Leonardo Leaves Us

Leonardo da Vinci: Drawings from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin drew 40,000 visitors to the Museum from September 28 to November 9. The unprecedented loan of 11 drawings and Leonardo’s celebrated “Codex on the Flight of Birds” is the largest group of drawings by Leonardo in any single collection in Italy. The drawings went on to be exhibited at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco Legion of Honor through January 4.

Anne Forschler-Tarrasch, PhD, The Marguerite Jones Harbert and John M. Harbert III Curator of Decorative Arts, will publish a children's story on the discovery of hard-paste porcelain at Meissen in the British children's journal Aquila in May 2009. The story will be illustrated with objects from the Museum's Meissen collection currently on view in our galleries.

New Hands, Native Lands         

Marilyn Smith and Martha Pezrow, Collectors

Thursday, January 8, 10:30am

Smith and Pezrow discuss contemporary Native American southwest textiles and ceramics that show how today’s artists keep these art forms alive with the blending of the traditional and innovative.  Refreshments and discussion follow.

Sunday, January 11, 2pm

Join us for this 30-minute New Hands, Native Lands highlights tour led by Museum docent Nancy Lee Adamson.

Magnificent Mantelpiece

Anne Forschler-Tarrasch, Ph.D., The Marguerite Jones Harbert and John M. Harbert III Curator of Decorative Arts

Tuesday, January 13, Noon

Join Forschler-Tarrasch as she discusses our exquisite 19th-century Carrara marble mantelpiece set with Wedgwood jasperware plaques and medallions, a recent Museum acquisition. She will talk about this special commission created by the Wedgwood factory, its history, and its relevance to the Museum's growing collection of Wedgwood.

Saturday, January 17

Benjamin West: The Boy Who Loved to Draw

Told by Graham C. Boettcher, PhD

The story of one determined seven-year-old and his quest to become an artist.