22 Apr 10
African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art Announced at Sotheby’s
NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s spring sale of African, Oceanic and Pre Columbian Art will be held on 14 May 2010 and will offer collectors a selection of tribal arts from important American and international private collections. The auction comprises an especially rich offering of Oceanic works of art, many of which are icons of the field. Prior to the auction, the works, which are estimated to bring more than $5.1 million, will be exhibited to the public at Sotheby’s New York galleries beginning 8 May 2010.
Oceanic Art
The spring auction will comprise works from the JOLIKA Collection of Marcia and John Friede, led by the sale’s star lot, a Biwat (Mundugumor) Male Ancestor Spirit Figure from a Sacred Flute, wusear, Papua New Guinea (est. $1/1.5 million). No figure as complete or of such high quality is known ever to have appeared at auction. One of the most iconic genres of Melanesian art, wusear are male spirit figures that were placed on top of the sacred flutes of the Biwat people on the shores of the middle Yuat River in Papua New Guinea. Vertically inserted into the bamboo flute, wusear were effigies who ‘spoke’ through the flute, and were sacred property of a clan. Also offered from the JOLIKA collection are an Asmat Shield, Unir (Lorenz) River, Irian Jaya (est. $70/100,000) and a Middle Sepik River Gable Mask, Papua New Guinea, that once belonged to Bela Hein, the legendary early 20th century Paris-based dealer and collector of African art (est. $120/180,000).
A Large Vera Cruz seated figure, Classic, ca. AD 450-650, of the El Zapotal style, a form which rarely appears at auction, is another highlight of the sale. Est. $125/150,000
Also among the Oceanic works on offer is a Hawaiian Feather Cape formerly in the collection of the Niagara Falls Museum, Canada (est. $300/500,000). Feather-covered shoulder capes are widely recognized and appreciated hallmarks of traditional Hawaiian culture; the present example features brilliantly colored red, black and yellow feathers. No two capes are alike in their design and most were created for specific individuals. Also formerly in the collection of the Niagara Falls Museum, an Austral Islands Chief Necklace will be offered (est. $300/500,000). Austral necklaces of this type are among the rarest and most sought after of all Polynesian artifacts. No more than twenty are known to exist and among these the present example is unique in having so many ivory and bone elements.
African Art
Among the African works on offer is a Banda Ancestor Figure from the Ubangi Region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo that is attributed to the Master of Mobaye (est. $250/400,000). For a traditionally anonymous art form such as African Art, the notion of an individual artist is rare, and only a handful of artists are known by name. Only eight figures have been attributed to the Master of Mobaye, who was active in the second half of the 19th century.
A Rare Fang-Betsi Reliquary Ensemble will also be offered, featuring a male ancestor figure with its original container used to house family relics (est. $250/350,000). Complete Fang reliquary ensembles consisting of a bark container for the relics of deceased clan elders surmounted by a sculptural element made of wood, such as a head, torso, or full figure, are exceedingly rare.
A Fang Reliquary Head from Gabon (est. $150/250,000), featured left, boasts an exceptional provenance which parallels the influence of African art on modern art throughout the 20th century. Among the storied line of owners of the present lot: gallerist and early partner of Alfred Stieglitz, Marius de Zayas: distinguished New York collector John Quinn, who in 1919 commissioned Charles Sheeler to photograph the work as part of a portfolio of his African collection; Joseph Brummer, who was well known as Constantin Brancusi’s dealer but perhaps lesser known as one of the foremost dealers of African art in the early 20th century; French painter and famed African collector André Derain; noted New York 1960s and 1970s dealer of African Art Merton D. Simpson; and Carlo Monzino, one of Italy’s leading collectors of Post-war art.
Pre-Columbian Art
The Pre-Columbian section of the auction features a rare Taino Wood Snuffer, Haiti, ca. AD 1300-1500, (est. $80/120,000), one of only three known examples. The slender tubular object would have been used in the elite shamanic cohoba ceremonies; the inhalation of the fine cohoba powder induced a ritual hallucinatory experience. It is carved with a bird-man figure, representing the transformation and journey of a shaman. Originally acquired in the 1930’s, the snuffer has been in one family’s collection.
A Large Vera Cruz seated figure, Classic, ca. AD 450-650, of the El Zapotal style, a form which rarely appears at auction, is another highlight of the sale (est. $125/150,000). The seated figure of a young warrior has an intense and life-like expression, shown with minimal accoutrements or clothing, emphasizing an inner strength and spirit.
Several single-owner groupings will also be featured, including a variety of Central American gold animal pendants, and a fine group of Costa Rican polychrome ceramics from a Private Collection. The sale also includes a selection of stone and ceramic Andean and Central American figures from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, all of which were published in the 1983 and 1985 Sackler catalogues.
From Mexico and the Maya areas, the auction includes West Mexican figures from the collection of Benjamin Johnson- a noted conservator and art historian from Los Angeles; Fine Maya stucco polychrome head of a dignitary, Late Classic, ca. A.D. 550-950 (est. $25/35,000); and two 19th C. casts of the famous 7th C. Yaxchilan lintels 24 and 25, featuring Lady Xoc in her bloodletting and hallucinatory ceremonies celebrating the accession of her husband Shield Jaguar (est. $10/15,000 and $12/15,000 respectively).
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Top 20 Museums Every Artist & Art Lover Should Visit
The following list features the top 20 museums of the world which should be on the must-visit list of every artist. From Paris to Los Angeles, Madrid to New York and Tokyo to Cairo, we’ve got all the coveted destinations covered. Check them out.
1. Musee du Louvre (The Louvre), Paris
Musee du Louvre or The Louvre has to appear at the top in any list of museums. And rightly so. It is undoubtedly the most famous and the most visited museum of the world. Located in Paris, it used to be a royal palace which was later tuned into a museum.
Louvre houses some of the finest and costliest pieces of art which include masterpieces like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. It’s easily a must visit for any artist.
2. Tate Modern, London
Tate Modern houses an amazing collection of international modern and contemporary art. The museum, which was once the Bankside Power Station, is located on the banks of river Thames in London, near the Millennium Bridge.
This museum has an impressive collection of modern and abstract art which include a huge collection of Surrealism art. You can find the work of eminent artists like Salvador Dali and their masterpieces here.
3. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as The Met is a well known art museum located at the Museum Mile road in New York City. It is one of the world’s biggest museums and houses an enormous collection artwork, paintings, sculptures and much more.
You’ll find ancient Islamic and Egyptian art, Greek and Roman sculptures, works of legends like Picasso…almost any work of art a budding artist fantasizes about. If you love art, you have to visit this place.
4. British Museum, London
The British Museum in London is another huge museum that houses millions of artwork, sculptures, paintings, antiques and more. It is said to have more than 7 million objects, one of the largest and most diverse collection in the world. Established in 1753 by Sir Hans Sloane, the museum is famous for its extraordinary collection of Egyptian art and antiques which can’t be found anywhere else in the world apart from the museums in Egypt.
5. J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles
J. Paul Getty Center or The Getty Center in Los Angeles, California has a great collection of pre-20th century drawings and paintings from artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet. The main attraction is the world renowned painting Irises by Van Gogh.
The museum’s building and architecture itself is a feast for the eyes. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and an amazing view of Los Angeles, the museum is a major tourist attraction of the city.
6. National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
The National Gallery of Art is a famous art museum located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It is divided into two buildings – East and West. The East Building houses a collection of international modern and contemporary art and includes works of Pollock, Picasso, Andy Warhol among others. The West Building on the other hand has paintings of Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci and a vast collection of paintings and sculptures.
7. Musee d’Orsay, Paris
The Musee d’Orsay museum is located on the left bank of river Seine in Paris, France. The museum building used to be a railway station named Gare d’Orsay and houses an extensive collection of French art. One of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings Starry Night can be found in this museum.
8. Vatican Museums, Vatican City
The Vatican Museums in Vatican City, Rome are probably the most exquisite museums in the world. Featuring the huge collection by Roman Catholic Church over a period of several hundred years, it has artworks of Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci and of course the Sistine Chapel where you can find the amazing ceiling frescos by Michelangelo.
9. Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
The first thing that’ll catch your eyes when you visit the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris is the unique design of the museum building. It features a modern, hi-tech design comprised of heavy steel structures. Also known as Beaubourg, this museum is only second to the Louvre in the number of visitors it attracts every year.
10. Prado Museum, Madrid
Madrid’s Prado Museum (or the Museo del Prado) is one of the most famous art museums in Europe and is known for its impressive collection of Spanish artwork and European art. You can view works of Velasquez, El Greco, Goya and many other well known Spanish and European artists in this museum.
11. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy is one of the oldest as well as the most exquisite museums of the world. As you walk through the Piazza della Signoria while approaching the main museum, you can behold some amazing sculptures and statues. The museum features some great works and masterpieces by Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticello and more. The most famous among them are of course Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera.
12. State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersberg, Russia is another very large museum comprising of six buildings and 3 million objects. In fact it is easily one of the largest museums of the world. It has over 3 million paintings and artworks. No surprise it has its name in the Guinness Book for the largest painting collection in the world.
13. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois is known for its impressive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art along with an extensive collection of American and European art. The works of Monet are the major attraction.
14. The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, Cairo
If you are interested in Egyptian art then the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, also known as Egyptian Museums in Cairo, Egypt is the place you should aim for. It houses the most extensive collection of Egyptian art in the world. And if you’ve liked the movie “The Mummy”, you’d love to see some real mummies in the museum. (You won’t find them doing the walking and talking though!)
15. Museum Of Modern Art, Manhattan, New York
Manhattan’s Museum Of Modern Art (MoMA) is known to have the best collection of modern art in the world. Modern and contemporary art fans could easily spend an entire day in the museum absorbed in the amazing collection of drawings, paintings, sculptures, books, photography and various other forms of media.
The museum also has a huge library and an excellent restaurant which is aptly named ‘The Modern’.
16. Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo
The Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo, Japan is the country’s oldest and largest museum which primarily features Asian and Japanese art. It is divided into five exhibition buildings that showcase ancient Japanese pottery, sculptures, metal works, drawings and much more.
17. The National Gallery of London, London
The National Gallery of London at Trafalgar Square in London has a remarkable collection of European art, especially paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries to the 19th century. It has arguably the world’s best collection of Western European paintings and features all the great names and their works.
18. Philadelphia Museum Of Art, Philadelphia
One of the best art museums in America, the Philadelphia Museum Of Art in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia houses many notable collections that includes the biggest collection of Philadelphia’s renowned artist, Thomas Eakins. Its collection of sculptures and decorative arts is certainly worth paying a visit to.
19. The Guggenheim Museum, New York
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, commonly known as The Guggenheim Museum is not only one of the most well known museums in New York City, but also a sought after destination, thanks to its amazing architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright. Its focus on modernist art is evident from its inspiring, modern architecture.
20. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is another museum in the U.S. which houses an extensive collection impressionist, post-impressionist, American, European and Egyptian art. The museum is huge and attracts over a million visitors each year.
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“Encompassing the Globe” custou ao Estado mais de dois milhões
Pinto Ribeiro tinha anunciado uma exposição “sobretudo paga por fund–raising”. Mas a maior parte do custo acabou por ser assumida pelo IMC.
A exposição Encompassing the Globe: Portugal e o Mundo nos Séculos XVI e XVII, que entre 15 de Julho e 1 de Novembro de 2009 teve 72 mil visitantes no Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA), em Lisboa, custou mais de dois milhões de euros, face a um apoio mecenático residual.
Ao contrário do anunciado pelo então ministro da Cultura, José António Pinto Ribeiro, a contribuição para a exposição por parte do Ministério da Economia, sobretudo através do Instituto do Turismo, ficou-se pelos 400 mil euros, e a única comparticipação mecenática coube à Fundação Gulbenkian, com 55 mil euros.
Esta situação contrasta com a experiência da mesma exposição em Washington, na Smithsonian Institution (Julho a Setembro de 2007), quando foi “inteiramente paga por fund-raising e sobrou dinheiro no fim”, como disse Pinto Ribeiro.
No início do ano passado, ao anunciar a chegada da exposição a Portugal depois de ter passado por Bruxelas (Palais des Beaux Arts, Outubro de 2007-Fevereiro de 2008), Pinto Ribeiro disse ao PÚBLICO que a mostra seria um bom exemplo de envolvimento mecenático: “A exposição será financiada por verbas sobretudo do Instituto do Turismo, e eu comprometi-me, com o ministro da Economia [Manuel Pinho, que abandonaria a pasta ainda antes da abertura da exposição], a procurar mecenato. Mas há coisas que ainda não sabemos fazer em Portugal: fund-raising, por exemplo. Temos uma leitura tacanha do mercado”, disse o ex-ministro (ver edição de 5 de Fevereiro de 2009).
Pinto Ribeiro avançou mesmo uma estimativa de custo de 2,5 milhões de euros, incluindo as obras necessárias à adaptação do MNAA. “São fundos que tenho que arranjar, não estão no orçamento”, acrescentou.
A previsão, afinal, não se confirmou. Segundo os números agora disponibilizados pelo Instituto dos Museus e da Conservação (IMC), mesmo tendo sido uma “mostra potenciadora do fluxo de turismo cultural, Encompassing the Globe foi também geradora de encargos acrescidos para o IMC”. O custo total terá passado os 2,1 milhões de euros e, descontadas as contribuições do Turismo e da Gulbenkian, o instituto teve de assumir cerca de três quartos dessa verba – não contabilizando as receitas de bilheteira.
É um custo quatro vezes superior à comparticipação anual do Estado na aquisição de novas obras para o Museu Berardo e para o Museu de Serralves, por exemplo.
Também os 70 mil visitantes ficaram aquém das expectativas do Ministério da Cultura, que esperava fazer 100 mil entradas e decidiu mesmo prolongar a permanência da exposição no MNAA por mais três semanas do que o inicialmente previsto.
José António Pinto Ribeiro não se mostrou, ontem, disponível para comentar estes dados.
Segundo os serviços do IMC, do custo total da exposição falta ainda pagar 194 mil euros relativos ao transporte e montagem das peças.
O transporte, montagem e seguros das duas centenas de peças – marfins, ourivesaria, pinturas, escultura, gravura, desenhos, cartografia – da exposição constituíram a parcela mais dispendiosa, tendo custado metade dos dois milhões de euros. Mas no custo final estão contemplados também investimentos “em equipamentos de segurança, em vitrinas e no sistema de climatização que resultaram em mais-valias para o MNAA”, realça Paulo Henriques, ex-director do museu e seu responsável aquando da exposição.
“Foi uma oportunidade bem aproveitada. Não se tratou só de um gasto temporário. E deixou marcas na abertura do MNAA para a realidade museográfica internacional”, explicou ontem ao PÚBLICO o ex-director. Escusando-se a comentar a montagem financeira, Paulo Henriques recorda, no entanto, que a exposição “nasceu de uma decisão política e da vontade expressa do primeiro-ministro”.
Também Nuno Vassallo e Silva, subdirector do Museu Gulbenkian e comissário de Encompassing the Globe em Lisboa, destaca a importância da realização da exposição em Portugal e diz que constituiu “uma mais-valia para o futuro, até pela oportunidade que forneceu aos técnicos do MNAA de contacto com os museus internacionais”. Apesar disso, Vassallo e Silva diz-se “surpreendido” com a falta de envolvimento mecenático na sua realização. “Não sei qual foi o real empenhamento dos dois ministros [da Cultura e da Economia], nem quero fazer julgamentos, mas não deixa de ser surpreendente que uma exposição deste valor não tenha conseguido mobilizar apoios, como aconteceu em Washington.”
Fonte: Público, 21/04/2010, por Sérgio C. Andrade
“Research in Paris”, programme d’accueil des chercheurs étrangers
L’accueil des chercheurs étrangers est l’une des priorités de la politique municipale en faveur de la recherche. Stimuler les échanges internationaux et la mobilité des chercheurs est essentiel pour le dynamisme et le rayonnement de la recherche parisienne.
Chercheurs étrangers, déposez votre candidature en ligne jusqu’au 8 mars 2010.
Depuis 2003, la Ville de Paris propose un programme sélectif d’accueil de chercheurs étrangers – post-doctorants et seniors – dans des laboratoires publics de recherche parisiens (Paris intra muros) pour une période limitée.
L’objectif de ce programme est de faciliter de nouvelles coopérations durables et de renforcer les coopérations existantes entre les centres de recherche de grandes villes étrangères et Paris.
Jean-Louis MISSIKA, Adjoint au Maire chargé de l’Innovation, de la Recherche et des Universités a renforcé ce programme d’invitations de chercheurs pour que soient accueillis désormais chaque année près de 70 scientifiques de toutes disciplines, afin de mieux répondre aux besoins des équipes de recherche de la capitale.
» Consulter un exemple de dossier de présentation au format pdf
Curso “Estratégias de Salvaguarda do Património Imaterial em Portugal”
O Museu da Presidência da República promove, nos dias 18 e 19 de Março, o curso Estratégias de Salvaguarda do Património Imaterial em Portugal, coordenado pela Dra. Lorena Querol.
Destinada a profissionais de áreas culturais e ao público em geral, a acção de formação consta do seguinte programa:
Módulo I: UNESCO e a salvaguarda do património cultural como reflexo da capacidade criativa e da diversidade cultural da humanidade.
Módulo II: Da memória individual à memória colectiva – causas e efeitos no quotidiano.
Módulo III: Formas de inventariação do património imaterial.
Módulo IV: O percurso português – reflexões acerca do Decreto-Lei n.º 139-2009.
As inscrições estão abertas até 12 de Março.
Curso livre – Reconfigurações do Objecto Artístico: de 1960 até à Actualidade
O Instituto de História da Arte (IHA) da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa organiza o curso livre Reconfigurações do Objecto Artístico: de 1960 até à Actualidade, leccionado pelo Dr. Pedro Lapa, reconhecido especialista em arte contemporânea e antigo director do Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea.
As aulas decorrem entre 6 de Abril e 25 de Maio, no Anfiteatro III da Faculdade de Letras, tendo lugar às terças-feiras entre as 18h30 e as 20h00. Informa-se ainda que as inscrições realizadas até dia 26 de Março beneficiam de um desconto de 25%. Será oferecido a todos os participantes um exemplar do último número da revista Artis e, naturalmente, será emitido um certificado de participação personalizado.
From Quarry to Sculpture: Understanding Provenance, Typologies, and Uses of Khmer Stones
From Quarry to Sculpture: Understanding Provenance, Typologies, and Uses of Khmer Stones
The substantial collection of Khmer art at the Met comprises pre-Angkor and Angkor freestanding sculptures and architectural elements from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam (see examples). Like the works gathered in Phnom Penh at the National Museum of Cambodia and in Paris at theMusée Guimet, these works illustrate the birth and evolution of the different Khmer styles and record changes in the sculptural artistic medium through time and across geographical areas (see map and timeline).
As a scientist in the Department of Scientific Research, I’ve been studying these sculptures from a material point of view, focusing on the classification of the stone used by the Khmers for their artistic production. Well-established analytical techniques in the field of Earth Sciences, such as petrographic and geochemical analyses, have helped me investigate the intimate nature of the stones and, ultimately, their possible location in the geological framework of Southeast Asia.
Characterization of the stone materials sheds new light on Khmer works in the Met’s collection. It reveals possible groupings of sculptures according to material, and—once these results are integrated with stylistic considerations and compared with other published data about stone usage in Cambodia—may lead to a better understanding of the relationship between iconographic and material traditions. The project also has great significance for a broad range of scholars involved in historical and archaeological research in Southeast Asia, setting the basis for a quantitative database of Khmer materials. By providing useful insights into the nature and techniques of Khmer stone quarrying, redistribution, and usage, it has the potential to unveil specific production workshops, to illuminate networks of trade and interdependency between centers of power during pre-Angkor and Angkor periods, and to help explain the locations of ancient roads and settlements belonging to a complex social system strongly influenced by the available natural resources.
Originally limited to study of the Museum’s collection, the project has been extended to include sculptures from the National Museum of Cambodia and samples from ancient quarries that provided stone material as early as the seventh century. During a first expedition organized in 2009, in co-operation with APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap), I surveyed and sampled two important quarry sites in northern Cambodia (see photo above) dating to the tenth century. The first results are encouraging, as our team found specific petrographic and geochemical fingerprints that will help identify the stones’ provenance and distinguish between different quarries.
Next week, I’ll be leaving for a month-long expedition to survey additional quarries of the Angkor period, as well as undated sites that could reveal sources of pre-Angkor stone material dating to the seventh century. Stay tuned for the next update…
Federico Carò is an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in the Department of Scientific Research.
