Happy Friday! Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re turning our sights toward the night sky with The Stargazer (c3000 BCE) an ancient statue from the Bronze Age.
Stargazer: Quick Bite
Belling’s Bot: Quick Bite Reboot
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re taking a closer look at Rudolf Belling’s Sculpture 23 (1923). Crafted from brass, this radiant, robotic head is a whimsical delight. From its sleek skull to its thick, slightly parted lips, Belling has forged a brassy jumble of shapes and parts to create a brilliant work of art.
Compassion: Quick Bite
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re dipping our toes into Buddhism with a closer look at an enchanting statue of Guanyin (1127–1279 CE, Southern Song Dynasty) on display at the San Diego Museum of Art. This statue of the bodhisattva of infinite compassion and mercy was carved from 16 pieces of wood that have been fused together and decorated with colorful pigments. Join me for a quick head-to-toe tour.
Penelope: Quick Bite
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re taking a closer look at Penelope (1903) by Franklin Simmons. Carved from marble, Simmons’ sculpture is a lovely portrayal of this ancient Greek shero.
Founder: Quick Bite
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re celebrating Presidents’ Day with an up close and personal look at Jean-Antoine Houdon’s terracotta bust of George Washington. Sculpted in the late 1780s, Houdon portrays a pensive, post-Revolutionary War Washington. Houdon’s goal was to depict Washington as a noble, Roman statesman, hence the toga he added to the sculpture. But for a man who eschewed pomp and displays of ego, who would go on to insist on serving only two terms in office, Washington balked at these lofty portrayals.
Wildfire: Quick Bite
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re kicking off February and Black History Month with a masterpiece. The Death of Cleopatra (1876) by Edmonia Lewis is a haunting portrayal of the Egyptian queen just moments after her suicide.
Monolith: Quick Bite
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re serving up a sweet treat. Jun Kaneko’s sleek, black-on-white sculpture is a visual delight. Tricked out in a drippy, geometric pattern, this untitled piece was inspired by dango, a sweet Japanese dumpling.
Night: Quick Bite
Daylight is waning here at Museum Quick Bites so today we’re embracing the darkness and taking a closer look at Raffaelle Monti’s, Night (1862). On display at the Detroit Institute of Arts, this lovely sculpture features a veiled, windswept woman floating above a sleeping baby.
Sacrifice: Quick Bite
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re taking a closer look at a Biblical bargain. Jephthah’s Daughter (1874) by Chauncey Bradley Ives is a stunning sculpture depicting a young woman’s grief upon learning she will be sacrificed (spoiler alert!)…by her father. With head downcast, a tambourine grasped loosely in one hand, she contemplates her tragic fate.
Belling’s Bot: Quick Bite
Today on Museum Quick Bites we’re taking a closer look at Rudolf Belling’s Sculpture 23 (1923). Crafted from brass, this radiant, robotic head is a whimsical delight. From its sleek skull to its thick, slightly parted lips, Belling has forged a brassy jumble of shapes and parts to create a brilliant work of art.
Museum Bites 