriel appear to shiver under plastic sheeting that affords the figure a ghostlike appearance (see p. 2). Vershbow explains: In taking these photographs, I have found that the camera too acts as an agent, sometimes revealing an optical arrangement only visible via long exposure. For some pictures the exposure is so long that the subject is visible only in the photograph. Other pictures are made from multiple exposures. These composite images often have more than one vanishing point, or exhibit an optically impossible depth of field. I do not touch or rearrange these objects, but the camera creates spaces and events that add to the manifold ways in which artifacts from the past reveal new points of view. The exhibition Site Unseen features large-scale prints of photographs shot at the Walters Art Museum in 2012 and at other museums and monuments in the United States and abroad between 2010 and 2011. Gregory Vershbow was born in Washington, D.C., in 1982. He received his MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2010. In 2011, he held a residency at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Vershbow currently teaches photography at the Maryland Institute College of Art and at the International Center for Photography in New York. His work consists of photographic series and narrative books that combine his photography with original drawings and text. He has exhibited in solo and group shows on the East Coast of the United States and in Europe. Numerous museums have collected Vershbow’s art, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the National Academy of Sciences. Site Unseen at the Walters Art Museum will be the first museum exhibition dedicated to his work. —Marden Nichols, Assistant Curator of Ancient Art
left: The Magician’s Assistant / Gregory Vershbow / 2012
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Living by the Book: Monks, Nuns, and Their Manuscripts
July 13– September 29
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oday, medieval books are treated as works of art, delicate treasures placed in special boxes and locked away in cabinets. Yet many were intended for regular use as vital components of everyday life for monks and nuns, whose daily activities were, in turn, crucial for the creation and preservation of manuscripts. A religion based on texts, Christianity created a need for books, as well as the ability to read and copy them. In the vibrant intellectual culture of the monastic community, literacy led not only to the creation of innovative devotional texts and images, but also to the preservation of secular knowledge. Music, history, science and classical literature were actively enjoyed in monasteries; recognizing the importance of the texts that define these disciplines encouraged their preservation.
This summer’s manuscript exhibition, Living by the Book: Monks, Nuns, and Their Manuscripts, will include twenty-one manuscripts, as well as exquisite decorative works associated with monastic life. Of the objects in the show, half have rarely or never been exhibited, and two are new acquisitions. Living by the Book will explore the life of the monastery as told through the variety of books that were created, used, cherished, glossed, worn down and even re-used by those who lived there over the centuries. How did monks and nuns portray themselves within their books, and how did others from the secular world imagine them? Every job has a manual: what books helped guide novitiates on their journey to becoming part of a monastic community? The formation of monastic life gave rise to a need for new types of texts and art. What innovative manuscripts did monks and nuns create? Just as important, what texts did they preserve through copying? The contributions monks and nuns made to their world, and to ours, came not only from their religious vocations but also from their scholarship; works of science and classical literature were avidly read and embraced by them, and their desire to gain and share knowledge provided the world with its first universities. Far from stagnant, dusty tomes, these books are living objects with remarkable stories to tell about what is still today a vibrant and flourishing culture. Monks and nuns make pilgrimages to the Walters every year from around the world to see the St. Francis Missal, a book believed to have been directly consulted by Francis himself, and this rarely exhibited manuscript—a book that symbolizes the place where medieval and modern monastic lives intersect—will be on view. —Lynley Anne Herbert, Curatorial Research Associate
left: The Beaupré Antiphonary (Volume III) / fol. 1r / Flemish, ca. 1290 above: Master of the Revelations of St. Bridget of Sienna, Scala Santa / fol. 10 v (detail) / late 14th century
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Imaging the Hours
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or the past four years, the Walters has been digitally imaging its renowned manuscript collection to enable unprecedented public access to fragile texts. The latest of three projects, Imaging the Hours: Creating a Digital Resource of Flemish Manuscripts, began in January 2013 and will involve the digitization of 112 illuminated medieval books. Thanks to generous grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities for these projects, the digitization work began in 2009 with the Islamic Digital Resource Project and continued in 2011 with Parchment to Pixel. These projects focused on Islamic manuscripts and a group of western manuscripts (Armenian, Byzantine, Ethiopian, Dutch, English, and Spanish), about which the Walters had little or no cataloguing information.
Imaging the Hours will allow art lovers and scholars to view lavishly decorated Flemish books dating from the late 13th to the 16th century. The majority of the manuscripts are Books of Hours used by Christians in the Middle Ages to guide their daily prayers and follow the liturgical calendar. Other important works include a variety of Psalters and the multivolume Beaupré Antiphonary, a beautifully illuminated choir book considered a central text among music historians. A handful of historical and humanist works from the secular world give the grant a broader scope. Books of Hours made for the wealthy often contain lavishly detailed images embellished with gold. The images include portraits of the owners and their coats of arms, scenes of everyday life, grotesques and personalized religious iconography. Artists in Flanders during the 14th to the 16th century achieved a well-known mastery of realism in panel paintings; this skill in depicting light and texture is also extensively represented in the exquisite illuminations contained in the Walters’ Flemish manuscripts. Because of their fragility and sensitivity to light, the Walters’ manuscripts can be displayed for no more than three months a year, and a page opening can be exhibited no more than once every five years. Digitization provides an alternative to this limitation on the display of manuscripts, creating opportunities for the public to view these masterpieces as often as they like from anywhere in the world. At this moment there are 80,941 images from 279 manuscripts available on line for free at thedigitalwalters.org. Imaging the Hours will build on this, adding another 48,000 images to an ever-growing online resource of catalogued digital surrogates of illuminated manuscripts made freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license. This access will make the Walters’ manuscript collection open to scholarship throughout the world; it is already being used to develop innovative on-line tools that will revolutionize the way manuscripts are studied. These remarkable manuscript images are not only for scholars, but can also be enjoyed by all who are interested. On the Walters’ Works of Art site (art.thewalters.org), anyone can casually flip through the pages of one-of-a-kind manuscripts that contain amazingly detailed illuminations lavishly decorated with gold. Our manuscripts are also on Flickr, where the images have received over one million views. The digitization of one of the Walters Art Museum’s most renowned collections is helping the museum in its mission to “bring art and people together for enjoyment, discovery and learning.” —Ariel Tabritha, Digitization Specialist
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PUBLIC PROGRAMS lunch & learn
THE SENSUAL MIDDLE AGES
CHADO, THE WAY OF TEA
Thursday, May 2 Noon–1 p.m. Did you know that the incorporation of the five senses was an important aspect of medieval art? Touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight were important in gaining knowledge of the sensible world and interpreting it according to Christian doctrine. Bring your light lunch and join the Walters’ Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Medieval Art, Martina Bagnoli, as she explores the sensory dimension of medieval art and ritual.
Saturday, May 11 2–3 p.m. Join us as we welcome the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Washington D.C. Association to demonstrate and explain the honored rituals and customs of an official tea ceremony. “Chado” (literally “the Way of Tea”) synthesizes numerous arts and philosophies that combine into a systematic method of preparing, serving and drinking tea. Served with a respectful heart and received with gratitude, a bowl of tea satisfies both physical and spiritual thirst.
PEABODY ON THE COURT MUSIC SERIES
onsite insights
Friday, May 3 Noon–1 p.m. This spring’s final Peabody on the Court Music Series concert will feature musicians from the Early Music Department of the Peabody Institute. This free concert is presented through a partnership between the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and the Walters Art Museum.
KAL: 35 YEARS AS AN INTERNATIONAL EDITORIAL CARTOONIST Sunday, May 5 2–3 p.m. The Walters welcomes back Kevin ‘KAL’ Kallaugher, former Baltimore Sun editorial cartoonist, and current cartoonist for The Economist. Best known for his internationally syndicated political cartoons, which have appeared in over 100 publications worldwide, KAL will reference political cartoons in the special exhibition New Eyes on America: The Genius of Richard Caton Woodville and talk about his 35 years as an international editorial cartoonist. Book-signing of KAL’s latest book follows. Books available for purchase in the Museum Store.
DEVELOPING AN EXHIBITION Thursday, May 23 6–7 p.m. In this Onsite Insights program, the Walters’ exhibition team will share stories of the development of the exhibition New Eyes on America: The Genius of Richard Caton Woodville. Held during our Thursday evening hours, the program includes free admission to the special exhibition. For this event, we extend a special welcome to our visitors from the 2013 Annual Meeting and Museum Expo hosted by the American Alliance of Museums.
AWARD CEREMONY FOR THE JANET AND WALTER SONDHEIM ARTSCAPE PRIZE Saturday, July 13 7–9 p.m. The winner of the eighth annual Janet and Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize will be announced. The works of all finalists will be on exhibition June 29–August 11. Join us in celebration of some of Baltimore’s greatest up-and-coming artists.
WALK-IN TOURS Sundays 1–2 p.m. The Walters offers docent-led tours of different parts of the collection. Highlights of the Walters June 30, July 21, August 11 This tour explores painting, sculpture and the decorative arts from antiquity to the 19th century. East Meets West-Asian and Western Art July 7 This tour considers the points of intersection between Asian and Western art. Vive La France! French Art July 14 This tour focuses on the Walters’ extraordinary collection of 19th-century French art, including works by Ingres, Delacroix, Corot, Gérome, Courbet, and Degas. Nineteenth-Century Art July 28, August 18 This tour examines a wide variety of styles of painting and sculpture from America and Europe from 1800 to 1900. The Art of the Ancient World August 4 This tour surveys the ancient civilizations of Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Rome. Portraits—Who Am I? August 25 This tour examines personalities from antiquity through the 19th century.
Facing Page: Top: KAL / Center: Drawing from the Artist Studio Experience / Bottom: Waltee by Brian Ralph
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FAMILY FUN DROP-IN ART ACTIVITIES
THE ARTIST’S STUDIO EXPERIENCE
Saturdays & Sundays 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free Drop in and make and take a fantastic piece of art home with you! Create innovative and artistic projects as a family. Check out our monthly themes!
August 5–16 10 a.m.–4:15 p.m. Grades 6–12 Members $170 / Non-Members $310
May June July Aug.
Architectural Elements Escape to India Contemporary Kids A Horse, of Course
For more information, visit thewalters. org or call 410-547-9000, ext. 300
SUMMER ART CAMP AT THE WALTERS July 1–August 2 Grades 1–5 Full Day, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Members $210 / Non-Members $360 Morning Only* 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Members $110 / Non-Members $190 ·Multiple age groups offered in the same week ·Art techniques and cultural themes explored through gallery visits, art projects and theater activities ·Camper exhibition and portfolio sharing days. *Mornings will focus on theme introductions, gallery visits and in-depth art projects that will be created throughout the week. Afternoons will continue the week’s theme with different art projects, gallery visits, theme-related games and collaborative activities.
FALL 2013 REGISTRATION NOTICE Members can register early for our popular family programs! Member registration begins July 1; public registration begins July 8. All registration takes place online. Look for more information coming soon!
This experience offers the opportunity to work with a local practicing artist from a specialized field of fine art. Participants will discover art techniques used throughout history, learning about art terms and artists specific to the week’s theme as they create their own works of art. Each week, participants will also see examples of the teaching artist’s portfolio and have the opportunity to converse about art careers, portfolio development and the vast applications of art. Magnet school students may work toward completing summer art requirements, and all participants will work to build an art portfolio. A great summer experience for young artists! For more information or to register, visit thewalters.org or call 410-547-9000, ext. 300.
BIRTHDAY JAM AT THE WAM Ages 4–10 Members $300 / Non-Members $360 2 hours; weekend availability Birthday JAM at the WAM offers children a unique and fun venue for celebrating birthdays. Amazing art activities and inspiring gallery adventures will make birthdays memorable! For an additional fee, our cuddly lion cub mascot, Waltee, will visit the party and enchant the children by delivering a special Waltee stuffed animal to the birthday girl or boy! Choose from one of the following funfilled party themes: Hunt for the Pirate’s Prize Mythical Make-Believe Quest for the Mummy The King Is Coming! Jungle Jamboree! To reserve a party or for more information, email wamjam@thewalters.org or call 410-547-9000, ext. 300.
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TEEN ARTS COUNCIL
Now in its sixth year, the Walters Art Museum Teen Arts Council (WAMTAC) provides teens from Maryland schools a platform to express their interest in art and the opportunity to explore art-related careers. Research illustrates that programs such as the WAMTAC advance students’ academic achievement and strengthen the skills that support success in our diverse and global economy.
Through gallery explorations, meetings with museum staff, and partnerships with local youth and arts organizations, WAMTAC participants develop resources and programs for their peers. Students visit museums, develop and distribute informal publications, host after-hours teen events, write grants, and maintain a blog based on their experiences. Additionally, students participate in gallery activities that promote visual literacy and encourage dialogue about works of art. One such activity asks students to synthesize historical information and employ their creativity to develop short stories based on Walters’ works of art. These stories are posted on the WAMTAC blog and linked to the Works of Art section of the museum’s website. In addition to supporting success at the social and academic level, WAMTAC experiences support the link between childhood and adult participation in the arts, increasing the potential for participants to become life-long learners. Museums throughout the country are engaging teens in similar programs that welcome, respect, value and reflect their voice. Ultimately these programs help teens acquire the necessary skills to succeed as productive citizens of a global work force. The WAMTAC welcomes high school students who are available on a year-long basis. Participation in WAMTAC may fulfill students’ service-learning requirements. Visit teens.thewalters.org or email teenprograms@thewalters.org for more information. —Brittany Powell, Senior Education Coordinator, School Programs
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photo: Courtesy of Visit Baltimore
MUSEUM NEWS
AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS CONFERENCE IN BALTIMORE
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is holding its 2013 annual conference in Baltimore from May 19 to May 22. The Local Host Committee has been hard at work preparing for the arrival of 6,000 museum colleagues from across the country and more than 63 countries. To highlight the outstanding museums and cultural organizations in our region, Governor Martin O’Malley has designated May 19–24 as “Museum Week.” Local museums, zoos, historic homes, aquariums and science centers have been asked to pick one day of the week to offer “Buy One, Get One Free” admission tickets. (Admission to the Walters is always free.) Many other special programs and events will take place during Museum Week. With advance registration, ten behind-the-scenes educational programs called On-Site Insights will be offered to the public for free at a variety of institutions, including the B & O Railroad Museum and the Maryland Historical Society. The Walters’ On-Site Insights program will explore the development of the exhibition New Eyes on America: The Genius of Richard Caton Woodville with its museum exhibition team (see p. 12). Additional Museum Week complementary activities include a Mount Vernon Walking Tour and Art Outside day-long festival at Druid Hill Park. A Six-Word Project will encourage people to describe their most memorable museum experience in six words. The words will become part of a sculpture installed at the Baltimore Convention Center during the AAM conference. The Museum Week website at baltimore.org/museumweek/index.html highlights all the participating organizations and special programs. Please take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities available in Baltimore during Museum Week.
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MUSEUM NEWS
PLANNED GIVING Bill Paternotte and his wife, Nan, have been members of the Walters since 1977. They began giving their time and expertise to the museum in 1994 as co-chairs of the William T. Walters Association, supporting the Annual Giving Campaign. Bill joined the Board of Trustees in 1996 and served as co-chair for Individual Giving in the Walters 2000 Capital Campaign. Speaking about the success of that effort, Bill responded modestly, “I led with my energy, and the gifts have followed.” He served as Board President from 2003 to 2006, and considers the Walters’ initiative, together with the Baltimore Museum of Art, to remove general admission fees as a proud moment of his tenure. Bill is so invested in the future and success of the Walters that he served on the search committee to identify and recruit the next Executive Director of the museum. His commitment is reinforced by his recent decision to leave a bequest to the Walters Art Museum in his will. Bill explains, “I think of a bequest as a relatively painless way to leave money to the Walters. It also ensures that Nan’s and my support will continue into the future.” Choosing a planned gift is a very personal decision that can have a positive financial impact on the museum without causing a financial burden to the donor. Now that the limits on gifts and estate taxes are more certain, there is an opportunity to review and update your estate plan. Including the museum in your planning will allow your current support to continue as part of your legacy. For Bill and Nan, the decision to make a planned gift to the Walters was easy. “I’ve always been impressed with the dedicated group of people who work here as staff and volunteers. I enjoy connecting with people. Getting involved provides a sense of teamwork and commitment, and giving is an integral part of that involvement.” If you are interested in putting the Walters in your will, or if you have questions about gift planning, please contact Ashley Mancinelli, J.D., Manager of Gift Planning and Major Gifts, at amancinelli@thewalters.org or 410-547-9000, ext. 387.
T. ROWE PRICE AT THE WALTERS As one of our most generous corporate supporters, T. Rowe Price has experienced for many years the rich rewards a partnership with the Walters affords. The support of T. Rowe Price makes possible so much at the Walters and advances our mission to bring our world-renowned collection together with our visitors for enjoyment, discovery and learning. “We are proud to partner with one of the City’s most creative and innovative organizations,” said Renee Christoff, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at T. Rowe Price. “We recognize the importance of supporting the arts through Corporate Memberships, especially in a time when institutional support is more crucial than ever. From bringing kids to the museum for a field trip to providing one-of-a-kind family experiences, we know that our funding goes toward an educational and dynamic program.” Corporate Members receive a number of rewarding benefits in recognition of the valuable support that they provide to the Walters. Benefits vary according to level of membership and include: · · · ·
Exclusive invitations to special exhibition previews and events Rental discounts for client receptions in a variety of spectacular museum spaces Employee discounts And much more!
We are enormously grateful to our Corporate Members for their continued interest and involvement. For more information about corporate opportunities, please contact Sarah Walton, Senior Development Officer, at swalton@thewalters.org or 410-5479000, ext. 614. Photography by Lindsey Hite
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WOODVILLE PATRONS EVENT Patrons of the Walters Art Museum gathered on the Sculpture Court on Saturday, March 9, to celebrate the life and work of Baltimore artist Richard Caton Woodville. An invitation to the Patron event is one of the many great benefits of being a member of the Annual Giving Circles. For more information, please contact Noah Opitz at nopitz@thewalters.org. ➊ Kevin Burke of corporate sponsor Wilmington Trust with his wife Susan and parents James and Ann ➋ Exhibition Curator Joy Heyrman with Lisa and Peter Hoffberger
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➌ Exhibition Designer Ashley Boycher and Chris Doiron ➍ Mary Carpenter, Katherine Murphy, Michele Swartz and Mary Alicia Haberman ➎ Debra Scheffenacker and Executive Director Gary Vikan ➏ Barbara Simmons and Sharon Waters Photography by Rachel Lea—ambiancephotogroup.com
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MUSEUM NEWS
Thursday Evenings at the Walters
Thanks to a generous grant from Constellation Energy, the Walters is open every Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., with art, gifts, food, and $5 regional beers and California wines. As part of our commitment to evening access, we offer two “enhanced” Thursday-evening events during the year. At our first ”Super Thursday“ special event, the “Love is in the Art” Valentine’s Day party, nearly 1,300 art lovers packed the galleries. Guests gathered in the Sculpture Court’s fuchsia glow to enjoy catered snacks, heart-shaped chocolates, a modern dance performance by the Flux/us dance troupe, and dj’d music that began with acid jazz and ended with ’90s house music. Rye Bar Fell’s Point served delicious specialty cocktails as the night progressed and the crowd grew. In a post-event writeup, one guest commented, “I think parties like this are an excellent way to bring the community together and to help make art social.” We agree, and that’s why we’re cooking up another social gathering for July. Stay tuned. Photography by Ken Rochon
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IN THE MUSEUM STORE
Art of the Map $40.00 / Members $36.00 Perfect for Father’s Day, this lavishly illustrated history of the golden age of cartography explores not only the art of map-making but also the world in which these maps were created, including real and imagined monsters, newly discovered flora and fauna, and fantasist depictions of native peoples. Hardcover, 240 pp., 9.5 × 10"
Gold Wrap Necklace $349.95 / Members $314.95 Handmade in Germany by jewelry artist Petra Meiren, this exquisite design softly wraps the neckline with cascading circles. This stylish necklace of brass finished with gold plating and connected with steel cables is suitable both for everyday wear and for special occasions.
Chinoiserie Scarf $82.95 / Members $74.65 This eye-catching handmade blue floral crêpe-dechine silk scarf with 18th-century chinoiserie motifs will brighten anyone’s wardrobe. The oblong scarf features hand-rolled hems and measures 13 by 58 inches. Exclusively from Fox and Chave, London
Hieroglyphic Activity Kit $22.95 / Members $20.66 Summer fun can be educational as well with this new Hieroglyphic Activity Kit. Packaged in a sturdy, beautifully illustrated box, each kit contains a hieroglyphic decoder, a cartouche sticker set, a hieroglyphic stencil / ruler, a boxed set of four colored pencils, a blank piece of papyrus and a six-page activity book.
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THE GALA 2013 Saturday, October 19 6 p.m.–midnight Mark your calendar for the annual Gala. Help us welcome our new Executive Director, Julia Marciari-Alexander, to the Walters and the Baltimore community. Enjoy a wonderful evening and the opportunity to dine in the galleries surrounded by spectacular art. Tickets to last year’s Gala sold out; make your reservations early for this most elegant event! For tables or tickets, please contact Anne Berman at aberman@thewalters.org or 410-547-9000, ext. 212.
JEWELRY FAIR November 8–10 The Women’s Committee of the Walters Art Museum will sponsor the annual Jewelry Fair. Twenty world-class jewelers will display and sell a vast array of museum-quality work. For additional information, please contact the Women’s Committee at wamwc@thewalters.org or 410-5479000, ext 305. 20 × THEWALTERS.ORG
THE PARTY Saturday, October 19 9 p.m.–midnight Enjoy open bar and dancing on the Sculpture Court at one of Baltimore’s Best Parties! To purchase tickets, please visit thewalters.org/gala.
SECTION MUSEUM HEADER NEWS
Gary Vikan’s tenure at the Walters Art Museum will be honored in perpetuity with the Gary Vikan Exhibition Endowment Fund, providing funding for “scholarly activities, research and publications related to special exhibitions.” The museum would like to thank the following generous contributors to the Fund. Their gifts, totaling over $1,500,000, will match a $1,500,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, raising a total of $3,000,000. (Names in bold are pictured along with Dr. Gary Vikan) Mr. Peter L. Bain Dr. and Mrs. William R. Brody Ms. Cynthia L. Egan Mr. and Mrs. Philip D. English Mr. and Mrs. Jonathon M. Fishman Mrs. Laura L. Freedlander Mrs. Darlene George Mr. Robert E. Hall Mr. and Mrs. Michael de Havenon Mr. and Mrs. Peter Horowitz Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Hudson Mrs. Harry E. Karr Mrs. Barbara Katz The Honorable and Mrs. Benson E. Legg Mrs. Mary C. Mangione Ms. Sally J. Michel Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. O’Neill III
Mrs. Eleanor Abell Owen Mr. and Mrs. Harry Z. Pappas Mr. and Mrs. William L. Paternotte Mrs. Marilyn Pedersen Mr. and Mrs. Walter D. Pinkard, Jr. The PNC Foundation Mr. and Mrs. George K. Reynolds III Mr. George A. Roche Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Schweizer, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen T. Scott Mr. and Mrs. Robert N. Smelkinson Mr. and Mrs. George Stamas Dr. and Mrs. Hervey S. Stockman Mr. and Mrs. M. David Testa The Transamerica Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Weiss Mr. Jay M. Wilson
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SECTION HEADER MEMBERSHIP NEWS NEW MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT!
COMPLIMENTARY GLASS OF WINE AT CONSTELLATION THURSDAY NIGHTS! We are proud to announce the newest member benefit at the Walters. Members are eligible for up to 2 coupons per year for a complimentary glass of wine or beer (Individual members receive 1 coupon per year; you must be over 21 to redeem). To receive your coupon or to get more information about being a member of the Walters, email membership@ thewalters.org or call 410-547-9000, ext. 283
� YOUR MEMBERSHIP STAFF If you have a question, we have the answer! From left to right: Visitor Services Manager Ryan Brown, Membership Coordinator Lia Epley, Manager of Individual Giving and Membership Julia Keller, Membership Assistant Denny Kanuck and Coordinator for Annual Giving and Online Campaigns Noah Opitz are happy to help. We look forward to meeting you!
Did You Know…?
The Walters does extensive work beyond what the typical visitor sees. In addition we offer our members many programs and benefits of which you may not be aware. EDUCATION We not only bring school groups to the Walters; we also send art educators and resources into schools. Prior to visiting the museum, our educators often visit classrooms to prepare the students for what they can expect. For schools that are more than 50 miles from the Walters, we have a “Traveling Trunk Program.” At no cost, a school can receive a trunk filled with activities, lesson plans, books and more— all aligned with Maryland’s curriculum standards. We provide teacher professional development, curriculum-aligned lesson plans, resource kits, and an interactive arts-integrated website (thewalters. org/integrating-the-arts) that inspires teachers to use the Walters collection in their K–12 classrooms. CONSERVATION The Walters’ conservation and technical research laboratory was one of the first in America. Our team of conservators preserves the collection for years to come. Their work reveals the materials and processes used in creating the works of art, and addresses any issues of deterioration. You can get a peek at their work and learn more at our Conservation Window (Friday–Sunday, 12:30–4 p.m.). DIGITIZATION The Walters is dedicated to making its collection accessible to the world. We’ve shared thousands of images online and continue to digitize more manuscripts and works of art. Visit our online collection to view the images and create your own virtual collection: art.thewalters.org. MEMBERSHIP Membership at the Walters gives you discounts to restaurants and retailers in the neighborhood as well as at the Walters Store and Café Q. Beginning at the Supporter level, members are enrolled in the Art Museum Reciprocal Network. The reciprocal program gives members free admission and discounts at more than forty museums around the country. For more information about membership, contact Lia Epley at lepley@thewalters.org.
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CONSERVATION NEWS
CONSIDER THE COCONUT The coconut box (top right), with carvings dated by the curator to around 1600, recently came to the objects conservation lab at the Walters Art Museum in preparation for exhibition. This gave the conservation staff opportunity to consider the coconut and the ways it has been used over the centuries. Today, coconut is a common food, whether baked in a cake, stirred into a curry, or eaten fresh from the shell. Because it is possible to buy coconuts at nearly any supermarket or grocery store, they are not considered especially rare or unusual. But this has not always been the case. Coconut palms are not native to Europe, and in the past coconuts were imported or traded from faraway places in Asia and the New World. The rarity, cost and exotic nature of coconut shells meant that they were often treated as precious materials and mounted with silver, gold, enamels or jewels. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, coconuts were often included in treasuries and chambers of wonders. During the team’s examination of the coconut box, we could see that the surface of the coconut shell had been coated with wax sometime in the modern era, making it appear dark and glossy. Traces of tarnished silver remain on the copper alloy mounts and hinges. It is therefore very likely that the metal mounts were originally coated with a thin layer of silver and would have appeared bright and shiny. Now that the coconut shell box has been cleaned and stabilized, a mount will be made so that it can be safely displayed in the gallery known as the Collector’s Study.
above: Carved coconut-shell box; French; ca. 1600; coconut shell with metal hinges center: Bratina (ceremonial drinking cup), Moscow, 1896–1908. Wood with silver-gilt filigree enamel mounts bottom: Bratina, Moscow, 1660– 1690. Coconut shell with silver-gilt filigree enamel mounts
The object at center right was recently acquired by the Walters Art Museum as part of a large collection of Russian enamels. It was made in Moscow around 1900. Though it looks like a coconut cup, it is in fact wood that has been carved and stained to resemble a coconut. Compared with the Russian coconut cup below it, this object lacks the dark color and speckled surface of true coconut shell. The linear grain of the wood can be seen clearly. —Gregory Bailey, Andrew W. Mellon Fellow, Division of Conservation and Technical Research
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600 n. charles st. baltimore, md 21201-5185 thewalters.org / 410-547-9000
EGYPT’S MYSTERIOUS BOOK OF THE FAIYUM OCTOBER 6, 2013–JANUARY 5, 2014
nonprofit org u.s. postage paid baltimore, md permit no. 1608
The Book of the Faiyum is an exquisitely illustrated papyrus from Greco-Roman Egypt. One of the most intriguing ancient representations of a place ever found, the papyrus depicts the Faiyum oasis, located to the west of the Nile, as a center of prosperity and ritual. For the first time in more than 150 years, major sections owned by the Walters Art Museum and the Morgan Library & Museum, separated since the papyrus was divided and sold in the 19th century, will be reunited. Magnificent Egyptian jewelry, papyri, statues, reliefs and ritual objects will illuminate the religious context that gave rise to this enigmatic text, which celebrates the crocodile god Sobek and his special relationship with the Faiyum. Organized by the Walters, the exhibition opens in Baltimore on October 6. In addition to the Book of the Faiyum itself, it will feature about 85 works of ancient Egyptian art, drawn from the Walters and major museums in the United States and Europe.