Schoeffel. Unique necklace inspired by the coral reefs (2008) : With 18 white South Sea pearls from 10 to 17 mm in diameter , 640 diamonds (total 8.80 carats ) , 4,060 rose and pink sapphires (total 59.12 carats), summarized in 18 carat rose gold .

Axel Vervordt and Tatsuko Mickey on the background of the fireplace in the living room. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

Small living room, like almost all living rooms, overlooks the garden terrace. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

Detail of the main space of the penthouse - a large living room. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

The master bedroom. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

Bathroom in the master bedroom. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

The second bathroom, in addition to the bath and shower, equipped with a mini-sauna. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

The third bedroom can also serve as office. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

The third bedroom has a bed for greater versatility replaced couches. Photo: Nikolas Koenig / Archive of Press Service.

Lamprocyphus augustus.

Chrysocarabus auronitens.

Chrysina gloriosa.

Chrysina karshi (Guatemala)

Eucallopistus castelnaudii { Deyrolle, 1864 } { Buprestidae } Malaysia, Perak, Cameron Highlands.

Robert Procop. A Gem Colombian 3.04 ct Muzo Emerald.

Robert Procop. An important gem Colombian emerald. 

This magnificent 28 carat pear shape emerald is held by finely sculptured swirls and eternal loops embracing pear shaped diamonds.

Robert Procop. Important gem 13.20 ct Green Colombian Emerald.

A natural emerald of this size and green color is an exceptional specialty. This magnificent gem quality emerald of 13.20ct, has been expert certified by Dr. A. Peretti of the Gem Research Laboratory as Colombian in origin. This timeless gem quality green emerald is styled with cushion faceting and expertly mounted in master crafted diamond set platinum. Complimenting this cushion emerald are surrounding brilliant white diamonds and a unique handcrafted shank of flowing channel set diamonds making this a one-of-a-kind majestic work of art.

Robert Procop. An impressive 3.3 carat pair of emerald earrings.

Important gem quality Colombian emerald earrings totaling a magnificent 33cts total weight. Colombia is a valued source for very rare, high quality emeralds.

Robert Procop. Exceptional gem 30 ct pendant.

An important gem quality emerald weighing a magnificent 30cts, is certified as Colombian in origin.  Colombia is a valued source for very rare, high quality emeralds.

Pear cut and beautifully faceted, this elegant emerald pendant is set in 18K handcrafted white gold and accented with over 7cts of white diamond micro pave in a triple row.  The emerald has been hand faceted to maximize its brilliance, clarity and color.  This piece with its innovative.

Robert Procop. A 12 ct pair of cushion emerald earrings. 

Gem quality emerald cut emerald earrings, one of 6.61cts and another of 5.56cts for a total weight of 12.17cts. Expert set in hand crafted platinum and surrounded by angled channel set white diamonds totaling 1.97cts tw. Decorative platinum shafts are set with 3 triangle diamonds and micropave leading towards the ear. 

Robert Procop. A rare 23 ct velvet green Colombian emerald ring.

A large gem quality green emerald is certified as Colombian in origin and mounted in a regal hand sculpted platinum setting. Surrounded by a frame of stunning white micropave, white diamonds also graduate down the shank creating a sparkling showcase of white diamond for this magnificent emerald. 

Robert Procop. An 11 ct cushion emerald ring. 

A gem cushion emerald is certified by Dr. A. Peretti from the Gem Research Lab with the rare classification of as being Colombian in origin. Colombia is a valued source for very rare, high quality emeralds. 

Set in handcrafted platinum and accented in brilliant white diamonds with a diamond decorated shank of micro pave diamonds totaling 4.77cts tw.

Robert Procop. An exceptional 15 ct pair of emerald earrings.

From the mines of Colombia come the finest emeralds in the world.  Rare to find are gem quality emeralds of this size, quality and brilliant color with only minor enhancements.  Especially rare and special to find are two of these quality gems complimenting one another in a set.

A glimmering row of round brilliant cut diamonds is precision set in handcrafted platinum around the emeralds.  Above each emerald, a fine pear shape diamond is adorned with a row of round brilliant diamonds.

Robert Procop. A gem quality 11 ct emerald ring.

From the mines of Colombia come the finest emeralds in the world, including this 11ct emerald. Rare to find are gem quality emeralds of this size, quality and brilliant color with only insignificant enhancements. 

Complimenting the fine emerald, round brilliant diamonds are precision set around the center jewel in handcrafted platinum. Round brilliant diamonds adorn the edge of the setting and ascend up the ring shank in a resplendent presentation.

Robert Procop. An important emerald ring.

A stunning emerald cut green emerald is certified by Dr. A. Peretti of the Gem Research Lab as Colombian in origin. Colombia is a valued source for very rare, high quality emeralds. Held in an intricate setting of handcrafted platinum, this emerald is accented with channel set micro pave diamonds and square shank diamonds.

Robert Procop. A gem vivid green emerald ring.

A gem emerald is certified with the rare classification of ‘vivid’ green. Oval faceted, this fine emerald, set in handcrafted platinum is framed by a sparkle of round pave diamonds graduating down onto the shank.

Robert Procop. The 7 ct hexagon emerald earrings.

From the mines of Colombia come the finest emeralds in the world. This rare pair of emeralds earrings are hexagonal in shape. 

This unique pair of quality emeralds matches in fine transparency, size and rich green color.

The earrings are entirely handcrafted in 18K white gold and precision set with white diamonds.

Robert Procop. An exquisite emerald and diamond ring.

This exquisite emerald and diamond ring is a treasure like no other. Precision set square diamonds border a 3ct kite shaped Colombian emerald, while round brilliant diamonds encompass its mirror, a 2ct kite shaped diamond. A baguette diamond detail finishes the top of the ring, resting in between the two center stones.

Robert Procop. A vivid green 10ct emerald ring.

This vivid green 10ct cushion cut emerald is precision set in platinum. Encircling the emerald and flourishing up the shank, round brilliant diamonds adorn this verdant design.

Robert Procop. An exceptional 8ct oval emerald ring.

This 8ct oval emerald is purely saturated with a rich green hue with excellent clarity and fine brilliance. Framed by an elegant row of white diamond micro pave, a secondary row of micro pave is seen at the base of this gem emerald creating intricate detail.
Set in a unique handcrafted platinum ring mounting, the emerald is flanked by an eternity shank of 18 matching oval diamonds totaling over two carats in weight.

Robert Procop. An exceptional 70 carat cushion emerald.

The rarest of all, this gem is certified by three laboratories as non-oiled, no treatment gem quality Colombian.

(source Robert Procop)

The yacht Adix, owned by Spanish Santander banking group and flying a British flag, sails off Testa beach on August 4, 2015, in Pianottoli Caldarello, Corsica, four days after French customs seized a Picasso on board considered a national treasure by Spain. The painting, which French customs said was valued at more than 25 million euros ($27 million), is owned by Jaime Botin, a well-known Spanish banker whose family founded Santander. An attempt to export the painting, "Head of a Young Woman", to Switzerland last July 30 "drew the attention of French officials", the country's customs authorities said, with officers on the French Mediterranean island boarding the vessel the next day. AFP PHOTO / PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA.

AJACCIO (AFP).- A Picasso worth 25 million euros and considered a national treasure by Spain -- which had barred the painting's export -- has been seized from a boat in Corsica, French authorities said Tuesday. 

An attempt to export the painting, "Head of a Young Woman", to Switzerland last Thursday "drew the attention of French officials", the country's customs authorities said, with officers on the French Mediterranean island boarding the vessel the next day. 

The ship's captain could only present two documents regarding the painting, one of which was a May 2015 Spanish court judgement labelling it a work of art and ordering that it not be taken out of the country, French officials said in a statement. 

The painting, which French customs said was valued at more than 25 million euros ($27 million), is owned by Jaime Botin, a well-known Spanish banker whose family founded the Santander banking group. 

The 79-year-old, who was formerly the banking giant's vice chairman, was not aboard the vessel, which is owned by the bank and flying a British flag, a customs authority spokesman said. 

According to the spokesman, the export request was also not in Botin's name. 

An export request was filed for the painting in December 2012 to move it to London, but was opposed by Spain's culture minister because there was "no similar work on Spanish territory" from the same period in Picasso's life. 

This year, a Spanish court sided with the authorities and declared the work of art "unexportable" on the grounds it was of "cultural interest" and could not leave the country. 

It rejected the arguments of Botin, who said that the work should not be considered on Spanish territory because it was on a vessel flying a British flag. 

French customs officials are now awaiting an official Spanish request to recover the painting. 

Spanish police confirmed that "an inquiry has been ongoing for some time" but declined to give further details. © 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

A tourist takes pictures of the yacht Adix, owned by Spanish Santander banking group and flying a British flag, which sails off Testa beach on August 4, 2015, in Pianottoli Caldarello, Corsica, four days after French customs seized a Picasso on board considered a national treasure by Spain. AFP PHOTO / PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA.

Charles Antoine Coypel (French, 1694-1752). Medea, ca. 1715. Pastel; 11 9/16 x 8 1/8 in. (29.4 x 20.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953 (1974.25).

NEW YORK, NY.- The representation of human emotion through facial expression has interested Western artists since antiquity. Drawn from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of drawings, prints, and photographs, the diverse works in About Face: Human Expression on Paper—portraits, caricatures, representations of theater and war—reveal how expression underpinned narrative and provided a window onto the character and motivations of the subjects, the artists, and even their audiences. The exhibition is on view from July 27 through December 13, 2015. 

Cassandra (from Twelve Characters from Shakespeare). Etched and published by John Hamilton Mortimer (British, Eastbourne 1740–1779 London), March 15, 1776. Etching. Plate: 15 5/8 x 12 11/16 in. (39.7 x 32.2 cm) Sheet: 21 7/16 x 15 15/16 in. (54.4 x 40.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Mrs. Olga Sichel and Max Philippson, 1962 (62.557.203).

Using Charles Le Brun’s illustrations for Expressions of the Passions and Guillaume-Benjamin-Armand Duchenne de Boulogne and Adrien Tournachon’s photographic series as touchstones, the approximately 60 works dating from the 16th through the 19th century show how artists such as Hans Hoffmann, Francisco Goya, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, and Thomas Rowlandson explored the animated human face. 

Hans Hoffmann (German, Nuremberg ca. 1545/1550–1591/1592 Prague), Head of a Bearded Man, 1579. Pen and orange-brown ink, brush and brown and black washes, heightened with white, 10-7/8 x 8-1/2 in. (27.6 x 21.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, David T. Schiff Gift, Van Day Truex and Mary Oenslager Funds, and The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1999 (1999.84).

Expression was at one time thought to reveal elements of individual character and was codified through the influential publications on physiognomy by the French artist Charles Le Brun (1619–1690). In 1668 Le Brun delivered a lecture to the French Academy entitled Conférence sur l’expression générale et particulière (Lecture on General and Particular Expression). When published in 1698, the text was illustrated with engravings based on the artist’s drawings—images of facial expressions that range from calm to states of agitation. Le Brun’s rational approach and precise titles were scientific in tone and distilled the chaotic variety of nature into a coherent form that had a lasting influence on European artists. The writings, which came to be known as Expressions of the Passions, were translated into different languages and influenced art theory and practice for the next two centuries. The study of expression became a key component of artistic training in art schools and academies across Europe; so much so, in fact, that by the late 18th century it had also become a rich subject of caricature and other satirical works. 

Jan Georg (Joris) van Vliet (Dutch, Deft ca. 1610–ca. 1635, After Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) (Dutch, Leiden 1606–1669 Amsterdam), Laughing Man in a Gorget, 1625–40. Etching; first state of two, sheet: 9 3/16 x 7 11/16 in. (23.3 x 19.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, A. Hyatt Mayor Purchase Fund, Marjorie Phelps Starr Bequest, 1983 (1983.1115.9).

In the mid-19th century, the pioneering French neurologist and physiologist Guillaume-Benjamin-Armand Duchenne de Boulogne conducted experiments involving the application of electrical current to stimulate the animation of the face. Wishing to move beyond abstract theory and into a scientific foundation for the study of facial expression, Duchenne published a scientific grammar of human emotions to be used as study material by artists at the École des Beaux-Arts. For this purpose, Duchenne collaborated with Adrien Tournachon (brother of the famous Nadar), a photographer who specialized in portraiture, to use the evidentiary power of photography to record his experiment precisely. The resulting series of gripping photographic portraits, made between 1854 and 1856, directly follow the physiognomic tradition of Le Brun and occupy a unique place at the intersection of art, science, and sentiment. Some 30 of these portraits are presented in the installation. 

About Face: Human Expression on Paper is a collaboration between the Met’s Department of Drawings and Prints, and its Department of Photographs.

Wolfgang Huber (German, Feldkirch/Vorarlberg ca. 1485/90–1553 Passau), Bust of a Man, 1522. Black and white chalk on red prepared paper. Overall: 11 9/16 x 7 7/8 in. (29.4 x 20 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, A. Hyatt Mayor Purchase Fund, Marjorie Phelps Starr Bequest, 1983 (1983.1115.9).

Sebald Beham (German, Nuremberg 1500–1550 Frankfurt, The Head of Christ Crowned with Thorns, ca. 1520. Woodcut. Sheet: 19 3/8 x 12 11/16 in. (49.2 x 32.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1923 (23.18).

Pillow in the shape of an infant boy, 19th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm); W. 4 in. (10.2 cm); L. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.426). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

NEW YORK, NY.- An installation of some 100 precious carvings in Chinese and Mogul jade and other hardstones, collected by Heber R. Bishop, will go on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art beginning March 14. Featuring various types of objects—from containers for everyday use and pendants to ornaments intended for an emperor’s desk— A Passion for Jade: The Heber Bishop Collection will illustrate the wide range of the lapidary’s repertoire. 

Double-cylinder vase with cover, 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911).  China. Jade (nephrite); H. 6 1/2 in. (16.4 cm); W. 3 1/2 in. (9.2 cm); D. 2 3/4 in. (7.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.370a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

An industrialist and entrepreneur, Mr. Bishop was an active patron of the arts and a Trustee of the Metropolitan Museum during its formative years. In the late 19th century, he assembled a collection of more than a thousand pieces of jade and other hardstones from China and elsewhere, and in 1902, he bequeathed the collection to the Museum.  

Headdress ornament, 14th–16th century, Yuan (1271–1368)–Ming (1368–1644) dynasty. China. Jade (nephrite); H. 1 5/8 in. (4.2 cm); W. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm); L. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.391). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dating from Han dynasty (221-207 B.C.) to the 20th century, the objects on view in the installation will be selected entirely from the Museum’s collection. They will include outstanding Qing-dynasty (1644-1911) examples that are representative of the sophisticated art of Chinese lapidaries, as well as highly accomplished works by Mogul Indian jade carvers that provided an exotic inspiration to their Chinese counterparts. Also on display will be a set of Chinese lapidary tools and illustrations of jade workshops in China. 

Crab, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 1 1/4 in. (3.1 cm); W. 4 15/16 in. (12.6 cm); L. 3 1/8 in. (8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.377). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Headdress ornament, 13th century, Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 2 3/16 in. (5.6 cm); W. 1 3/4 in. (4.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.392). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Temple attendant, late 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 11 15/16 in. (30.4 cm); W. 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm); L. 4 3/4 in. (12 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.411). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Reclining Horse, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm); W. 8 3/8 in. (21.2 cm); D. 2 15/16 in. (7.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.437). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Boy with water buffalo, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 5 3/16 in. (13.2 cm); W. 4 3/16 in. (10.6 cm); L. 7 5/16 in. (18.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.438). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 Seal with two dragons, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 3 3/8 in. (8.5 cm); W. 4 3/16 in. (10.6 cm); D. 4 3/16 in. (10.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.464). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Table screen with landscape scene, 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 6 13/16 in. (17.3 cm); W. 9/16 in. (1.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.518). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Two cranes holding peaches, 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 1 9/16 in. (3.9 cm); W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); L. 1 11/16 in. (4.3 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.555). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Bottle in the shape of a gourd, 19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm); W. 5 1/16 in. (12.9 cm); D. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.588a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Table screen with landscape scene, 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 8 3/8 in. (21.2 cm); W. 5 1/16 in. (12.8 cm); D. 1 1/4 in. (3.1 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.617a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Bell, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 8 3/8 in. (21.2 cm); W. 5 1/16 in. (12.8 cm); D. 1 1/4 in. (3.1 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.617a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Seated luohan (arhat) in a grotto, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 7 11/16 in. (19.5 cm); W. 6 3/4 in. (17.2 cm); D. 2 11/16 in. (6.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.640). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

God of Longevity, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm); W. 1 11/16 in. (4.3 cm); D. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.651). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Vase in the shape of a bird, 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm); W. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm); D. 2 11/16 in. (6.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.658a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Incense burner with cover, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 5 9/16 in. (14.1 cm); W. 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm); D. 6 5/16 in. (16 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.665a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Boulder with Daoist paradise, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 10 9/16 in. (26.8 cm); W. 17 15/16 in. (45.6 cm); D. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.684). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Basin, dated 1774, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 7 5/8 in. (19.3 cm); W. 29 15/16 in. (76. 1 cm); D. 16 15/16 in. (43 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.689). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Vase, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). India. Jade (nephrite); H. 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm); W. 4 1/2 (11.4 cm); D. 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.759). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Bracelet, 18th–19th century, Mughal period (1526–1858). India. Jade (nephrite) with gold, enamel, and stone inlays; Diam. 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.771). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Box with tray, 18th–19th century, Mughal period (1526–1858). India. Jade (nephrite) with gold and stone inlays; Box: H. 2 5/16 in. (5.9 cm); W. 2 5/16 in. (5.9 cm); D. 1 5/16 (3.3 cm) Tray: H. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm); W. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm); D. 3/8 in. (1 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.777a–c). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ink Palette, 18th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite), silver (case); Ink pallet: H. 4 3/16 in. (10.6 cm); W. 3 1/16 in. (7.8 cm); D. 9/16 in. (1.5 cm) Water horn: H. 1 5/8 in. (2.7 cm); L. 11 in. (27.9 cm); Th. 1 1/16 in. (4.1 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.798a–d). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Portrait of Heber R. Bishop, 1898, Berquin-Varangoz Workshop. France. Jade (nephrite); H. 10 in. (25.4 cm); W. 8 in. (20.3 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.800). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Bonbonnière, 1898, Berquin-Varangoz Workshop. France. Jade (nephrite); H. 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm); W. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.801). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Miniature mammoth of Siberia, 1900. Russia. Jade (nephrite); W. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm); D. 1 5/16 in. (3.3 cm); L. 2 11/16 in. (6.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.807). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Vessel in the shape of a bird with archaic designs, 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Rock crystal; H. 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm); H. incl. base 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.832a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Covered vessel in the shape of a bird, 18th–19th century, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Rock crystal; H. 3 in. (7.6 cm); W. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm); D. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.838a, b). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Paperweight, 1899. Russia. Jade (nephrite); H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); W. 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.808). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Seated luohan (arhat) in a grotto, 18th–19th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Lapis lazuli; H. 7 1/8 in. (18.1 cm); W. 10 in. (25.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.917). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Seated luohan (arhat) in a grotto, 18th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Malachite; H. 9 in. (22.9 cm); W. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Bequest of Edmund C. Converse, 1921 (21.175.136). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Seated luohan (arhat) in a grotto, 18th–19th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm); W. 5 in. (12.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Bequest of Edmund C. Converse, 1921 (21.175.145). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Temple attendant, 18th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 12 × W. 6 1/2 in. (30.5 × 16.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.5.12). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Polishing Wheel for Jade, 20th century. China. Wood;  H. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm); Diam. 4 in. (10.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981 (1981.296.22). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Polishing Wheel for Jade, 20th century. China. Stone;  H. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm); Diam. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981 (1981.296.23). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Polishing Wheel for Jade, 20th century. China. Leather;  H. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); Diam. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981 (1981.296.24). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Polishing Wheel, 20th century. China. Gourd material;  H. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); Diam. 3 in. (7.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981 (1981.296.25). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Small Polishing Wheel, 20th century. China. Leather;  H. 1/8 in. (0.3 cm); Diam. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981 (1981.296.26). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Small Polishing Wheel, 20th century. China. Gourd material;  H. 3/8 in. (1 cm); Diam. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981 (1981.296.27). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Trumpet-Mouth (Abrasive-Holder), 20th century. China. Metal;  L. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm); Diam. 1 in. (2.5 cm)). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981 (1981.296.28). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Bergdorf Goodman Archives. Coctail & Evening Dresses: Dior.

Photographer Alice Alexander's apartment in a XVIII century palazzo in the Piazza Maggiore in the medieval town of Mondovi. Photo Mads Mogensen

Robert Procop. The Parisian Collection.

The 1925 International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris introduced the world to a new esthetic. Inspired by Egyptian and Aztec forms, art deco became the culmination of the modern Parisian style of the 20's. Over the last century, artisans have revitalized the styles of this Art Deco period, adding further color and modernism to their inspirations.

Today we create new designs with dynamic colors using innovative cutting techniques to facet the gems with excellent brilliance and shapes.

Robert Procop. Parisian Rubellite and White Diamond Ring.

This faceted rectangular cushion ring, set with a brilliant red rubellite and white diamonds, is innovatively designed to lay elegantly on the finger length wise. 

Hinting at the timeless elegance that inspired it, this ring artfully displays a single row of brilliantly cut diamonds around the main stone, flowing into a Deco inspired double split diamond shank reflecting the vibrancy of the Parisian 20’s. 

Robert Procop. Parisian Rubellite Deco Earrings.

These Deco rubellite and diamond earrings are paired with a matching necklace in an exquisite suite that reflects the grandeur and opulence of the era that inspired it. 

The roaring twenties were a time of glamour and elegance, and the influence of this era impacted architecture and design in all mediums across America. Characteristic of the Deco style, the round and rectangular shapes are juxtaposed to create a sense of vibrant and eclectic excitement.

Robert Procop. Parisian Aquamarine Deco Earrings. 

A river of twinkling blue aquamarine gems precision set in 18K white gold create a beautiful adornment of soothing blue.  

Robert Procop. Rubellite Parisian Deco Earrings

With innovative design, these vibrant rubellite earrings combine the linear shapes of the emerald cut with the flowing movements of the oval cut.  

 The double row of brilliant diamonds on the angular stone sets it apart from the single row design of the rounder gems.  This piece reflects added dimension and a contemporized flair from the elegant Deco era.

Robert Procop. Parisian Blue Topaz Deco Earrings.

The soft shimmering hues of blue topaz are beautifully framed by white diamonds in these Deco-influenced earrings of white gold.  

Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen 1577 - 1640 Antwerp), Helena Fourment ("The Fur"), c. 1636-1638, oak panel, 176 x 83 cm© KHM-Museumsverband.

Helena Fourment ("The Fur") in visible light with lead mapping. © KHM-Museumsverband.

VIENNA.- Point of View #13 focuses on Rubens’ celebrated portrait of his second wife, Helena Fourment (1614-1673); the artist and his family always referred to the painting as “The Fur”. In many respects, this is a highly unusual work that invites a closer look - especially as Rubens did not produce it for the art market but for his own enjoyment. Recent technological analyses have revealed spectacular new information on the genesis of this highlight of 17th century Netherlandish portraiture. In connection with the exhibition Rubens in Private. The Master Portrays his Family at the Rubenshuis in Antwerp the painting was analysed using recently-developed technology - with astonishing results. A multi-disciplinary team comprising a scientist from the University of Antwerp, an art-historian from the Catholic University of Louvain, and a conservator from the Restoration Workshop of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna analysed the picture using macro x-ray fluorescence scanning, a non-invasive technique that identifies the different elements comprising the paint layers. It maps the various elements of visible and no-longer visible paint layers, allowing us to reconstruct the genesis of the composition. 

Today, the painting shows us a full-length nude portrait of Helena, with nothing but a fur coat thrown over her shoulders, standing on a red carpet in front of a dark background. If you look carefully, you can make out a lion mask spouting water on the right. Such fountainheads were generally found outdoors, proffering the question where exactly Rubens positioned his young wife. Mapping the area behind Helena on the right for lead revealed something remarkable: Rubens had initially depicted his wife in front of a two-tier fountain set in a semi-circular niche topped by a puer mingens, a small stone figure of a curly-haired boy holding up his shirt to urinate. Clearly, Rubens had first depicted Helena outdoors. 

This fountain sculpture was inspired both by a classical statue now in the Louvre that Rubens had seen and drawn in Rome, and by ideas gleaned from works by Titian. This type of fountain is unique in his oeuvre. The Renaissance regarded a urinating boy as a symbol of fertility and sexuality. And Helena Fourment was undoubtedly a fecund woman: in her ten-year marriage to Rubens she gave birth to five children and had another six with her second husband, Jan-Baptist van Brouchoven van Bergeyck. 

However, it seems that either the fountain detracted too much from her celebrated beauty or that Rubens found the reference too crude after all – whatever the reason, the master decided to repaint the background in a dark natural colour, replacing the basin of the fountain with a carpet and a red pillow. 

But an analysis of the arrangement of the oak panels carried out by the restorers of the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s Conservation Studio has revealed that this was not the only radical change in the course of the work’s genesis. Rubens started out with a halflength figure, probably informed by Titian’s Young Woman Wearing a Fur Coat that he had seen and copied in the collection of King Charles I of England during his sojourn in London. Today, Titian’s painting is also in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, and for the duration of Point of View #13 both masterpieces will be united in Room 24 of the Picture Gallery. 

Rubens painted this portrait of Helena for his own enjoyment, which allowed him to give free rein to his imagination, enlarging the oak panel as he saw fit to produce the mysterious portrait of his young wife we see today. Questions such as why is Helena wearing nothing but a fur coat, or is she drawing it around her shoulders or about to let it slide to the floor remain up to the spectator to decide. 

In 2012 the Picture Gallery began a series of exhibitions entitled Points of View, each of which showcases a single exceptional artwork from the collection that is rarely exhibited either due to lack of hanging space or where recent research has revealed interesting new aspects that invite visitors to take a closer look.

Sylvie Lander, Ex Tempore, tondo de verre Ø 250 cm (mur ouest du transept sud : place de la première horloge astronomique en 1352). Courtesy the artist © DR.

STRASBOURG.- Initiated by the European Studio Glass Art Association (ESGAA) and its president, Laurent Schmoll, the International Glass Biennale has organized, from October 15 to November 29 2015, its sixth edition: Lux Aeterna. 

This Biennale has become the major event of the glass medium, the Biennale traces a rich journey of exhibitions and cultural events, made possible through the cooperation of many public sites, museums, galleries or ephemeral spaces, such as the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Strasbourg (MAMCS), the European Center for Contemporary Artistic Actions (CEAAC), the Barrage Vauban, the Regional Fund for Contemporary Art in Alsace (FRAC), the Lalique Museum and the Cathedral of Strasbourg, which in 2015 celebrates the millennium of its foundation. 

For six weeks, the International Glass Biennale will present in 21 different cultural locations, more than 60 artists, from Marc Chagall to Daniel Buren, to regional artists such as Sylvie Lander or Mathilde Caylou and a new generation of artists combining heritage and modernity. The Biennale takes place not only at the crossroads of Europe, but also at that of studio glass practices as Alsace-Lorraine is its historical home with major glass names and producers such as Lalique, Meisenthal, Baccarat and Saint-Louis. This region has established itself as the real reference of savoir-faire , mastery and expertise of this delicate art. 

If the glass is an old medium it keeps renewing and investing innovative and multidisciplinary domains. It comes through the Biennales in endless forms and varieties, including all mediums: video, sculpture, design, architecture... Glass brings its singular vision in contemporary art creation and a new generation of artists emerges from it: glassmakers, glass blowers, stained-glass window makers... Real glass artists are now graduating from the HEAR (High School of the Arts of Rhine) or from the CERFAV (European Center for Research and Training in Glass Arts) of Vannes-le-Châtel. They perpetuate glass skills and techniques, rich from a new prospective vision and resolutely turned towards contemporary creation. 

The International Glass Biennale, the only event dedicated to this medium, is a reflection of this art and these new techniques. 

Sylvie Lander, Ex Tempore, tondo de verre Ø 250 cm (mur ouest du transept sud : place de la première horloge astronomique en 1352). Courtesy the artist © DR.

Ex Tempore est une pièce en verre composée de deux épaisseurs peintes, cuites au four et assemblées. Un travail de gravure en surface et une mise en peinture de l'engravure parachèvent l'œuvre.

Ex Tempore : Sylvie Lander a voulu, par la superposition des deux disques, apporter la profondeur et le mouvement. Le bleu de l'espace, la présence simultanée du jour et de la nuit, la matière noire, les trous noirs, les glacis superposés créent un flottement spatial.
En citation graphique, une libre interprétation de l'astrolabe de Conrad Dasypodius (circa 1570), gravée et peinte au premier plan, dérobe à la vue et oblige à porter le regard vers l'intérieur. Le désaxé de ces engrenages superposés crée une spirale dynamique. 

Ex Tempore, invitation à arrêter l'horloge des hommes, à gripper leur mécanique du temps pour le rendre un instant à sa dimension métaphysique. Invitation à quitter l'unité de temps, de lieu et d'action pour envisager son propre rôle dans l'éternelle comédie humaine. Opportunité de jouer en suivant la consigne – extemporeanus – de jouer à discrétion, en une libre interprétation sa propre partition.

Françoise Petrovitch, Cages, proposé en collaboration avec le Centre International d’Art Verrier (CIAV) de Meisenthal.  Production CIAV / Meisenthal. Photos Hervé Plumet ( Musée de la Chasse / Paris). Courtesy Semiose Paris.

Huiyu Yan, Installation diplôme Rose c’est la vie. Verre au chalumeau, 2014. Courtesy the artist © DR.

Bernard Dejonche, "Black Fusion, White Fusion" © J. Crous

Helena Tapajnová, Horse. Courtesy the artist © DR.

For more than two millennia, lacquer has been a primary medium in the arts of East Asia. This installation explores the many ways in which this material has been manipulated to create designs by painting, carving, or inlaying precious materials such as gold or mother-of-pearl. Drawn entirely from the permanent collection, this display celebrates the artistry and creativity needed to work this demanding material while illustrating both the similarities and differences found in the lacquer arts of China, Korea, and Japan.

Tray with flowering plum and birds, early 15th century. Ming dynasty (1368–1644). China. Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay; H. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); W. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm); L. 24 3/8 in. (61.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Lent by Florence and Herbert Irving (L.1996.47.39).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

The wonderful flowering plum tree and two plump birds that fill the center of this tray illustrate the skillful manipulation of shapes and colors of the inlaid motherof-pearl to create a powerful, dramatic scene. Long narrow pieces of iridescent shell define the rock terrain, while irregular pieces form the clump of rocks in front of the trunk of the flowering plum. Fragments of mother-of-pearl create the craggy trunk of the ancient tree, which bears buds in several stages of flowering.

Writing Box with Chinese Poet Su Dongpo and Attendant, second half of the 18th century. Edo period (1615–1868). Japan. Black lacquer with gold, silver, and red togidashimaki-e; H. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm); W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm); D. 9 3/4 in. (24.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881 (81.1.170).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

This writing box depicts one of the most famous poets and statesmen in Chinese history, Su Dongpo (also known as Su Shi, 1037–1101). He is often represented riding on the back of a donkey, a poor man’s conveyance and a symbol of the eremitic life of a scholar-poet. His young attendant is holding a gourd presumably filled with wine, which also helps identify the figure as Su Dongpo, who was also famed for his consumption of this beverage. The lush and detailed surface of this box was created by burnishing sprinkled gold and silver powders to achieve a smooth surface, a technique known as togidashimaki-e.

Writing Box with Design of Plum Blossoms and Moon, 18th century. Edo period (1615–1868). Japan. Reddish-brown lacquer with gold hiramaki-e, lead, and mother-of-pearl inlay; H. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm); W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm); L. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891 (91.1.630).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Both Chinese and Japanese poetry contain allusions to the delicate beauty of plum blossoms in the moonlight and their subtle fragrance. This literary allusion underlies the imagery on this box and is particularly appropriate to its function as a container for an ink stone and brushes.

Incense Box with Fragrant Grass Design, 14th century. Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Carved black, red, and yellow lacquer; H. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm); Diam. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891 (91.1.645).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Box with Geometric Designs, late 17th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay; H. 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm); Diam. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891 (91.1.672).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The five distinct geometric patterns on this box are composed of extraordinarily small, thin fragments of pearl shell. This is a refined version of the technique of inlaying mother-of-pearl into a black lacquer surface that was developed in the twelfth century. Fragments of pearl shell were sometimes tinted or painted on the back to enhance their natural colors, such as pink and green.

Writing Box with Yellow Rose Flowers and Rushing Stream, 18th century. Edo period (1615–1868). Japan. Black lacquer with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, togidashimaki-e and cutout gold foil application; 2 In. (5.1 cm); W. 10 in. (25.4 cm); D. 9 in. (22.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913 (14.40.832a–m).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

The lid of this box is decorated with yellow kerria rose blossoms (yamabuki ) in arching sprays with bright green leaves. These flowers are associated with the Ide no Tamagawa (Jewel River) near Kyoto, a link that may have been formed after the respected poet and official Tachibana no Moroe (684–757)planted them on the banks of the river. The Ide no Tamagawa has long been featured in Japanese poetry: 

The bottom of the Tama River at Ide
Reflecting the image above,
Is so clear that flowers of the
Yellow kerria add layer upon layer

Fujiwara no Shunzei (1114–1204)

Box with Pommel Scroll, late 13th–14th century. Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Carved red and black lacquer; H.1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm); Diam. 5 in. (12.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929 (29.100.713).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ubiquitous in the decoration of carved lacquer and also found in clay and metal, the design on this box was designated the “pommel scroll” as early as the Song period (960–1279), and this term is widely used in the cataloguing of lacquer. It refers to the pommel of a sword, which is an unexpected prototype for a design in another material. The Japanese term guri, or bent wheel, is also sometimes used to categorize lacquers with this design.

Screen with Birthday Celebration for General Guo Ziyi, dated 1777. Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95). China. Carved red lacquer; Open flat: 84 1/8 in. × 12 ft. 4 in. (213.7 × 375.9 cm) Open curved: 84 1/8 in. × 11 ft. 3 13/16 in. × 35 7/16 in. (213.7 × 345 × 90 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Mrs. Henry-George J. McNeary, 1971 (1971.74a–h).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This lacquer screen shows the bustling activity accompanying a birthday party in a large residential compound. An inscription on the back of the screen indicates that it was made in honor of a certain General Zhen. The image on the screen is an often depicted scene of a celebration in honor of Guo Ziyi (697–781), one of the most famous generals in Chinese history. The use of this particular subject would have been an obvious compliment to General Zhen, and the screen may have been presented to him on an important occasion, perhaps his sixtieth birthday.

Box with Peonies, 15th century. Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Yongle period (1403–24). China. Carved red lacquer; H. 2 3/4 in. (6.4 cm); Diam. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, Arthur M. Sackler Gift, 1974 (1974.269a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Frequently depicted in carved lacquer, peonies are important in East Asian art and are understood as symbols of royalty, rank, wealth, and honor. On this box, additional flowers (camellias, tree peonies, pomegranates, and chrysanthemums) are carved along the sides. This is one of several pieces in the collection carved with a six-character mark reading “Made during the reign of the Yongle Emperor” (Da Ming Yongle nian zhi ) on the bottom. Use of such marks, which are more commonly found in ceramics, began in the early fifteenth century and continued in all media into the twentieth. Works so marked are thought to have been produced for the court.

Sutra Box with Dragons amid Clouds. Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Yongle period (1403–24). China. H. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm); W. 5 in. (12.7 cm); L. 16 in. (40.6 cm; H. 2 3/4 in. (6.4 cm); Diam. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, Sir Joseph Hotung and The Vincent Astor Foundation Gifts, 2001 (2001.584a–c).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Vigorous, sinewy dragons are frequently depicted on works produced during the reign of the Yongle emperor. Intended to hold a Buddhist text made in the Chinese handscroll format, elegant boxes like this one were produced for both use at the court and as diplomatic gifts, particularly to Tibet.

Tray with Scene from the Tale of Genji, early 17th century. Edo period (1615–1868). Japan. Black lacquer with gold maki-e and mother-of-pearl inlay; H. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm); W. 30 1/8 in. (76.5 cm); D. 16 1/8 in. (41 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.2).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dish with Two Boys, 16th century. Ming dynasty (1368–1644). China.Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay. H. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); W. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm); D 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm); Diam. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, The Vincent Astor Foundation Gift, 2005 (2005.265).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Chest with a Single Drawer, late 16th–early 17th century. Momoyama period (1573–1615). Japan. Gold lacquer with hiramaki-e and mother-of-pearl inlay; gilt copper fittings; H. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm); W. 13 3/16 in. (33.5 cm); L. 19 7/16 in. (49.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, Barbara and William Karatz Gift, 2008 (2008.182a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This spectacular chest belongs to a category of goods known as nanban (literally southern barbarians), produced for trade with Portugal and other European countries in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. While the shape of the chest derives from European traditions, the geometric patterns on the top and sides were most likely influenced by the Indian textiles that were widely traded at the time. On the other hand, the delicate floral scroll on the front is an East Asian motif, imported into Japan from China around the eighth century.

Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807–1891), Tiered Food Box with Summer and Autumn Fruits, ca. 1868–90. Meiji period (1868–1912). Japan. Brown lacquer with gold, silver, and colored lacquer maki-e; H. 16 1/8 in. (41 cm); W. 9 in. (22.9 cm); D. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, The Vincent Astor Foundation Gift and Parnassus Foundation/Jane and Raphael Bernstein Gift, 2010 (2010.143a–g).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This box, designed for the storage and serving of sumptuous edibles at festive occasions, has a continuous design of summer and autumn fruits, including grapes, melons, loquats, and pears. The lacquer ground is a rich, very dark brown decorated with metal and colored lacquer applied using a variety of techniques to create the different fruits.

Box with Pommel Scrolls, first half of the 14th century. Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Carved red and black lacquer (tixi). H. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); W. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm); L. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.1a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The pommel scroll is so-named because it resembles the shape of a Chinese sword pommel. This design is often seen in objects decorated with layers of contrasting colors of lacquer, particularly red and black. Found predominantly on ceramics, metalwork, and lacquer from the thirteenth century, there is no known explanation for the creation and popularity of this motif. However, it may have been inspired by the antiquarianism of the period, when motifs that were based on, or presumed to be based on, the Chinese Bronze Age were incorporated into the designs of many types of objects.

Tray with Pommel Scrolls, 14th century. Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Carved red and black lacquer. H. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm); W. 6 1/2 (16.6 cm); L 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.2).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Box with Dragons amid Clouds, late 13th–early 14th century. Southern Song (1127–1279)–Yuan (1271–1368) dynasty. China. Carved black, red, and yellow lacquer. H. 3 in (7.6 cm); Diam. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.4a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The feline dragons that curve along the surface were inspired by comparable creatures found on Bronze Age vessels rediscovered during the Song dynasty and often reinterpreted in the arts of that period. Although they lack the large heads, horns, and prominent snouts often seen in Chinese depictions, they remain auspicious and protective.

Box with Garden Scene. Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Yongle period (1403–24). China. Carved red lacquer. H. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm); Diam. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, Sir Joseph Hotung and The Vincent Astor Foundation Gifts, 2001 (2015.500.1.6a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On the cover, two men seated on a veranda overlook a body of water while relaxing. One plays the zither, the other listens. Three attendants, one inside the nearby pavilion, also enjoy the music. Such scenes, which depict the cultured lifestyle of the scholarly class and record their artistic skills, became ubiquitous in Chinese painting and decorative arts after the fourteenth century.

Cabinet with Figures in a Landscape, 18th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95). China. Carved red lacquer; H. 13 in. (33 cm); W. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm); L. 35.9 in. (35.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.10a–e).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This two-door cabinet looks as if it is two separate boxes held together by the gilt-bronze handles at the top, but it is actually a single piece. The six side panels are decorated with figures along a riverbank or on a garden terrace by the water, with receding hills in the far distance. The tops of the two drawers are adorned with deer in a landscape. The sharp, precise carving of the red lacquer is characteristic of works produced in Qianlong workshops, as is the deeply carved brocade pattern that serves as the background.

Tray with Figures in a Landscape, 16th century. Ming dynasty (1368–1644). China. Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay; H. 1/8 in.; Diam. 10 5/8 in.(27 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.13).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The scene on this dish, which shows a gentlewoman, her maid, and two young attendants walking toward a young man hiding near a pavilion on a moonlight evening, suggests a romantic tryst. It may derive from Romance of the West Chamber, China’s most popular love story. Written by Wang Shifu (ca. 1260–1336) during the Tang dynasty (681–907), it is a tale about star-crossed lovers: Zhang Sheng, a young impoverished scholar; and Cui Yingyin, the daughter of a high-ranking official.

Box with Peony Scrolls, 15th–16th century. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Korea. Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay; H. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); W. 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm); L. 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.3.2a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Korean lacquers from the early Joseon period expanded on the earlier tradition of using mother-of-pearl inlay by covering the entire surface with a single element, such as the peony scroll on this box. The use of slightly larger pieces of pearl shell and a greater interest in negative space also help to distinguish this box from those produced in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries.

 Incense Box with Pommel Scroll Design, 13th–14th century. Southern Song (1127–1279)–Yuan (1271–1368) dynasty. China. Carved polychrome lacquer. H. 1 3/8 in. (3.6 cm); Diam. 4 in. (10 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.17a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This design is commonly known as the "pommel scroll" pattern because the bracket-shaped scroll resembles the pommel of a Chinese sword. The design was popular in lacquer, ceramics, and metalwork in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and remained important in carved lacquer in the fifteenth century.

Lobed Box, 14th century. Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay and pewter wires. H. 7 in. (17.8 cm); Diam. 8 5/8 in. (22 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.21a–c).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Lacquer boxes with lobed sides and pewter trim are unique to the Yuan dynasty. Many were fitted with an interior tray that probably held cosmetics, combs, hairpins, and other adornments. 

Tray with Pommel Scroll, 14th century. Yuan (1271–1368)–Ming (1368–1644) dynasty. China. Carved red and black lacquer. H. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm); Diam. 12 1/2 in. (31.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.24).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Tray with Women and Boys on a Garden Terrace, 14th century. Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Carved red lacquer. H. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); Diam. 21 7/8 in. (55.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.31).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A masterpiece for its the lush carving and size, this tray depicts two women and twenty-three children on a terrace near a pavilion overlooking a lotus pond. One woman is seated on an openwork seat, the other stands. She holds one child and another clutches her skirt. A third crawls toward them. One of the boys is hiding in a rock, three play in a shallow tub of water, two ride hobby horses (a toy perhaps invented in China), and several take part in a procession that likely imitates those of court officials, a common site in major Chinese cities in the fourteenth century. 

Lozenge-Shaped Dish with Garden Scene, 14th century. Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). China. Carved red lacquer. H. 7/8 in. (2.2 cm); W. 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm); L. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.32).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The scholar gentleman walking with his attendant, who is holding a zither, appears to be leaving his pavilion, either after having just participated in an event or perhaps on his way to another that would have included music, poetry, painting, and wine.

Dish with Immortals Playing Weiqi. Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Xuande period (1425–46). China. Carved red and green lacquer. H. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm); W. 5 7/8 in. (14.9 cm); L. 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.33).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The shape of this dish, often described as a lotus, appears to have been produced primarily during the short reign of the Xuande emperor. The figures playing weiqi, a chesslike game known in Japan as go, in a remote location under moon light, can be identified as Daoist immortals by their clothing—for example, the short cape of leaves worn by the figure seated with his back to the composition. Immortals playing chess in remote locations are often found in Chinese art and literature.

 Sutra Covers with the Eight Buddhist Treasures. Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Yongle period (1403–24). China. Red lacquer with incised decoration inlaid with gold. L. 28 1/2 in. (72.4 cm); W. 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm); H. of each cover 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.52a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This pair of sutra covers was made for an edition of the Tibetan Buddhist canon, comprising 108 volumes, produced in Beijing at the order of the emperor in 1410. A triple flaming jewel—symbolic of the Buddha, his teaching, and the monastic community—is the central motif. Four additional emblems, part of a set known as the Eight Treasures, flank the jewels. Inscriptions in Tibetan and Chinese on the back of each set of covers identify the texts once contained within, in this case a volume listing the names of the one thousand Buddhas born in the current cosmic era.

Pair of Sake Caskets, late 16th–early 17th century. Momoyama period (1573–1615). Japan. Red and black lacquer (Negoro ware). L. 9 5/8 in.(24.5 cm); W.9 1/8 in. (23.2 cm); H. 20 in. (50.8 cm); W. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm); L. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.2.17a–d).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Red lacquer utensils were produced in Japan as early as the Heian period (794–1185). During the subsequent Kamakura period (1185–1333), Buddhist monks at the Negoro-ji temple in present-day Wakayama Prefecture began producing furnishings covered in red lacquer layered over black lacquer. Wares made using lacquer in this manner later became known as Negoro wares.

This pair of sake casks could be suspended by cords from the two rings at the top and easily transported. Such casks were often used as congratulatory gifts. The earliest surviving examples date to the early sixteenth century.

Writing Box with the Poet Kakinomoto Hitomaro (died 715), 17th–18th century. Edo period (1615–1868). Japan. Black lacquer with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, cutout gold and silver foil application; lead rim. L. 9 5/8 in.(24.5 cm); W.9 1/8 in. (23.2 cm); H.2 in. (5.1 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.2.19a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

His posture as he reclines on an armrest with his hand atop his left knee and his concentrated expression identify this figure as Kakinomoto Hitomaro, the patriarch of Japanese poetry. Believed to have been born near Nara, Hitomaro served at the court and later as a provincial official.

Hitomaro’s poems are often suffused with a deep personal lyricism. The imagery on the inside of this box illustrates one of his most famous works: 

Dimly through morning
Mists over Akashi Bay my
Longings trace the ships
As they vanish beyond
the island.

Box for Books with Waterfall, 16th century. Muromachi period (1392–1573). Japan. Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, cut-out gold and silver foil application and silver inlay on black lacquer ground. L.10 1/4 in. (26 cm); W. 71/4 in. (18.4 cm); H. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.2.20a, b).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Originally this extravagantly decorated box held books, which could be pushed up through a hole at the base. It was later converted into a box for writing implements. The decoration of a pine, cypress, plum, and camellia set in a mountainous landscape with a waterfall and temples fills the entire surface of the box, from the top to the beveled sides, and remains uninterrupted whether the box is open or closed. The decoration may refer to classical poetry, though the scene cannot be definitively identified.

Food Box with Striped Decoration and Chinese Figures, early 17th century. Momoyama (1573–1615). Japan. Black lacquer with gold and silver maki-e and mother-of-pearl inlay. H. 10 5/8 in. (27 cm); W. 7 11/16 in. (19.5 cm); D. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.2.31a–f).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The geometric patterns on the side of this tiered food box derive from Indian and Southeast Asian textiles introduced to Japan as part of the global trade that linked different parts of Asia with each other and with the West. The clothing and setting identify the three figures on the top of the box as Chinese, and it is possible that this use of figural imagery was spurred by an awareness of the depiction of figures in contemporaneous lacquer from China and Okinawa (Ryūkyū Islands).

Box with Crabs and Waves, 17th century. Edo period (1615–1868). Japan. Lacquered wood with gold hiramaki-e and e-nashiji on black lacquer ground; H. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm); W .6 in. (15.2 cm); L.12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, Barbara and William Karatz Gift, 2008 (2015.500.2.33a–f).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The somewhat unusual shape of this box suggests that it might have been used to hold implements for painting, such as ink stones, brushes, and pigments. Variations in texture on the crab shells and in the rendering of the dramatic waves are a result of the different sizes and densities of the sprinkled gold, and of the various methods used to apply the gold powder. This box, with its bold and decorative design, could have been used by a well-to-do individual living in a cultural center such as Edo (present-day Tokyo)or Kyoto.

 Stationery Box with Moon and Autumn Grasses, 18th century. Edo period (1615–1868). Japan. Black lacquer with powdered and sprinkled gold and silver hiramaki-e and silver foil application; H. 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm); W. 5 7/8 in. (14.9 cm); L. 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Purchase, Barbara and William Karatz Gift, 2008 (2015.500.2.42a–c).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The almost indiscernible bits of silver foil and powder that line the edges of the wild grasses, bush clover, and miscanthus are intended to illustrate the reflection of bright moonlight in an autumn field. Also found in China, the custom of holding moon-viewing parties is thought to have begun in Japan during the Heian period (794–1185). In addition to contemplating the harvest moon, offering sake while praying for an abundant harvest and writing poetry were also part of the festivities.

Dish with Garden Scene, 15th century. Ming dynasty (1368–1644). China. Carved red lacquer. H. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm); Diam. 7 3/34 in. (19.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015 (2015.500.1.73).  Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The elegant grounds and inviting pavilions that are often depicted on Chinese carved lacquer in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries reflect the prevalence of such settings in the cities of southern China, where they served as venues for entertainment and as private spaces conducive to self-reflection and renewal.

Joachim Wtewael, Self-Portrait, 1601, oil on panel, Collection Centraal Museum Utrecht, Purchase 1918. © Centraal Museum Utrecht / Adriaan van Dam

Washington, DC—The brilliantly colored and highly sensual works by Utrecht master Joachim Wtewael will be showcased in the artist's first monographic exhibition, from June 28 through October 4, 2015, at the National Gallery of Art, Washington. Pleasure and Piety: The Art of Joachim Wtewael (1566–1638) includes nearly 50 of his finest paintings on canvas, copper, and panel, as well as selected drawings.  Ranging from portraits and moralizing biblical scenes to witty mythological compositions, these works underscore the artist's reputation as a remarkable storyteller.

Joachim Wtewael, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1598, oil on canvas, Collection Centraal Museum Utrecht, Purchase with support from the Vereniging Rembrandt, 1935. © Centraal Museum Utrecht / Ernst Moritz

"Wtewael was one of the most important Dutch artists at the turn of the 17th century, but unlike some of his contemporaries—Hendrick Goltzius, Abraham Bloemaert, and Cornelis van Haarlem—Wtewael has not been the subject of a solo exhibition," said Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art. "This exhibition sheds light on Wtewael's artistic excellence, allowing him to reclaim his rightful place among the great masters of the Dutch Golden Age."

Joachim Wtewael, The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, 1600, oil on canvas, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, Purchase, Nelson Gallery Foundation, F84-71 / Jamison Miller.

Organization and Support
The exhibition is organized by the Centraal Museum Utrecht; the National Gallery of Art, Washington; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation. The exhibition was on view at the Centraal Museum from February 21 through May 25, and will be on view in Houston from November 1, 2015, through January 31, 2016.

The exhibition in Washington is made possible by The Exhibition Circle of the National Gallery of Art.

It is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

Joachim Wtewael, The Apulian Shepherd, c. 1600–1605, oil on copper, Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection.

Exhibition Highlights
The exhibition presents the artist's finest works, selected by the curatorial team from the 100 or so known paintings and drawings in private and public collections in Europe and the United States. "Pleasure" and "piety" are constant motifs in these works, which were rendered from the imagination and from life—two approaches to Dutch painting at the time. The exhibition covers three galleries and is organized thematically.

Joachim Wtewael, Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan, 1604–1608, oil on copper, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Digital image courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program

Wtewael painted compelling portraits of family members and close associates, and his ability to capture the likeness and character of a sitter is exceptional. The exhibition opens with pendant portraits (both 1601) of Wtewael and his wife, Christina, on loan from the Centraal Museum Utrecht. In his Self-Portrait, Wtewael holds his paintbrushes, while a Latin motto on a wall plaque declares that he seeks "Not Glory, but Remembrance." In her portrait, Christina points to her husband with one hand and holds a prayer book or Bible with the other; a coin scale on the nearby table alludes to her thrifty management of the household. Several other portraits are also on view in the first gallery, along with large-scale biblical and mythological scenes, including The Death of Procris (c. 1595–1600) from the Saint Louis Art Museum and Lot and His Daughters (c. 1597–1600) from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Joachim Wtewael, The Golden Age, 1605, oil on copper, Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Purchase, The Edward Joseph Gallagher III Memorial Collection, Edward J. Gallagher Jr. Bequest; Lila Acheson Wallace Gift; special funds; and Gift of George Blumenthal, Bequest of Lillian S. Timken, The Collection of Giovanni P. Morosini, presented by his daughter Giulia, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Spear Jr., Gift of Mrs. William M. Haupt, from the collection of Mrs. James B. Haggin, special funds, gifts, and bequests, by exchange, 1993. Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Nearly one-third of Wtewael's extant paintings are on copper, a smooth shiny support that yields intense luminosity. Popular in the late 16th and early 17th century, paintings on copper appealed to an elite clientele that valued their exquisite delicacy. Wtewael's talent for executing these meticulous, miniature scenes was celebrated by both critics and patrons, including Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, who owned one work by Wtewael, most likely The Golden Age (1605) from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Joachim Wtewael, Kitchen Scene with the Parable of the Great Supper, 1605, oil on canvas, Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. Bpk, Berlin / Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen / Jörg P. Anders / Art Resource, NY

Among Wtewael's wittiest mythologies are his depictions of Vulcan, god of fire, catching his wife Venus, goddess of love, and Mars, god of war, in bed and exposing their adulterous affair. Though a pious Calvinist, Wtewael depicted the lovers' predicament on several copper sheets. In each of the three versions on view, Vulcan stands next to a lavish bed having just ensnared the couple in a bronze net, while several other gods look on. Small enough to be tucked away, these jewel-like works were kept private and brought out only for those who would appreciate the erotic subject. 

Joachim Wtewael, Mars, Venus, and Cupid, c. 1610, oil on copper, P. & N. de Boer Foundation, Amsterdam.

Wtewael also made large narrative paintings that focus on a single figure, including the sensuous and evocative Perseus and Andromeda (1611) from the Louvre in Paris, and the remarkable Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (1600) from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City.

Wtewael made many sophisticated variations of his own compositions, raising questions about his workshop practice. He may have made these versions for his own satisfaction rather than for the market, since a number of his paintings remained in his possession until his death.

Joachim Wtewael, Perseus and Andromeda, 1611, oil on canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris, Département des Peintures, Gift of the Société des Amis du Louvre, 1982. © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY

Two versions of The Annunciation to the Shepherds (made in or about 1606), from the Rijksmuseum and Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation, illustrate the passage from the gospel of Luke (2:8–14) in which shepherds, watching their flock by night, are visited by an angel who bears tidings of the birth of Christ. Subtle differences between the two compositions exist, but infrared reflectography made during the recent restoration of the Rijksmuseum picture reveal that the two paintings were initially nearly identical.

Joachim Wtewael, The Wedding of Peleus and Thetis, 1612, oil on copper, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts. Image © Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA / Michael Agee.

The exhibition concludes with a selection of Wtewael's exquisite drawings. Among them is a series of four drawings related to a commission he received to paint 12 glass panels for the town hall of Woerden, west of Utrecht. The series depicts the early stages of the Dutch Revolt, a struggle for independence from Spain dating from 1568 to1648. The designs on view chronicle the events through the tribulations and triumphs of the Dutch Maiden, the allegorical personification of the Netherlands. 

Joachim Wtewael, The Judgment of Paris, 1615, oil on panel, The National Gallery, London, Bequeathed by Claude Dickason Rotch, 1962. © National Gallery, London / Art Resource, NY 

About the Artist
Wtewael's career began in his native Utrecht, where he studied with his father, a glass painter. During an extended period of travel to Italy and France he became inspired by the school of Fontainebleau; Wtewael returned to Utrecht in about 1592 and quickly embraced the international mannerist style—one characterized by extreme refinement, artifice, and elegant distortion. Aside from his artistic career, Wtewael was a successful businessman who amassed great wealth from his flax business, as well as real estate and stock equities. An orthodox Calvinist, Wtewael was a loyal supporter of the House of Orange. He was active in local politics, serving on Utrecht's city council, and was a founding member of the Utrecht artists' guild in 1611. 

Joachim Wtewael, The Kitchen Maid, c. 1620–1625, oil on canvas, Collection Centraal Museum Utrecht, Purchase with support from the Vereniging Rembrandt, 1999. © Centraal Museum Utrecht / Ernst Moritz

Throughout his career, Wtewael remained one of the leading proponents of the international mannerist style. His inventive compositions, teeming with choreographed figures and saturated with pastels and acidic colors, retained their appeal even when most other early 17th-century Dutch artists shifted to a more naturalistic manner of painting. Nevertheless, Wtewael's paintings were highly regarded during the Dutch Golden Age, but were largely neglected during later centuries. This exhibition reveals the full scope of Joachim Wtewael's remarkable and fascinating artistic output. 

Joachim Wtewael, Moses Striking the Rock, 1624, oil on panel, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund.

Joachim Wtewael, Venus and Amor, c. 1610s?, pen and brown ink, brush and gray ink, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam. Studio Buitenhof, The Hague.

Joachim Wtewael, Allegory of the Dutch Revolt, The Dutch Maiden Assisted by Prince Maurits of Orange, c. 1612, pen and black ink and gray wash, white gouache, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Digital image courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program.

Joachim Wtewael, The Wedding of Peleus and Thetis, 1622, pen and brown and black inks, brush and gray ink, white gouache, Teylers Museum, Haarlem.

Le bracelet Niloticus d’Hermès.

Le Bracelet Galop d'Hermès en or rose et saphirs bleus.

Le collier Chaîne d'Ancre Enchaînée en or blanc et diamants d'Hermès.

Bergdorf Goodman Archives. Coctail & Evening Dresses: Jean Dessès.

1955 Porsche 356 Speedster - Professional Restoration. Estimate $240,000 - $260,000. Photo by David Newhardt, Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

Professionally restored to factory condition in 2015, this 1955 Porsche Speedster is an early “Pre-A” model with all the qualities that made Porsche a household name in 1950s American sports car racing. The Speedster was introduced in 1954 after New York importer Max Hoffmann convinced Ferry Porsche there was a market for his cars in the U.S. Ferry had told Hoffmann of his plans to sell perhaps five Porsches a year to the American market, to which Hoffmann famously replied, “I’m not interested unless I can sell that many per week!” By 1955 Hoffmann was selling fully 30 percent of Porsche’s output. The sporty Porsche America had preceded the Speedster, but when it proved too expensive even for Hoffman’s moneyed clients, he proposed a lightweight, spartan convertible priced to compete with the wave of British sports machinery arriving in America. The Speedster was based on the Cabriolet, but the similarities ended there. It was strictly a two-seater, with a low, chrome-framed windshield and a removable soft top and rudimentary side curtains. Lightweight seats, minimal interior trim and a plain dash contributed to saving 150 pounds and hundreds of dollars compared to regular-production Porsches, which were usually left behind the Speedster in heads-up competition. This 1955 Speedster’s excellent original body was stripped to bare metal and repainted in correct Ivory, then reassembled with factory-restored and re-plated hardware and a new wiring harness. In addition to a new Red interior, the car features many original components, including the engine and transaxle, doors, hood and engine cover, ignition switch, bumper guards, door handles, headlights and tail lights. The date-coded 16-inch wheels and restored “peashooter” exhaust are also original to the car, which is brilliantly finished throughout, with exacting fit and finish worthy of the Porsche name. Furthermore, this car is accompanied by a Porsche certificate of authenticity.

Mecum Monterey 2015

1955 Porsche 356 Speedster. 1600 CC, 4-Speed. Estimate $240,000 - $260,000. Photo by David Newhardt, Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

This 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster is one of the last built before the overarching transition to the new 356A specification. It was originally a California car, residing on the Monterey Peninsula until its new owner relocated it to his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has long served the purpose for which it was intended, which was to serve double duty as both a road car and a racer, and it has a great racing history that includes participation in the late 1980s in the La Carrera Classic, an open-road race held annually in Mexico as part of the Silver State Classic Challenge Triple Crown based in Nevada. Finished in Metallic Blue with a Black interior and soft top, it is well-equipped for competition and road use, and presents with a distinct competition flavor attributable to its twin chromed racing mirrors, front bonnet hold-down straps, vestigial front and rear bumpers, chromed early VW-style wheels and the low-cut windshield that was a Speedster trademark. A padded competition steering wheel, snug-fitting bucket seats with safety harnesses and centrally mounted fire extinguisher give the cockpit a racy air as well. Lifting the engine cover reveals a 1,600CC version of the horizontally opposed Porsche four-cylinder in place of the original. Sourced from a 1964 356C, it has been fitted with a set of Porsche 912 pistons, a common practice for extracting maximum power from the 1600-series engine. This well-prepared dual-duty Speedster comes with documentation back to the early 1970s and comes with a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity.

Mecum Monterey 2015