Summer is in full swing in Utah, though the last few days (and the coming few days!) promise to be a bit overcast and cooler where we are. I think “The River” by Charles Francoise Daubigny perfectly embodies this lazy, cloud-crowded day. What a perfect excuse to learn more about this painting! Charles Francoise Daubigny was born in 1817 into a family of artists. Though largely trained by his father, his later connection to artists such as Corot (whom he met […]
It’s the last Thursday in May, and that means it’s the last Collection Highlight that doubles as a sneak peak at the UMFA’s Timeline celebrating Art is 100. But I have some good news: that Timeline is on view in our cafe right now! Come in and follow the story of the UMFA– the bonus is that by the time you’ve reached the end, you’re at the counter, and can order a latte. Now, without further ado, let’s learn a little […]
My favorite thing about the #throwbackthursday highlights from the Timeline that we’ve been doing on the blog this month is getting to see things from the perspective of different museum employees. And today brings both a very special piece from our collection and a touching remembrance of an incredible man and donor, as recalled by Luke Kelly, our Curator of Antiquities. Chinese Imperial Vase with Bats and Clouds written by Luke Kelly, Curator of Antiquities The most iconic piece of Chinese porcelain that has […]
There is a hum of activity this week as work on the Timeline (to be posted in the cafe in the coming weeks) heats up. As was alluded to in previous posts, the Timeline will map major moments in the history of the UMFA, and today’s guest post touches on a real treasure. When this piece entered the collection, it put the UMFA in a celebratory mood: thanks to the generosity of Val A. Browning, the people of Utah gained access […]
Welcome to #ThrowbackThursday with the UMFA! Every Thursday for the month of May, we’re exploring pieces in our collection that either mark UMFA milestones, or exemplify something special about the museum. Some staff members have been kind enough to offer some of their thoughts about these pieces. Next up, Ali Monjar explores how UMFA visitors connect to one of our most beloved paintings. James T. Harwood’s Preparations for Dinner written by Ali Monjar, Volunteer and Docent Tour Coordinator James T. […]
To celebrate Art is 100 (100 years of collecting art on campus), the UMFA will be installing a timeline in our cafe that features some of our most important moments. Many of these milestones are marked by works of art as they entered our collection, and each Thursday for the month of May, members of the UMFA staff will act as guest bloggers, exploring one of these highlights; together we will throwback to examine some of these fantastic pieces. Roman Season Sarcophagus written by Virginia […]
One of my favorite recurring features on this blog is the Collection Highlight, which presents a chance to examine more closely a specific work in the museum’s collection. With all the pieces in the collection, any chance to pause and get to know something a little better is a real treat. I decided to let a rather random process dictate how I found something to highlight this time: I simply went to our collection database and vowed to learn what […]
Okay. This is a very difficult work to show and talk about on the internet (yet another argument for seeing art in person!), but bear with me. Allan McLane (August 8, 1746 – May 22, 1829) was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The story of the ambush was covered in a much earlier post on this blog, and I won’t be going into much detail about that here. Rather, in the spirit of fast-approaching Halloween, I want to focus […]
Luke Kelly, our assistant curator, is someone we turn to when we need a little inspiration. He harbors a wealth of knowledge, and is exactly the guy you want around a museum’s collection. He offered up this little gem about our current month: “The month name August comes from the time of the Roman Empire. However, it was not its first name. August was originally known as Sextilis, the sixth month. However, in 8 BCE, the Roman Senate who had […]
214 years ago, on July 15th, 1799, the Rosetta Stone was discovered during Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign. Containing a decree recorded in classical Greek and Egyptian hieroglyphs, researchers could finally decode the mysterious symbols into words. Among the participants in the campaign was Jean–Louis Reynier, whose (very handsome) face guards our galleries. I pass this painting almost every day–mostly because I think he kind of looks like Colin Firth— but until this topic came up as a collection highlight, I had […]
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