Inside the MFAH
“Inside the MFAH” provides perspectives, conversations, and opinions from insiders at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Art in Bloom during “Florescence” April 19, 2017
Our galleries are bursting with colorful flowers every day—not just during Florescence, the competitive flower show that comes to the Museum every two years! Here are a few of the floral works of art you’ll spot in the galleries.
Strike a Pose and Find Inspiration with #InstaTourMFAH April 13, 2017
What does Instagram tell us about the MFAH art collections? We created a new way of exploring the Museum: through an Instagram-inspired, self-guided tour.
Beyond Visible: UV-Visible Fluorescence in Works of Art April 11, 2017
Only through examination with ultraviolet illumination can Museum conservators see details such as brushwork with total clarity.
Drawn in by Lines: Examining Old Master Works on Paper in the Horning Collection April 7, 2017
Art collectors Marjorie and Evan Horning gifted many fine works to the MFAH over the years. An online exhibition highlights especially significant objects from this important collection.
The Sun King Becomes Mortal in “The Death of Louis XIV” April 3, 2017
In the new French film The Death of Louis XIV (La mort de Louis XIV), director Albert Serra invites the audience to witness the very last moments of King Louis XIV’s life in 1715 France.
#5WomenArtists on View Now March 30, 2017
As Women’s History Month draws to a close, we remind you to get out and enjoy works of art created by women! This list highlights just five women represented in the MFAH collections, but you’ll find many more as you stroll through the Museum, Bayou Bend, and Rienzi, or browse our online collection. We hope this spotlight helps you answer the question, “Can you name #5WomenArtists?” …
Handling “Ron Mueck”: An Interview with Chief Preparator Dale Benson March 24, 2017
The sculptures in the exhibition Ron Mueck may look like real people, but they didn’t walk into the Museum’s galleries off the street. Just ask Dale Benson, the Museum’s chief preparator—or art handler—whose job was to help orchestrate the placement of the 13 works of art in the galleries. We chatted about what it was like to install the show, which, as Benson put it, is “all about scale.” How …
Mary J. Greenfield Smith’s Window into American History March 22, 2017
In 1843, 14-year-old Mary J. Greenfield Smith stitched an elegant woolwork picture in school—surely not imagining that it would end up in a museum’s collection someday.
In-Gallery Extras for “Colors of the Oasis”: Getting Our Hands Dirty So You Don’t Have To! March 16, 2017
When I first began researching the ikat textiles of the exhibition Colors of the Oasis: Central Asian Ikats, I had no idea it would lead to being up to my elbows (literally) in crushed insects. For the past few months, I’ve been trying out the techniques and processes that were used to create the exhibition’s textiles and vivid colors, including the wide range of flowers, roots, insects, and …
A Confessional Sculpture by Louise Bourgeois March 15, 2017
In March, the Museum celebrates Women’s History Month by highlighting works of art that help you answer the question “Can you name #5WomenArtists?” French-American artist Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) put her emotional life at the center of her art by incorporating autobiographical imagery inspired by childhood trauma. Bourgeois was born in France, where her parents ran a tapestry-restoration …
