image above: MAURICE PRENDERGAST (American, 1858–1924) Picnic by the Sea, 1913–15. Oil on canvas. Collection of Milwaukee Art Museum; Gift of the Donald B. Abert Family in his memory, by exchange, M1986.49. Photo by Efraim Lev-er
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Milwaukee Art Museum
Convoy of Wounded: An Artist's Experience of War through March 26, 2023 Edouard Castres’s painting Convoy of Wounded (Franco-Prussian War 1870) received wide acclaim after its display at the 1872 Paris Salon. A citizen of neutral Switzerland and member of the newly formed International Red Cross, Castres (1838–1902) was uniquely positioned to capture the humanitarian disaster that occurred toward the end of the Franco-Prussian War, which lasted 10 months. The French had suffered a decisive defeat by a coalition of German states, and French troops were allowed to enter Switzerland as refugees. Castres and the conflict that inspired the painting are brought into critical focus in this exhibition. Different views of this significant turning point in European history are explored through related periodicals and decorative arts made in response to the conflict. |
Edouard Castres (Swiss, 1838–1902), Convoy of Wounded (Franco-Prussian War 1870), 1870/71.
Oil on canvas. Layton Art Collection Inc., Gift of Frederick Layton L1894.1. [Photo by John R. Glembin] |
Art Institute of Chicago
Face Mask, 20th century
Probably Ubi; Côte d’Ivoire. Private collection, Belgium. Photo by Hughes Dubois |
The Language of Beauty in African Art
through February 26, 2023 This presentation of more than 250 sculptures from dozens of distinct cultures across the African continent is an exploration that seeks to decolonize the Western aesthetic standards long placed on these objects and to elevate the local indigenous perspectives of the works’ makers and communities. When Westerners began to collect and study African art in the early 20th century, they admired objects for a range of perceived qualities; however, they rarely if ever took into account any form of local appreciation, value, or criticism. Western scholarship consequently made many assumptions—some correct and some not—about how visual aspects, like size, rare materials, and embellishments, translated into value in the source cultures. The Language of Beauty—while acknowledging this narrow historical assessment of African art—focuses instead on showcasing the aesthetic evaluations of the communities and makers who produced the works. Many sub-Saharan cultures share similar criteria for beauty: symmetry and balance, moderation, clarity, and youthfulness. Such determinations, however, go beyond the visual and overlap with an object’s meaning and function. Beauty is often tied to goodness and ugliness to immorality. These connections are especially apparent in sculptural representations of the human form, particularly idealized images of powerful men—usually equestrians or warriors—and caring women, typically shown as mother-and-child figures. Beautiful art often plays a role in interactions between the material world of humans and the immaterial world of spirits. Individuals facing illness and other adversity, for example, may attempt to honor or entice the spirits with sculpted human figures featuring elaborate hairstyles or body modifications that are the result of human intervention. The Language of Beauty in African Art is curated by Constantine Petridis, chair and curator of Arts of Africa at the Art Institute of Chicago. A fully illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition and features essays by Petridis as well as other top scholars in the field. |
Saint Louis Art Museum
"Maximilian" Field Armor Holding a War Hammer for a Horseman, about 1525–1530; southern German
armor: steel, iron, and leather with modern restorations, war hammer: etched and blackened steel; 22 5/16 x 4 1/8 inches Worcester Art Museum, The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection 2014.111 and 2014.469 Image © 2021 Worcester Art Museum, all rights reserved |
Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum
February 18–May 14, 2023 The Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum is the nation’s second-largest collection of arms and armor, including more than 1,500 objects ranging from ancient Egypt to 19th-century Japan but with particular strengths in suits of steel armor from medieval and Renaissance Europe. Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum presents highlights from this collection in a major survey of defensive armor in Europe from its origins in the 1300s to today. The exhibition begins with an ancient Greek helmet to demonstrate armor’s long history in Western civilization and includes superb helmets from Japan, India, and Sudan to suggest the universality of armor as a defensive tool and a medium for artistic virtuosity. The heart of the exhibition is the gloriously decorated armors—including several full suits—produced by Renaissance craftsmen in the 1500s. Age of Armor embraces recent scholarship in which parallels are drawn between the design of these suits and clothing fashions to make the point that armor is clothing. Basic forms of plate armor have inspired designers and creators throughout time and into the late 20th century, and the Saint Louis Art Museum’s presentation of this exhibition will add examples of modern defensive gear developed by the US Army as well as representations of armor from Hollywood films. Additionally, the exhibition will include depictions of armor in other artworks from the Saint Louis Art Museum collection, including paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Rubens studio, prints by Albrecht Dürer, and rarely exhibited Flemish tapestries. Presented with generous support from the Betsy & Thomas Patterson Foundation. Major support provided by the E. Desmond Lee Family Endowment for Exhibitions. |
ILLINOIS STATE MUSEUM, Springfield, Illinois
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Edgewise:
Finding a Voice in a World Made for Men through May 27, 2023 This exhibition amplifies the voices of formidable women, queer, and non-binary people who have found ways to get a word in edgewise in a male-centric society. The Museum celebrates the voices and achievements of those Illinoisans who would not be silent. The stories told in this exhibition are the words and deeds of those Illinoisans who have made waves: artists, scientists, designers, teachers, homemakers, mothers, authors, performers, and dreamers. We honor their struggle, courage, fortitude, and passion. Some of the stories speak to power, fighting injustice, and violence. Others are personal stories embedded in the determination to succeed or survive. Yet, all of them shine a light into the time and place where they lived, showing us the obstacles they had to overcome as well as the triumph of getting a word in edgewise. Organized by Elizabeth Bazan, Erika Holst, Tracy Pierceall, and Doug Stapleton |