March: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
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Louis XIV as a Roman General, 1685
Franscois Girardon French, 1628-1715 Bronze This is a small scale replicate of a sculpture commissioned by Louis XIV (1638-1715) that once croned the triumphal arch of the Place Vendome, Paris. Inspired by the 2nd-century Roman statue of the Emporor-General Marcus Aurelius (121-180), Girardon's image publicly declared the King's power and domain to be analogous to that of the Roman Emporor. Louis, who is depicted here trampling on a sword and shield decorated with a gorgon's head, a symbole of strife, suppressed internal discord and made France the most powerful country in the world. For this reason, the original sculpture was destroyed in the Revolution of 1789, which abolished the monarchy. Purchase: Nelson Trust, 54-32
Pierre-Phillipe Thomire French (Paris), 1751-1843, master 1772 Copper alloy with mercury gilding These grand candelabra of the late Neoclassical style were one of the many forms of gilded luxury objects popular in the early 19th century. The winged Victory female figures in ancient dress and the scrolls and acanthus leaves of the candel holders are exemplars of classical motifs. Thomire, a French bronzeworker and sculptor, was appointed by Napolean in 1809 and given notable royal commissions. Although these candelabra were created after Napolean's rule, which ended in 1814, Thomire is credited with carrying many of the Napoleonic decorations and motifs into the next several decades. Bequest of Linda S. Hall 41-57,4,5
Iris Carrying the Water of the River Styx to Olympus for the Gods to Swear By
Guy Head English, 1753-1800 Oil on Canvas In Greek mythology, Iris was the personification of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods. Here she is shown in the Underworld, floating over the River Styx holding a golden jar that Zeus, the king of the gods, had instructed her to fill with river water and carry back to Mount Olympus. Zeus used the sacred water in a ritual designed to secure oaths of obedience from other gods and goddesses. This is a rare example of strict Neoclassicism in British painting, and the profile pose and transparent drapery are inspired by classical models, including ancient Greek and Roman vases. Purchase: the Mr. and Mrs. Earl D. Wilberg Fund for European Art, Louis L. Adelaide C. Ward Fund for European Art, the bequest of Menefee D. Blackwell (by exchange), and The Nelson Gallery Foundation, 2000.14
Jacques-Francois Baudin French (Paris), master 1787 Copper alloy with mercury gilding Although this clock provides the time of day, the viewer is also rewarded with its elaborate sculptural surround. As the popularity of gilded luxury goods peaked in the early 19th century, technological advances allowed for industrial production of mechanisms such as clock movements. Ancient Greek and Roman motifs, such as the klismos chair and a pair of urns, indicate the Neoclassical style. The hangins oild lamp held between the two birds forming the easel with avian back lengs is reminiscent of those that were being excavated in Pompeii. The female artist in ancient dress is at work on a painting of a girl with a tambourine, a mythological bacchante similar to the subject of the John Hoppner painting in Gallery P25. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. North in memory of Mrs. Perci Riggins North 75-17
Mistinquett: A la Rose, Moulin Rouge, ca. 1926
Charles Gesmar French, 1900-1928 Color Lithograph Tousled strawberry blond hair, sparkling green eyes, pink cheeks and lips, and a rose held between bright white teeth - Charles Gesmar's message writ large is: Mistinquett is young, beautiful, modern and flirtatious, and her performances at the Moulin Rouge are thrilling. This poster is not an advertisement for a particular performance, but rather for Mistinguett herself. Although she began as a flower seller and ballad singer, she soon became famous for her risque cabaret routines. In 1919, her legs were reportedly insured for the astonishing sum of 500,000 francs, and she was the highest paid femail performer in the world. Among Mistinquett's many lovers was the much younger Maurice Chevalier. Purchase: Nelson Gallery Foundation, F86-17
England (originated from No. 2 St. Margaret's Place, King's Lynn, Norfolk), ca. 1740 Pine with paint and gold leaf This room, originally exhibited as the "Georgian Drawing Room," traces its origins to a residence, which still exists, at No. 2 St. Margaret's Place, King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. Although the interior architecture is in keeping with that of an English drawing room, the room most likely served as a salone, the Italian word anglicized by the English to "saloon." The room was used for such social festivities as gaming, dancing and musical performances. This salone was constructed during the reign of King George II of England (1727-1760) when England was emerging as the strongest commercial power in 18th-century Europe. The architectural style of the 1730s and 1740s incorporated the final phase of the dramatic, symmetrical and bold Baroque style and the beginning of the fanciful and elaborate ornamentation of the Rococo style. As the English rediscovered classical architecture with its accompanying motifs of columns, shells and garlands, the combined these various forms, as seen in the salone, to create a style of restrained elegance unique to 18th-century England. During the mid 18th century King's Lynn boasted many wealthy merchants eager to display their successes. Walter Kirby IV, the owner of No. 2 St. Margaret's Place from 1733-1752, and the likely builder of this salone, was one such merchant. Kirby, who served as city mayor from 1744-1745, entertained his family, neighbors and guests in this impressive room of the latest style indicating that was not only a prominent business man, but a cultured one at that. Purchase: Nelson Trust, 31-116
The Eruption of Vesuvius, 1825
Sebastian Pether English, 1790-1844 Oil on panel Sebastian Pether was not the only artist of his generation to paint the infamous Mount Vesuvius. Joseph Wright of Derby, whose Outlet of Wyburne Lake is exhibited in this gallery, made more than 30 paintings of the volcano, which was a major tourist attraction at the time. Here, Pether combines the silvery, aqueous reflection of the moon with the hot glare of molten lava streaming down the mountain's sides. Although Vesuvius is dormant today, two centuries ago it erupted frequently, attracting bystanders such as those depicted here, dwarfed by this magnificient natural spectacle. The volcano's attraction grew after the 1834 publication of Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton's romantic novel The Last Days of Pompeii, about the Roman seaside resort buried in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 C.E. Purchase: Nelson Gallery Foundation through the exchange of various Foundation properties, F96-17
Richard Edward Miller American, 1875-1943 Oil on Canvas Saint Louis native Richard Miller lived in Paris for 15 years beginning in 1899. Like many of his compatriots, he went to France to complete his artistic education. By 1907, he was spending his summers at Giverny, forming part of the American artistic colony there. As can be seen in this painting, he was influenced by Monet, most notably in his bright palette and broad brushwork. However, the more precise painting of the face reflects Miller's earlier academic training. The silk kimono worn by the sitter echoes the taste for Japanese art that the French Impressionist had helped to popularize.
Capricorn, 1948; cast 1963-1964
Max Ernst French, born Germany, 1891-1976 Bronze Capricorn is an inventive portrait of Max Ernst and his wife, fellow Surrealist artist Dorothea Tanning. On another level, it expresses the duality of male and femail. For the Surrealists, as for the Greeks, the minotaur (half man/half bull) symbolized the battle between rational mind and agressive instinct. This minotaur figure was probably inspired by a Katsina - a Zuni spirit sculpture - that was owned by Ernst. A mermaid and a dog, with pipe eyes and a trowel tounge, rest next to him. The mermaid is also a hybrid. Part woman and part fish, she lives in the sea, a symbol of the feminine unconscious. Tanning named Capricorn after a constellation. The title hints at astrology, the study of the influence of celestial events upon the lives of humans. Give of the Hall Family Foundation, aquired from the Patsy and Raymond Nasher Collection, F99-33/6
Inner Coffin of Meret-it-es, ca. 380-250 B.C.E.
Egypt Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty ca. 380-250 B.C.E. Wood, pigment, gesso and gilding Except for her missing mummy, almost everything buried with the noblewoman Meret-it-es is here: this inner coffin, the outer coffin that contained it (to your left), the gold that lay over the mummy (ahead to the right and 305 statuettes (behind you). Although little is known about Meret-it-es, her funerary equipment reveals much about Egyptian religion. Remarkably thick and weighing 400 pounds, this coffin was meant to preserve Meret-it-es' mummy so that her spirit could live eternally in the hereafter. In part, to ensure that thse would become a divine spirit, she is portrayed as a god with golden flesh and blue hair; her unarticulated body resembles the mummified ruler of the underworld, Osiris. In the center for the coffin, the sky goddess Nut spreads her wings, protecting Meret-it-es. A bit below this, Meret-it-es appears before the ibis-headed god Thoth, having been accepted into the hereafter. High above, on the red plaque, she approaches Osiris: her journey into the next world is complete. For more information, see the coffin's back and the Solar Guide and Underworld Guide on the wall to your right. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trus (by exchange, 2007, 12.2.A,B
Possibly from Meir, Egypt Middle Kingdom, late 12th Dynasty ca. 1855-1795 B.C.E. Carved and painted wood In Egypt, the boat was as common as a Yellow Taxi in New York. The Nile was a superhighway. Since the current flowed south to north, one could easily row northward; because winds blew from north to south, sailing south was even easier. Found in an early tomb, our boat and rowers served to magically transport the resurrected deceased on a Nile flowing through the hereafter. The boat heads north; mast down, the rowers are at work. Although the boat's function is practical, its hull is elegant and graceful, a fine work of art. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 41-4
Abydos Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty ca. 1970-1950 B.C.E. Limestone In this early work, a deceased husband and wife stand before a table stacked high with food, a necessity for continued existence in the hereafter. Prayers for food appear above the scene. The relief stood in Abydos, a sacred site. The hope was that pilgrims passing by the relief (and many others like it) would recite the prayers for food and thereby magically ensure taht the spirits of the deceased would have everything - and more - pictured on the table. The goose lying on its back and the bovine leg were, no doubt, a special treat. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-16
Inner Coffin of Meret-it-es (Back)
Egypt Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty ca. 380-250 B.C.E. Wood, pigment, gesso and gilding The back of this coffin, like the front, magically ensured Meret-it-es' resurrection in the afterlife. The sun is consistently alluded to because Meret-it-es was supposed to be resurrected like the sun which is reborn each morning. Ihet, the sacred cow, apears behind Meret-it-es' head; in the Book of the Dead, Ihet is named the mother of Ra, the sun god; here, she magically warms and protects Meret-it-es' head. The baboons below greet the sun at dawn. The coffin's bright yellow color suggets the sun's rays striking it to bring Meret-it-es' spirit to life. The large columnar form below the baboons, the djed-pillar, represented the backbone of Osiris, lord of the underworld. Its crossed arms also allude to the mummiform pose of Osiris. For more information, see the Solar Guide and Underworld Guide on the wall to your left. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange), 2007.12.2.A,B
Egypt Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 26th Dynasty to Ptolemaic Dynasty, 664-32 B.C.E. Bronze with gold inlay Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 43-27
Relief from the Tomb of Ny-ankh-nesuwt
Saqqara Old Kingdom, early 6th Dynasty, ca. 2345-2320 B.C.E Limestone with paint This relief and several others once lined the walls of a funerary chapel that stood over Ny-ankh-nesuwt's burial chamber. On the relief's top register, servants gather papyrus plants from which they fashion rope and a boat. In the middle tier, they fight on similary papyrus boats, and below the bring cattle and fish to Ny-ankh-nesuwt. The boats of the middle register carry fowl, containers of food and even a heifer. Probably the servants on these boats fight each other to be the first to bring Ny-ankh-nesuwt this grand meal. In fact it was hoped taht these servants would magically come to life and feed him in the hereafter. The artist skillfully arranged the images so that the figures and boat on the top register were harmoniously aligned with the boats and servants below. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 30-14
Winged Genie Fertilizing a Date Tree
Nimrud 884-860 B.C.E. Limestone This relief comes from one of the largest kingdoms of the ancient Near East, the Assyrian Empire. Along with many other reliefs, it lined the brick walls of the palace of Ashurnasirpal II (Ash-ur-NAS-ir-pal) in Nimrud, the 9th-century B.C.E. capital of Assyria. The relief depicts a winged genie fertilizing a highly stylized date tree; dates were prized as a nutritious and easily preserved fruit. Although the process of artificially fertilizing date trees was commonly practiced, the relief indicates taht the bearing of frut was regarded as an awesome manifestation of the power of divine forces. The exaggerated muscles of the genie's legs and arms express this power, and the disproportionately large size of his raised right hand draws attention to his labors. The finely detailed patterning of his wings, hair and garment is typical of Near Eastern art. A cuneiform inscription across the relief records Ashurnasirpal's many conquests, all accomplished with divine support. Purchase: William Rockwell Nelson Trust, 40-17
Luristan Early 1st millennium B.C.E. Bronze Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 32-37
Thebes New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1400 B.C.E Paint on straw and mud This fragment comes from a far larger composition of a grand banquet painted in the interior of the tomb of two prominent sculptors, Neb Amun and Ipu-ky. Such banquets frequently appear in tombs since they helped ensure that the desceased would eat well in the hereafter. The cat under the chair still seems ready for a snack. The women wear large codes of scented fat on their heads. As the evening progressed, the cones melted, giving the ladies a perfumed allure. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 64-3
From Italy Mid-2nd Centure C.E. Marble This sarcophogus, or coffin, depicts the Nine Muses, who governed cultural endeavors, and Apollo, their leader, in a sacred grove. The figures are identified by the objects they carry. For instance, Melpomene, the third from the left, carries a tragic mask since she governs tragic theatre, and Urania, the third from the right, points down at a globe since she governs astronomy and astrology. Apollo stands second to the left with his large cithara. On the narrow sides are mythical sea creatures, tritons and sea nymphs. The reliefs on Roman sarcophagi were among the most important sculptures of the ancient world. Many were carved by some of the finest artists of the time. The best were made fro aristocratic families from about 125 C.E. until the collapse of the Roman Empire. The sytle and nature of the reliefs changed exensively during this long period. The Muse sarcophagus opposite this one on the other narrow wall of this gallery was sculpted about one hundred years later. The differences are striking. The figures have become grander. The contrasts of darks and lights have become greater, and the proportions of the figures have changed dramatically. More significantly, the deceased stands prominently among the Muses in the later relief as though she has joined them in the hereafter. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust. 33-38