The Gilded Dish: A Rienzi Blog
Rienzi is the house museum and collection of European paintings and decorative arts at the MFAH. Our articles highlight elements of the collection, discuss additions and changes to the house or gardens, and review events held at Rienzi for those of you not able to be here in person. Feel free to e-mail rienziblog@mfah.org with questions, comments, and suggestions. Welcome!
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25 AugThu / 2011
Each year, Rienzi closes to the public during the month of August to give curators, conservators, and preparations a chance to evaluate the collection and make repairs to the house. Although void of visitors and docents, this August has been busier than usual for the staff. Rienzi is preparing to open its first major exhibition, English Taste: The Art of Dining in the Eighteenth Century, on Saturday, September 17th as well as open a...
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29 JulFri / 2011
The Reflecting Pool is one of the most prominent and tranquil spaces within Rienzi’s gardens. A large plane of water accented by eight small fountainheads, the pool is surrounded by tea roses and azaleas as well as two outdoor statues, Figure of a Nude by Carol Wilson Crow and The Torchbearers by Charles Umlauf.
As inviting as it might look, any visitor who might venture a quick dip would quickly discover that this pool is only 18...
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18 JulMon / 2011
Yesterday‘s Family Art Workshop at Rienzi celebrated the Caroline A. Ross collection of portrait miniatures. Comprised of 146 European and American miniatures made in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Caroline A. Ross collection delights and fascinates visitors of all ages (some of my favorites are included in the slideshow!). At the Family Art Workshop, families learned about portrait miniatures from instructor Judy Malone-Stein and had the opportunity to create their own tokens of love.
Portrait...
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08 JulFri / 2011
The opening of a photography exhibition has been turning heads at the MFAH in recent days. Helmut Newton: White Women, Sleepless Nights, Big Nudes will be on view through the end of September, featuring images from the famed fashion photographer’s first three books. While there are no satellite exhibitions planned for Rienzi, and I can’t speak for any sleepless nights at the house, we are home to a few White Women, Big Nudes…
Rienzi houses two...
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07 JulThu / 2011
If you step into the Breakfast Room at Rienzi you might come across two guests of the house – Sir Francis and Lady Dashwood have been residing along the far wall for the past few months. Sir Francis and Lady Dashwood at West Wycomb Park, by Nathaniel Dance from 1776, is part of the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Collection managed by the MFAH, and is on temporary loan to Rienzi.
We are lucky to host such a prominent...
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