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!
Posts Tagged Sculpture
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13 AugMon / 2012
Once the sculpture’s restoration in its many phases was complete, an additional challenge remained: getting the 800-pound piece back to Rienzi. The project required some calculated planning and a pinch of fairy dust.
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13 AugMon / 2012
The restoration of 'La Fée aux fleurs' was a six-month process. "I had never seen the sculpture 'Tinker Bell,' but its existence had acquired an almost mythical quality. It was obviously of some significance, possibly French 19th-century. Ingrid and I thought that if we removed all the rust and old paint that obscured the intricate details, and invested a lot of time, the cast-iron sculpture might look impressive again.
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13 AugMon / 2012
It’s a rare treat to find something you already own and enjoy it like new. A gift of that sort recently came to the museum, when a discovery made in a storage room resulted in a magnificent addition to Rienzi’s sculpture collection. A cast-iron sculpture of a winged fairy and cherub shows the pair delicately perched on a circular mount, holding a tendril of flowers between them.
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15 DecThu / 2011
This past Tuesday, Christie’s New York auction house held a sale of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry, 80 pieces totaling a whopping $116 million. At the top of that list, was a necklace featuring one of the most celebrated pearls known in the world – La Peregrina.
The pearl is familiar in Rienzi’s gallery, where it is prominently depicted in a full-length portrait of Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain from 1605. The jewel made its way to...
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14 SepWed / 2011
Dear Readers,
Today we have a special treat - a behind-the-scenes look at the restoration of two terracotta lions made by John Charles Felix Rossi that flank the doors to Rienzi's Foyer by the MFAH's Conservation Department. Guest blogger, Ingrid Seyb, Assistant Conservator of Objects and Sculpture, shares her insights on the process of repairing, restoring, and preserving these handsome pieces.
We hope you enjoy!
- Casey & Caroline
