Gold pendant for a deity, set with rubies and emeralds, some of them engraved, and diamonds, South India, eighteenth-early nineteenth century. Susan L. Beningson Collection (057.24). Courtesy American Federation of Arts.

When Gold Blossoms: Indian Jewelry from the Susan L. Beningson Collection

Through December 28

Please see page two.

October, November, December 2008

2

Indian JewelryThis dazzling exhibition presents more than 150 objects from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Among them are exquisite rings, anklets, earrings, hair pendants, jeweled crowns, ivory combs, and an elaborate swing and a gold throne for a deity. They demonstrate the preference for gold in South Indian jewelry, the focus of the Beningson Collection.

As Dr. Molly Emma Aitken, the curator of the show, points out in her fascinating catalogue essay, “Ornament…means life in India. It is auspicious, and it protects and brings growth and prosperity. It is inherent to beauty. It is a pleasure. But it is also a vital repository of social meanings.”

When Gold Blossoms is a feast for the eyes and examines the technical brilliance and extraordinary craftsmanship of these pieces. They can be incredibly seductive. At the same time, the exhibition reveals their many social meanings.

Indian jewelry not only signals social status, but can have spiritual power. Dr. Aitken notes that “Gold is thought to purify those it touches and gems to focus planetary influences that benefit those who wear them.”

As the use of the word “blossoms” in the title indicates, many of the designs draw on forms from nature. There are ear studs in the form of a lotus; armbands with petal-and-leaf weaving;

a bracelet of jeweled fish set with emeralds and rubies; a tiger-head bracelet with enamel work set with rubies, diamonds, and pearls; and a cobra-head braid ornament set with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and pearls. The bounty and spiritual dimension of nature dominate.

Not surprisingly, some of the most elaborate pieces in the exhibition honor Hindu deities. In the gold pendant pictured on the cover, Krishna sits on a lotus throne, flanked by his consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama. His hand is raised in a blessing. Other objects pay homage to Hindu kings, who were viewed as manifestations of or closely connected to the gods.

Some objects were designed to be worn in daily life and others for special occasions like weddings. Just like today, jewelry is

created to enhance the beauty of women and to convey their social standing. Perhaps most important, Indian jewelry points to women’s marital status and happiness.

Photographs from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries will enhance understanding of the

pieces and will demonstrate how the jewelry was both worn and used. “Exhibitions of Indian art are rarely seen in our area and especially one so stunning,” said Museum Director Dr. John Schloder, who has revived interest in Asian art at the MFA. “These objects are rich in historical and cultural meaning, but they can be admired for their brilliance alone.”

Susan L. Beningson has developed a major collection of Indian jewelry. She is both a collector and a scholar and is a doctoral candidate at Columbia University. Selections from her collection were recently featured in The Sensuous and the Sacred: Chola Bronzes from South India, organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

The handsome fully illustrated catalogue accompanying When Gold Blossoms: Indian Jewelry from the Susan L. Beningson Collection is available in the Museum Store for $49.95. The reproductions are superlative.

The exhibition is organized by the Asia Society and Museum, New York. The national tour of the exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts. The national tour of this exhibition is made possible, in part, by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, with additional support from the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation Fund for Collection-Based Exhibitions at the American Federation of Arts.

J ewelry intensifies the experience of love, enhancing its textures, weights, sounds, and movements. In sculpture and painting, necklaces accentuate bosoms, girdles emphasize hips, and earrings dip and turn with the tilts

of heads. In literature, too, jewelry emphasizes both the gestures of love and its contours. Radha’s necklaces tremble, expressing her excitement, and Krishna’s earrings sway, accentuating his actions.

— Dr. Molly Emma Aitken

It is human weddings … that primarily support jewelers in India. More than six billion dollars are spent in India on weddings each year, and it is thought that more than half of this is spent on jewelry. So crucial is jewelry to weddings (and vice versa), goldsmiths can face hard times when India’s astrologers deem a year unsuitable for weddings.

— Dr. Aitken

The hardcover catalogue for When Gold Blossoms: Indian Jewelry from the Susan L. Beningson Collection would make a perfect holiday gift.

The reproductions are striking, and the essay by Dr. Molly Emma Aitken examines the sheer beauty of the objects, as well as their symbolism.

It is available in the Museum Store for $49.95.

3

ExhibitionsAnsel Adams and the American WestFINAL WEEKS, through November 30

The Museum has enjoyed a long connection with the twentieth-century master Ansel Adams (1902-1984). He encouraged Alan Du Bois in his development of a photography collection and even donated three images to the Museum. Over the years, the MFA has presented several exhibitions of his work. Ansel Adams and the American West is one of the largest and most compelling.

Thirty-two of the nearly 60 photographs are by Adams, including two mural-scale prints. Drawn from the Museum’s holdings and from collectors in the state, Ansel Adams and the American West combines some of his most important photographs with images by his contemporaries and those who followed in his wake. While their visions are individualistic, they share a fervor for capturing and reinterpreting the American West. Chief Curator Dr. Jennifer Hardin selected the images.

Many of the photographs capture different views of Yosemite National Park, which stirred Adams’s interest in the medium as a child and continued to inspire and renew him throughout his life. As an adult, he returned to the park nearly every year.

The Museum’s exhibition includes a large-scale photograph of Adams’s famous and popular Monolith, The Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California (1927). Also on view are Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California (1944), which the MFA acquired directly from the photographer in the early 1970s, and Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico (1941), considered by many to be perhaps his finest work.

Another 24 images are by such gifted artists as Edward and Brett Weston, Laura Gilpin, Eliot Porter, Minor White, William

Clift, Don Worth, Lewis Baltz, John Pfahl, and Jerry Uelsmann, who chaired the photography department at the University of Florida for many years. Most of the artists represented have, like Adams, demonstrated a profound respect for and concern about the environment.

Ansel Adams and the American West makes intriguing comparisons between the way Adams and Clift, for example, treat White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. In his 1952 work, Adams emphasizes the sheer scale, the monumental architecture of the cliff, while in his 1975 image, Clift looks at the overall setting. In addition, the installation juxtaposes Adams’s more abstract, Sand Dunes, Sunrise, Death Valley National Monument, California (1948) with Huntington Witherill’s Dune Form #4, Death Valley (1986). The latter is almost minimalistic. Or compare Adams’s Aspens, New Mexico (1958) with Worth’s Trees and Fog, San Francisco (1960). Both have a mystical cast.

All of the images combine to offer a meaningful context for Adams’s work, while demonstrating his towering presence in the history of photography. Above all, Ansel Adams and the American West provides a rare opportunity to see some of the most memorable photographs ever created.

Generous lenders to the exhibition include Anne von Rosenstiel; the Rubin Family and the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, the University of Florida; Dr. Richard E. and Mary B. Perry; Mary Ann Upham Will; and William Knight Zewadski and the law firm of Trenam, Kemker, Scharf, Barkin, Frye, O’Neill, and Mullis. Key works by the more contemporary photographers were generously given by former Board President Carol A. Upham.

Ansel Adams (American 1902-1984)Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California (1944)

Museum Purchase with funds from NEA and FACF grants©The Trustees of The Ansel Adams Publishing

Rights Trust. All Rights Reserved.

A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed, and is thereby a true manifestation of what one feels about life in its entirety.

— Ansel Adams

This vibrant work is part of Bejeweled: Indian Miniatures and Sculptures from the MFA Collection, on view from September 13-December 28. The figures in such works often wear the lavish jewelry displayed in When Gold Blossoms. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy a selection of the Museum’s eighteenth and nineteenth-century Indian miniatures, which are rarely shown because of their fragility.

Worship of Shri NathjiNathadwara (about 1850)

Opaque watercolors and gold on paperGift of Dr. Edwin Binney III

4

Beauty in Common Things: American Arts and Crafts Pottery from the Two Red Roses FoundationOctober 4, 2008–February 15, 2009

This exhibition features approximately 80 superb examples of pottery from the American Arts and Crafts movement by such esteemed potteries as Rookwood, Grueby, Newcomb College, Marblehead, Teco, Saturday Evening Girls, and Overbeck. Furniture and paintings will place the ceramic objects in context and create environments that will enhance understanding of the Arts and Crafts movement in America.

The quiet strength and dignity of the mat-glazed Grueby vases is matched by the richly grained oak furniture of Gustav Stickley. The gentle color combinations and Japanese-inspired decoration on the work of the Marblehead Potteries find their counterpoint in the exquisitely painted furniture of the Byrdcliffe Colony. All the works are on loan from the Two Red Roses Foundation, one of this country’s most important private collections of Arts and Crafts objects.

Reacting against the crassness of industrial production and seeking to elevate the decorative arts to the level of the fine arts, fervent Arts and Crafts reformers advocated the reintegration of art into everyday life. The implications were both social and aesthetic, and touched upon critical issues such as the role of women in society and the search for a modern style. This exhibition is curated by Dr. Martin Eidelberg, Professor Emeritus of Art History at Rutgers University, and Dr. Jonathan Clancy of the Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Museum Director Dr. John Schloder writes in the introduction to the catalogue that “this exhibition and its accompanying catalogue explore the ceramics of this transformative, turn-of-the-century movement. Most of the great ceramic producers are represented with artful works that people lovingly used in their homes and in their everyday life and, increasingly nowadays, collect for their own aesthetic pleasure.”

The collection was developed by Rudy Ciccarello of Florida. After seeing and admiring a reproduction of an early 1900s bookcase made by Gustav Stickley, he soon became immersed in studying the American Arts and Crafts movement. He has written: “I grew to appreciate the historical importance of the movement, the craftsmen, and the wonderful pieces of art they produced — I was hooked.”

His private collection, slightly more than 10 years in the making, eventually grew too much for his home, and he had to begin storing the objects in a warehouse. This inspired the formation of the Two Red Roses Foundation, which is designed to increase awareness of the Arts and Crafts movement nationally, in part through exhibitions. In addition to pottery, the holdings encompass furniture, ceramic tiles, woodblock prints, metalwork, lighting, and paintings.

In their catalogue essay, Dr. Eidelberg and Dr. Clancy explore the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement and how these goals played out in the creation of actual objects in material culture. There was a reaction, for example, against the effects of industrialization and a call for individual creativity. But the curators note that “the tension between handmade and serial production remained one of the fundamental and insolvable problems within the Arts and Crafts movement. Reform theory praised handwork as of supreme importance, but the reality of the modern economic world showed great accommodations.”

Arts and Crafts pottery developed partly in response to British theorists, but over time assumed a more distinctly American character. By the turn of the century, the objects were mostly marked by restraint and simpler forms and an overall sense of harmony. They were not “busy” with ornamentation.

In the exhibition and catalogue, the curators examine the new view of the beneficial values of work advanced by the Arts and Crafts theorists and practitioners. Handicraft, it was argued, offered an alternative to mind-numbing and exploitative factory jobs. By encouraging the contributions of the individual craftsman in a more humane setting, work was made joyful and liberating.

This was both a social and aesthetic movement, and the debate over the dignity of the worker and the quality of the workplace is still with us today. Many aspects of the Arts and Crafts movement strike us today as very modern. Just think of the spare forms that were to characterize so much of modern art and design.

The catalogue, available in the Museum Store for $49.95, documents all of the works exhibited and sheds new light on the origin and meaning of “Arts and Crafts.” It is written by two of the leading experts in the field.

In addition, Dr. Eidelberg will present the annual Wayne W. and Frances Knight Parrish Lecture at 4 p.m. Sunday, October 5. He will discuss “Arts and Crafts Pottery, What’s in a Name?”

Beauty in Common Things continues a Museum tradition of displaying the finest ceramics from around the world. But this represents the first substantial exhibition of American Arts and

Vase with Landscape (about 1914-1917)Glazed orange-red

terra-cotta earthenwareDesigned and executed by Frederick Hurten Rhead

©Two Red Roses Foundation

Newcomb College Pottery, Bowl with Rabbits (1902)

Glazed earthenwareDesigned and executed by Marie de Hoa Le Blanc, potted by Joseph Fortune Meyer

©Two Red Roses Foundation

5

Crafts pottery at the MFA — work that continues to influence ceramic artists today.

The History of Photography is the History of Everything: 100 Highlights from The Drapkin CollectionOctober 18, 2008-January 4, 2009

This expansive exhibition provides an overview of one of the largest private collections of photography in the country. The Drapkin Collection includes approximately 5,000 images, which made selecting 100 works especially challenging. They will be on view in the large central gallery of the Hazel Hough Wing, the Museum’s premiere exhibition space.

Dr. Robert L. Drapkin began collecting photography in 1975 while conducting research at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. His first purchase was a group of large-format Edward Curtis photogravures of Native Americans. This foray set the tone for the future of the collection. Dr. Drapkin has continued his interest in nineteenth-century photographs, the largest part of his holdings. Ever curious, he has added many twentieth-century works over the years.

In his introduction to the recently published book, Parallel Processes — Striking Images: 19th and 20th Century Photographs from the Drapkin Collection, he writes: “After many years of collecting ‘any image of interest,’ I moved to Florida in 1979 and found friendly like-minded souls at the Museum of Fine Arts. The then curator [Alan Du Bois] asked me if I would like to exhibit some of my 19th-century photographs in the museum. Seeing my photographs hanging on the museum’s walls was a revelation to me and changed the way I looked at and collected photography. Few images at a distance looked good on large blank museum walls and by this I mean few images attracted the viewer to come closer to the image and study what the photographer was attempting to communicate. I decided to concentrate on collecting images that would ‘grab’ your attention…”

Chief Curator Dr. Jennifer Hardin, who has curated this exhibition, calls The Drapkin Collection “a visual history of the modern era.” As a result, the exhibition features works in every known photographic media. There are early daguerreotypes and

a number of salt prints by Henry Fox Talbot, one of the medium’s inventors. Also on view are ambrotypes, tintypes, and albumen prints, some of which are hand-colored, as well as a wide range of late nineteenth-century pictorialist works, including platinum and gum bichromate prints. There are numerous gelatin silver prints, which dominated much of twentieth-century photography.

The images appear in many formats, including full-plate daguerreotypes by Southworth and Hawes, mammoth albumen prints by Carleton Watkins, dime-size tintypes, stereoviews, and cartes de visites and cabinet cards, which heralded the concept of celebrity. The subjects and themes in The Drapkin Collection encompass portraits, landscapes (some are rare daguerreotypes), genre scenes, professions and trades, and vernacular advertising. The photojournalism is extensive and fascinating: early works of the Crimean War by Roger Fenton; Civil War photographs by Matthew Brady, Alexander Gardner, and Timothy H. O’Sullivan; and closer to our own time, a look at the McCarthy hearings. Images focusing on international travel, archeology, and science and medicine provide insights into history and this incipient form of expression.

Major figures are represented by key works: Julia Margaret Cameron, Alfred Stieglitz, Gertrude Käsebier, Clarence H. White, Eugène Atget, Lewis Hine, Margaret Bourke-White, and Aaron Siskind from his series Terrors and Pleasures of Levitation.

Dr. Hardin noted that when she was hired in 1995, “the Museum was co-organizing an exhibition from The Drapkin Collection, curated by Valerie Ann Leeds and Arthur Blumenthal, now the retired Director of the Cornell Art Museum at Rollins College. They invited me to see the collection. Having been a Mellon Intern in the Department of Photography at the Princeton University Art Museum, I was stunned by the collection’s scope and quality and the rarity of certain works.

“I was also struck by Bob’s and Ranee’s openness and generosity. They both have an incredible knowledge of and passion for the medium, and to this day, Bob is one of the

The handsome hardcover book, Parallel Processes — Striking Images: 19th and 20th Century Photographs from the Drapkin Collection, is available in the Museum Store for $65. This is the most comprehensive catalogue to date of these impressive holdings.

Edouard Baldus (French, 1815-1882)Louvre #78 (1855)

Albumen printThe Drapkin Collection

6

people I consult when researching a photograph or considering an acquisition. The longevity of the collection and its special personality make it a major statement on this highly diverse and accessible medium. It is a privilege and pleasure to count the Drapkins as friends of the Museum.”

The lavish hardcover book on the collection, with 234 superior reproductions, is available in the Museum Store for $65. It was edited and compiled by Izabel Anca Galliera, formerly of the Contemporary Art Museum at the University of South Florida and now a doctoral student in art history at the University of Pittsburgh. Museum Director Dr. John Schloder has contributed an essay on “Photography in Meiji Japan” and Dr. Hardin on “Pictorial Photography: Encouraging Artistic Endeavors.”

ABOUT THE DRAPKINSDr. Robert L. and Chitranee Drapkin have given 290 works to the Museum’s collection of nearly 1,400 photographs, making them two of the most generous private donors of photography to the institution. They have expanded the comprehensiveness of the collection by donating early nineteenth-century photographs, as well as rare photographic equipment. The Drapkins have given the Museum a calotype by Fox Talbot–View of the Boulevards of Paris (1843)–as well as a Civil War photograph by Matthew Brady and Atget’s Versailles Statuary (1900), among many others.

They have also donated substantial groupings of photographs by significant twentieth-century photographers such as Harold Edgerton (95 works), Weegee (58), and Aaron Siskind (51), as well as individual works by such leading figures as André Kertész. The Drapkins also gave 30 images by Florida photographer Jay Shoots, who is especially known for his depictions of African Americans.

In addition, numerous exhibitions have been organized by the Museum from The Drapkin Collection. They include: First Photographs: Nineteenth-Century Images From the Drapkin Collection, Facing Children From Our Past: Nineteenth-Century Portrait Photographs From the Drapkin Collection, Aaron Siskind Photographs, Weegee: The Village, and American Indian Pottery of the Southwest, 400-1400 A.D. The Drapkins have been listed as two of America’s top 100 collectors by Art & Antiques, and Dr. Drapkin has served repeatedly on the Museum’s Board of Trustees and Accessions Committee.

A Selection of Ceramics: An Artist’s PerspectiveThrough January 2009

The Kathryn B. Stenquist Gallery

This is one of the most eclectic exhibitions ever presented in the Stenquist, featuring objects from Europe, America, and Asia. The majority of these works have never before been on view to the public. They range from the more traditional to the sculptural and in the case of some of the Asian ceramics, combine the richness of the past with contemporary approaches. In fact, the exhibition’s cultural diversity reminds us that ceramic

objects were at the early crossroads of East and West and led to fertile artistic exchange, as they continue to do today.

Brian Ransom, Professor of Art at Eckerd College and himself a talented ceramic artist, selected the works for the show. They reflect Mr. Ransom’s interest in Asian and contemporary art. Tokuda Yasokichi III’s Vase (1994), which welcomes visitors to the Stenquist, is bursting with color and defies expectations of porcelain. It’s an ideal piece for drawing people into the gallery.

Another contemporary Kutani porcelain object, Yoshida Yukio’s Vase with Red, Brown, and Gold Abstract Design (2002) has warm, inviting tones, bringing to mind the literal connection of ceramics to the earth. Both works reveal the influence of nature in so much Asian art. The form of the Yasokichi vase, for example, has an organic quality, almost like a vegetable, but its surface has the makings of an abstract landscape painting.

Ono Kotaro’s Blue Vase (about 2003) is also Japanese and equally imaginative. The “waves” on the surface suggest shifting sand. This glazed porcelain vase is incredibly graceful.

The exhibition presents a rare opportunity in the Tampa Bay area to see a number of Zsolnay objects, produced by the noted Hungarian ceramics manufactory. Founded in 1853, Zsolnay created striking Art Nouveau and early Art Deco pieces and won the Grand Prix at the 1878 Paris Universal Exposition for its porcelain faience. The Museum exhibition includes such engaging objects as Bottle with Red Flowers, Women Dancing Around Tree, Frog Vase, and Dolphin Head Ewer. The surface ornamentation is simply fantastic.

Ceramics of the Southern United States are represented by a small and exquisite vase from Newcomb Pottery in New Orleans, as well as objects made by George Ohr, who dubbed himself “the mad potter of Biloxi.” The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in his hometown is now dedicated to his work.

Some of the most innovative ceramic artists have moved their art into the sculptural realm. Eleanor Heller’s Guardian of the Myth (about 1960), Michael Maguire’s Big X (2002), and Robert Hodgell’s Male Figure are

prime examples. Founder of the Eckerd College art department, Hodgell (1922-2000) adeptly worked in all media. His Male Figure fits comfortably in a case, but at the same time, has a massive quality.

Don Reitz’s Tea Bowls are large and were not designed to be conventionally pretty. They, too, have a sculptural dimension and bear the marks of the human struggle to create. His Skirted Vessel in the Sculpture Garden more fully demonstrates his attraction to large-scale forms.

The Museum would like to thank Professor Ransom and Curatorial Assistant Robin O’Dell for their efforts on this

Zsolnay, Hungarian (founded 1853)Bottle with Red Flowers

CeramicCollection of Mary Alice

McClendon and Doyle McClendon

7

installation, as well as lenders Mary Alice McClendon, Doyle McClendon, Valerie Scott Knaust and Stan Cowen, and an anonymous private collector. The MFA is also deeply appreciative to the donors who have given some of the key works on view. Professor Ransom will give a gallery talk on Sunday, December 14, at 2 p.m. in the Marly Room.

Carving the Way to Creativity: Woodcuts and Wood Engravings from the CollectionDecember 13, 2008-March 15, 2009

Woodcuts are the bedrock of Western printmaking. Established in Europe in the early 1400s, this medium endured in the popular, religious, and artistic realms of printmaking until the seventeenth century, when engraving and etching became predominant.

Carving the Way to Creativity complements Albrecht Dürer: Art in Transition, which opens January 17. It also looks at the development of the wood-engraving technique in the late eighteenth century. Some of the Museum’s examples of this highly accessible process will be featured. Among them are prints designed by the great nineteenth-century American artist Winslow Homer and an elephant-sized book London: A Pilgrimage by his French contemporary Gustave Doré.

The exhibition follows both processes into the last half of the twentieth century with prints by Leonard Baskin, Jacob Landau, Jim Dine, and Dominique Labauvie. Chief Curator Dr. Jennifer Hardin has selected the works from the collection and has added choice loans like Baskin’s monumental woodcut Man of Peace.

Albrecht Dürer: Art in Transition, Masterpieces from the Graphic Collection of the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, GermanyJanuary 17-April 12, 2009

Sponsored by:

This is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Dürer’s work ever presented in the Tampa Bay area and probably Florida. Because of their fragility, these stellar prints rarely leave their

home in Germany. The exhibition has been restricted to three American venues. The MFA is the only one in Florida.

Dürer (1471-1528) is the most important German Renaissance artist and one of the most significant figures in the history of art. Though a painter and draftsman, he is especially known for his role in the development of printmaking and for transforming the art of engraving. His woodcuts, as well, are still viewed as technical marvels.

Dürer produced more than 250 woodcuts, over 90 engravings, six etchings, and three drypoints in his illustrious career. Dr. Mechthild Haas, the curator of the exhibition, writes in the catalogue that “today, Dürer is regarded as the greatest master of the printed image besides Rembrandt.” Dr. Haas is the Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Hessisches Landesmuseum and a respected authority on the artist. The exhibition displays 100 master prints thematically. His great series, Apocalypse (1498), the Passion of Christ (1507-1512), and The Life of Mary (1511) are represented by powerful and moving impressions.

Nearly all of his greatest prints are featured, among them the engravings Adam and Eve (1504), Melancholia I (1514), St. Jerome in His Study (1514), and The Knight, Death, and the Devil (1513), and the woodcuts The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1498) and The Rhinoceros (1515).

The eight-block, large-scale woodcut, The Great Triumphal Chariot (the main part of The Triumphal Procession of Emperor Maximilian I), 1522, is nearly eight-feet wide and will look especially dramatic in the Hazel Hough Wing. This is one of the artist’s extraordinary tributes to his most generous patron.

Dürer is especially identified with his religious images, which comprise the majority of the works in this exhibition. He was primarily attracted to the life of Jesus, especially the Passion; the temptations and triumphs of the saints; and the apocalypse. There are scenes from such parables as The Prodigal Son (1496), as well as depictions of the apostles.

According to Dr. Haas, “the entire spectrum spanned by Dürer in his graphic work was marked by his intense intellectuality. He moved between science and alchemy, philosophy and the mystery of faith, the study of nature and visionary imagination. But for the most part, the center of gravity in Dürer’s graphic production was the depiction of biblical scenes. His most important theme, the sufferings of Christ, was developed to the fullest degree in his graphic production.”

A true Renaissance man, Dürer, a native of the cosmopolitan city of Nuremberg, was greatly influenced by his trips to Italy, especially by its classical and religious art, and by the latest scientific and mathematical theories of the day. He was also drawn to the writings of Martin Luther and the Reformation.

In his review of the exhibition at the Museum of Biblical Art, Lance Esplund wrote in The New York Sun (July 24, 2008) that “New Yorkers are rarely at a loss for Dürer prints (the Met usually has something to offer), but we never get to see this many of the artist’s astonishing images in one setting.” With Albrecht Dürer: Art in Transition, the MFA is once again bringing some of the greatest art ever created to Florida.

Leonard Baskin (American, 1922-2000)Tobias and the Angel (1958)Wood engraving on paper

Gift of Marcia and Irwin Hersey

8

Dürer Exhibition Praised by the New York Times

Ken Johnson, the influential art critic for the New York Times who has moved to the Boston Globe, wrote an insightful, laudatory review (August 7) of Albrecht Dürer: Art in Transition after it opened at the Museum of Biblical Art.

Mr. Johnson wrote: “Had Albrecht Dürer lived in the 20th century, he might have been a great filmmaker — imagine a blend of Ingmar Bergman, Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg. Instead he was born in the 15th century, and he remains the greatest printmaker — rivaled only by Rembrandt — the Western world has ever seen.”

In this “enthralling exhibition…you may discover the hallmarks of a proto-cinematic genius: fantastic stories, beautiful men and women, hideous villains and demons.

“Sex, violence and pageantry; tragedy, comedy and cosmic vision: Dürer made all this and more visible with a grasp of pictorial space and composition that is as powerfully muscular as it is delicately intimate. And he did it all in a new, small-scale, mechanically reproducible medium.

“Organized by the Hessisches Landesmuseum in Darmstadt, Germany, which owns one of the world’s finest collections of Dürer’s graphic works, the show offers connoisseurs and neophytes a not-to-be-missed opportunity to examine pristine examples of his most famous images.

“Here is ‘Nemesis (The Large Fortune),’ the vision of a monumental, voluptuously corpulent naked angel in the sky over a miniature, panoramic townscape from 1501. There is the sexy picture of a hunky Adam; a long-haired, wide-hipped Eve; and the insinuating snake in a Northern European forest from 1504. The hair-raising scene of wonderfully repulsive demons menacing an armored man on horseback titled ‘The Knight, Death and the Devil’ (1513) tells an epic quest story in one richly packed frame.”

Mr. Johnson added: “It can reasonably be claimed that Dürer was more alive to the complexities and contradictions of his time and place than any other artist of his day, including Leonardo da Vinci. The beauty of his art is not only in its aesthetic brilliance but also in its wildly pluralistic range of imagination.”

The illustrated catalogue, written by Dr. Haas, is available in the Museum Store for $20. It includes an essay on Dürer’s contributions to art history, an explanation of his print media, a timeline of the artist’s life, and handsome reproductions of and informative commentaries on each work.

This exhibition was organized by the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany. The U.S. tour has been organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.

Albrecht Dürer, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1498)Woodcut

Collection of the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany

The striking donor wall was unveiled on July 17. The names of major donors to the capital campaign are etched in the glass wall, located in the Conservatory near the elevators. Celebrating the occasion were (left to right): Former Board President Carol A. Upham, Board Secretary Mary Shuh, Mary Alice McClendon (President of the Collectors Circle), William R. and Hazel Hough, and Capital Campaign Chair Bill Stover. The new wing is named in honor of Mrs. Hough.

9

2008 Board of TrusteesMr. William R. HoughMrs. Fay Mackey NielsenMrs. Barbara Godfrey SmithMrs. Carol A. UphamDr. Karen A. WhiteMr. Brian D. WiltshireMr. William Knight

Zewadski, Esq.Mrs. Susan Hicks, President,

The Stuart SocietyDr. John E. Schloder,

Director

Honorary TrusteesMrs. Isabel Bishop, Honorary

Memorial TrusteeMr. Charles HendersonMrs. Nomina Cox HortonMr. Peter Sherman

Executive CommitteeMr. Seymour A. Gordon,

Esq., PresidentDr. Edward A. Amley,

President-ElectMrs. Mary L. Shuh,

SecretaryMr. Cary P. Putrino, J.D.,

TreasurerMr. Ron PetriniMr. Robert B. StewartMr. William H. Stover

TrusteesMr. Roy BingerMr. Deveron GibbonsDr. Gordon J. GilbertMr. Robert L. HiltonMr. Troy W. Holland, Esq.

The Museum Store is wishing everyone “happy holidays” with gifts and cards galore. Members receive an extra 10-percent discount on December 6 and 7, the day before and the day of the annual Holiday Open House.

Only in the Store will you find the most artistic holiday cards in the area. A number

feature reproductions of prized works from the collection. Everett Shinn’s and Clementine Hunter’s nativity scenes and the Italian Renaissance painting, Adoration of the Christ Child by Mary and Joseph, by the Master of the Greenville Tondo, appeal to those who love the religious meaning of the season. There is also a modernistic Hanukkah card from (where else?) the Museum of Modern Art.

Guy Wiggins’s A Walk in the Park (1955) evokes memories of holidays in New York, and two elegant nineteenth-century Japanese works, Ando Hiroshige’s A Beauty and Puppies in the Show and Toyohara Kunichika’s winter scene from his series, Fifty-four Modern Feelings, are tailor-made for people of all cultural traditions. So is the card with the red flower of the Museum’s legendary Kapok tree on the front. The photograph is by the Museum’s own talented Thomas Gessler.

Gifts for children abound — books, games, art kits, and much more. They will encourage your children’s creativity throughout the year, as well as keep them entertained — and occupied — during vacation.

Matted reproductions of some of Ansel Adams’s greatest photographs will bring the majesty of nature to your home. Glass objects and a Dale Chihuly section are full of color. And inventive nightlights, Iluminart, feature masterpieces by Monet, Degas, and Morisot (the Museum’s own La Lecture), among others.

The Store has a wealth of art books covering a wide expanse of world art, including the exhibition catalogues for the Indian jewelry and Dürer exhibitions. The Abrams Encyclopedia of Photography (2004) is an incredible resource with page after page of striking images.

The Store’s jewelry appeals to women of all ages and tastes. Indian-inspired jewelry and variously colored pearls, as well as classic white ones, would surprise a wife, girlfriend, or mother.

Gift cards will also be available during the holidays, allowing the special people in your life to choose something on their own. What better place for a gift card than the Store, where even the person who has nearly everything will find a unique treasure.

The Store will be open until 3 p.m. Christmas Eve, so you can find that last-minute gift. It will be closed for inventory December 29-31.

Please visit the Store and help us make your holidays unforgettable — and less stressful. You can enjoy the art in the galleries and then take a break in the Store. The entire experience is guaranteed to renew your spirit. Isn’t that the purpose of the season?

This lovely Indian enamel choker and earrings from KJK Jewelry is available in the Store just in time for the holidays.

It also celebrates the exhibition, When Gold Blossoms. The choker costs $108 and the earrings $32.

In memory of Dayton AndrewsSchloder, Dr. John E.

In honor of John and Nancy Biesinger’s 25th Anniversary

Goldstein, Dr. Herb and Arlene

In memory of Patrick BrettAnonymous

In memory of Ruth GraySchloder, Dr. John E.

In memory of Sherman LeeSchloder, Dr. John E.

In honor of Sam and Mary Joan Mann’s 60th Anniversary

Salzer, Iris and StanSchloder, Dr. John E.

In honor of Barbara Olsen’s Birthday

Bartelt, EileenBaney, EleanorSchloder, Dr. John E.

In memory of John ProctorBole, Dick and Jeanne Schloder, Dr. John E.Sullivan, Dr. Edmund and

Frances

In honor of Betty Sembler’s birthday

Capriati, GiosettaDuffala, Roger and JudyEnsminger, Dale and AbbeHearn, Robert and ElaineHough, Bill and HazelMiller, Irwin and Sonya Mitlin, Ira and BeverlyNovack, Irwin and PattyReilly, Mary AnnRuggles, John F.Schloder, Dr. John E.Sullivan, Honorable Irene H.

In memory of Esther ShaverJaicks, Don and JoanWilty, Evelyn

In memory of Werner Von Rosenstiel

Schloder, Dr. John E.

In memory of Lillian Zimmerman

Garrigues, John and Louise

Memorials & Tributes

10

Movies at the MFASponsored by:

Join us for the Bollywood weekend and the holiday celebration. Admission is $10 per person for the Indian movies. On movie nights, the galleries in the Hazel Hough Wing will open at 6 p.m. so visitors can enjoy When Gold Blossoms.

Bollywood comes to the MFA on Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, October 12, at 3 p.m. A wine and beer cash bar will be available in the Conservatory from 6-7 p.m. for the evening screenings. On Sunday, everyone can enjoy brunch in the café before the movie. The films follow:

Bride and Prejudice, October 10, 7 p.m.: The exotic sounds, vibrant colors, and ecstatic dancing of Bollywood combine with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice for this entertaining exploration of cross-cultural romance. From the director/writer of the popular Bend It Like Beckham, Gurinder Chadha, the film stars Indian beauty Aishwarya Rai.

Mughal-E-Azam, October 11, 7 p.m.: This gripping tale of love, power, and war focuses on the Akbar family. Badshah Akbar is the tolerant ruler of Hindustan. His own tolerance is tested when his son Saleem falls in love with a courtesan, Anarkali. This incites a battle between father and son, not only over the relationship, but also over control of the kingdom.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!, October 12, 3 p.m.: Another story of the trials and tribulations of love, this movie has an independent, fun-loving heroine enamored with a handsome young man not approved by her

Letter from the PresidentDear Friends,

In the last Mosaic, I expressed the great pride that we members feel about the accomplishment of completing our Hazel Hough Wing. Now I’d like to ask: “How have you taken advantage of our wonderful facility?” Here are some suggestions on how you and your friends and family can more fully enjoy your museum.

Take a docent tour. We have a fantastic collection of 4,500 years of fine art. We display works by Monet, Renoir, Gauguin, Rodin, Cézanne, Daumier, Rembrandt, Dürer, Inness, Henri, O’Keeffe, Lichtenstein, Rauschenberg, and many, many more. The Museum has fully trained and experienced docents giving daily tours and allowing us to more fully understand and appreciate our outstanding collection.

During the summer, attend one of the concerts in the Museum’s Marly Music Series. You will be fully entertained by world-class musicians, including violinists, pianists, jazz artists, guitarists, and others. The joy of these performances in our beautiful Marly Room will inspire and refresh your soul. You are also welcome to become a member of the Marly Music Society and attend a lovely reception after each performance to meet and chat with the performing artists.

Have lunch at the MFA Café, which serves great food and has the best view of any restaurant in our city.

Take advantage of our incredible facilities by holding your next great event, be it an anniversary, a wedding, a birthday, or a bar or bat mitzvah, in one of our beautiful public spaces.

Attend a First Friday concert in our magnificent Conservatory or come for one of our films, beginning with our Bollywood Weekend in October.

Join any of our Museum support groups to enhance your artistic experience:

• The Friends of Photography offers lectures and special tours, while promoting the Museum’s photography collection, one of the finest in the Southeast.

• The Friends of Decorative Arts provides educational programs and excursions to Florida venues and assists the Museum in purchasing decorative art objects.

• The Contemporaries welcomes young professionals to the world of the arts and sponsors social, networking, and cultural events.

• Collectors Circle members have the rare opportunity to choose new works for the collection and to take trips to other museums and visit commercial galleries, private collections, and artists’ studios throughout the United States and abroad. The Collectors Circle also has a lecture series, which brings major scholars and collectors to the area. These lectures are open to the public.

• Encourage your children and grandchildren to participate in our educational programs. They can even create their own masterpieces at the Museum.

You can pick up more detailed information on all of the above at the Visitor Services Desk or by calling the Membership Office at 727-896-2667.

We, your Executive Committee, the Board of Trustees, and our fine staff, welcome you and want you to enjoy your Museum.

Sincerely,

Seymour A. Gordon, Esq.

11

parents. They secretly agree to marry, but their plans are derailed by tragedy and family obligations. Krishna, however, has some surprises in store.

Celebrate the holidays with the Miracle on 34th Street on November 29 after the tree-lighting in Straub Park. This timeless movie about a man claiming to be Santa Claus will be shown on the MFA exterior. Popcorn, sodas, and other treats will be available for purchase by the MFA Café. Free.

First Friday ConcertsSponsored by:

Due to the popularity of the summer jazz series, the Museum continues a music night on the first Friday of every month from 6-9. Admission is $15 for non-members and $10 for members.

A beer and wine cash bar will be available for concertgoers, who can also purchase dinner in the outstanding MFA Café and enjoy the view on the terrace. The Hazel Hough galleries will be open so people can see world-class art. (No food or drink is allowed in the galleries.)

The fall/winter concerts follow:

October 3—Traditional Music from IndiaNovember 7—The Walker Smith Blues BandDecember 5—Death by Disco featuring The Disco Love ExplosionJanuary 2—Gypsy Jazz by Impromptu, celebrating the birthday of Django Reinhardt

For more information, please call 727-896-2667.

A Gift to Our Members and the Community

MFA Holiday Open House for the entire family

An Accessible Arts Festival for people with and without disabilitiesSunday, December 7, 1-4 p.m. – Free Admission for Everyone, Refreshments

Victorian-style Christmas tree and holiday decorations in the Great Hall • Visit from Santa ClausArtistic crèche, Hanukkah menorahs, and Kwanzaa displayHoliday Music by the Largo High School Madrigal Choir

Performance by students from the Soulful Arts Dance AcademyNan Colton’s festive interactive presentation, “Seasonal Stories”

Authentic Korean Tea Ceremony • Discover Treasures in the Collection related to the holidays.Make an ornament for your tree and a unique greeting card.

Interpreters for the hearing-challenged, CART, and Braille text of highlighted works in the collectionFind that special gift in the Museum Store.

Additional 10-percent discount for MFA members on December 6 and 7.

Clementine Hunter’s Nativity (1970-1985), a gift of Martha and Jim Sweeny, is featured on some of the beautiful holiday cards in the Museum Store.

Art Consultation ServiceFor Members OnlyFriday, October 10, 1 p.m.

This special benefit of Museum membership encourages you to learn more about the beautiful artwork you purchased or inherited. The fall Art Consultation Service will once again be held in the Marly Room. Please call the MFA receptionist in advance at 727-896-2667, ext. 210, so the staff can be prepared for your visit.

Museum staff will provide information on the artist, medium, and date for

up to three objects per person. They can also make recommendations on the care of fine art, but they do not offer information on the financial value of the objects.

The curatorial staff has specialists in European, American, and Asian art, photography, and decorative arts, but no scholars of African or pre-Columbian works. The Museum does not provide information on antiques and collectibles such as weaponry, musical instruments, rare books, and historical documents.

Chief Curator Dr. Jennifer Hardin (left) welcomes collector Jean

Gollay to the Museum. Mrs. Gollay and Elinor Gollay generously loaned

the works for Art, Friendships, and the New York School: The

Benjamin Gollay Collection (June 28-September 28).

12

Gallery Talks and the Parrish LectureFree with Museum admission.

Sunday, October 5, 4 p.m.: In the Wayne W. and Frances Knight Parrish Lecture,

distinguished scholar Dr. Martin P. Eidelberg will discuss “Art and Crafts Pottery, What’s in a Name?” Along with Dr. Jonathan Clancy, he curated Beauty in Common Things: American Arts and Crafts from the Two Red Roses Foundation. The date of his lecture has been changed from October 4 to the 5th.

Dr. Eidelberg, Professor Emeritus of Art History at Rutgers University, is one of the world’s foremost scholars of modern decorative arts. He was one of the curators of the groundbreaking 1972 exhibition, The Arts and Crafts Movement in America, 1876-1916, which sparked greater interest in turn-of-the-century decorative arts. Since then, he has published extensively on various American potteries such as Grueby and Robineau, as well as seminal essays in the field.

One of the leading scholars on Louis C. Tiffany, Dr. Eidelberg has written or contributed to several important books on the subject: Masterworks of Louis Comfort Tiffany (1989), Behind the Scenes of Tiffany Glassmaking: The Nash

Notebooks (2001), and The Lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany (2005).

In 2007, Dr. Eidelberg was one of three curators of A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls at the New York Historical Society. This pioneering exhibition and catalogue revealed that Driscoll designed most of Tiffany’s leaded-glass lamps and many of his objets d’art. However, she worked anonymously like most of Tiffany’s collaborators. His most recent publication in this area is Tiffany Favrile Glass and the Quest of Beauty (2007), the only in-depth study of this famous American’s beautiful glass vases.

Dr. Eidelberg has also published and lectured widely on European Art Nouveau, on Edward Colonna who worked for S. Bing’s L’Art Nouveau gallery in Paris, and the ceramists Edmond Lachenal and Clément Massier. Moving to a more contemporary period, he has focused on post-war design. In collaboration with the Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts, he brought forth the prize-winning Design 1935-1965: What Modern Was, and studies on post-war ceramics, furniture, and American studio jewelry. Most recently, he contributed to a monograph on The Eames Lounge Chair: An Icon of Modern Design.

This noted scholar has yet another, totally unrelated field: French eighteenth-century drawing and painting

Support for educational programs is provided in part by the Pinellas County Commission through the Cultural Affairs Department’s Cultural Development Grant Program, the City of St. Petersburg, the employees of the St. Petersburg Times, Target, and Westminster Communities of Florida.

Education with particular emphasis on Antoine Watteau and the Rococo. Beginning at Rutgers in 1964, Dr. Eidelberg retired as Professor Emeritus in 2002. He was named “Outstanding Teacher of the Year” in 1994. He earned his B.A. cum laude from Columbia University, where he was named to Phi Beta Kappa, and his Ph.D. from Princeton.

Each year the Parrish Lecture brings an outstanding speaker to the Museum. The Parrishes, who lived most of their lives in Washington, D.C., donated many of the Museum’s most significant pre-Columbian objects. They are displayed in the Parrish Gallery. Mr. Parrish was a successful publisher of aviation magazines, and Mrs. Parrish was a noted public servant. She was director of the U.S. Passport Office from 1955-1977. Funds from The Parrish Estate make this lecture series possible.

Saturday, October 18, 3 p.m.: Chief Curator Dr. Jennifer Hardin will conduct a gallery talk on her selection of photographs from The Drapkin Collection. Dr. Hardin has worked with this collection since joining the Museum in 1995 and has curated a number of exhibitions from these impressive holdings. The History of Photography is the History of Everything: 100 Highlights from the Drapkin Collection is her largest and most comprehensive to date.

Dr. Hardin has greatly enhanced the Museum’s photography collection, now numbering nearly 1,400 images, and has drawn on these works to organize a wealth of exhibitions. She has also collaborated closely with private collectors in presenting additional photography shows at the MFA. She was a Mellon Intern in the Department of Photography at the Princeton University Art Museum, where she worked with the

major scholar Peter Bunnell. Dr. Hardin holds her M.A. and Ph.D. in art history from Princeton, and her B.A., with highest distinction and honors in art history, from the University of Kansas.

Sunday, December 14, 2 p.m.: Brian Ransom, Professor of Art at Eckerd College, will focus on his choices for A Selection of Ceramics: An Artist’s Perspective. Because of the size of The Kathryn B. Stenquist Gallery, Mr. Ransom will present his gallery talk in the Marly Room. Visitors can enjoy Sunday brunch in the MFA Café and then attend this presentation.

Known for his ceramic sound sculptures, Professor Ransom brings his perspective as an artist and educator to both this fascinating exhibition and his talk. He is perhaps best known for his ceramic musical instruments for which he has written compositions and on which he has performed at select exhibition openings across the country. He has composed music for Ballet Pacifica, Public Broadcasting, and MGM, among others.

Reflecting his interest in anthropology, Mr. Ransom has been extremely open to and greatly influenced by other cultures. His Museum exhibition ranges from Zsolnay ceramics from Hungary to contemporary Japanese objects, as well as works by contemporary artists like Don Reitz.

He holds an M.A. in ceramics and anthropology from the University of Tulsa and an M.F.A. in sculpture from the Claremont Graduate School. He earned his B.F.A. from the New York State College of Ceramics.

Mr. Ransom’s work has been included in solo and group exhibitions at universities, galleries, and

13

museums nationwide, including at the MFA, and he has lectured widely. He received a Fulbright/Hays Congressional Fellowship to conduct research in Peru and a fellowship in sculpture from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Nan ColtonNan Colton, the Museum’s performing artist-in-residence, has earned a large following and continues her interactive presentations in the fall and winter. An experienced actress and director, she writes her own scripts, inspired by special exhibitions, the Museum collection, and themes and people related to both. She will perform for the “Coffee Talks” and “Encore” series.

“Hindu Consort”In this new script, Ms. Colton plays Ariadne, an independent woman with a quirky sense of humor. A student of ancient religions, she shares her quest for meaning in her modern daily life. Ms. Colton developed this performance in response to the special exhibition of Indian jewelry.

“Seasonal Stories” The holidays would not be the same at the Museum without this popular presentation.

Coffee TalksFor People 55+Sponsored in part by:

Second Wednesday of the month10:30 a.m.-noonFree with Museum admissionEnjoy a performance by Nan Colton, special tour, and refreshments.

October 8 and November 12: “Hindu Consort”December 10: “Seasonal Stories”

EncoreSponsored by:

Nan Colton will perform “Hindu Consort” at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 15. Free with Museum admission.

My First CollectionFor children three-five and their adult companionsTuesdays: October 7, November 4, and December 2Thursdays: October 30, November 20, and December 183-4 p.m. each dayFree with Museum admission

Enjoy art with your child through self-guided mini-tours, hands-on projects, and “take home” activities. To register three days in advance, contact Assistant Curator of Education Anna Alexander at 727-896-2667, ext. 233, or via e-mail, anna@fine-arts.org.

World of Imagination: Storytelling for Youngsters11-11:30 a.m.Free with MFA admissionNo registration necessary

Journey into the magical world of art by listening to these enchanting tales:October 19: Indian Folk and Fairy TalesNovember 15: Egyptian MythologyDecember 7: Snow Tales

MFA: Hands-On!Free with Museum admissionNo registration necessaryChildren must be accompanied by an adult companion.

Create an Egyptian hieroglyphic bookmark from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 15.

Discovery HourNoon-1 p.m.Free with Museum admissionNo registration necessary

Explore the MFA on Saturday, November 15. You will find the ancient object, Isis Nursing Horus the Child, in the collection using a Museum Masterpiece “treasure hunt” sheet. You can also handle related contemporary, touchable objects.

India Family DaySunday, October 191-4 p.m.One free child admission with each paid adult admission

Experience the culture of India at this exciting event inspired by When Gold Blossoms!

Nan Colton will perform her new script, “Hindu Consort.” The Hindu Temple of Tampa Bay will present dance and music. Storyteller

Charlotte Olson will spark your imagination with folk and fairy tales of India. You can also go on a treasure hunt and create your own piece of jewelry to take home.

Friends of Decorative ArtsFODA programs and trips enhance understanding of the decorative arts and provide an ideal opportunity to make friends with similar interests. Annual dues are $20, in addition to Museum membership.

During season, meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month unless otherwise noted. Programs begin at 2 p.m. in the Bayview Room. Non-FODA members can attend programs for $5, plus MFA admission. The events follow:

October 14: Program to be announced.November 11: Henry Tyler on fine English porcelain, including Royal Worcester.December 9: Trip to the Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa to see the wonderful holiday decorations.

To join FODA, fill out the coupon on the back of the Mosaic and send your dues to the Membership Office. For more information, call president John Thompson at 727-392-7607.

14

The Stuart Society is one of the Museum’s strongest foundations. This amazing women’s auxiliary raises substantial funds each year to make nearly everything happen at the MFA. President Susan Hicks and the members have planned an amazing season, and they express their appreciation to the Oyster Bar on Central Avenue for providing valet parking for the general meetings.

The fall fashion show and luncheon on Wednesday, October 29, will present the Nicole Miller Evening Collection at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club. The fashions are from Saks Fifth Avenue and Ms. Miller will make a special appearance. This is the first time an important designer has attended The Stuart Society’s annual fundraiser. Margaret Smith and Michelle Mauch are the co-chairs.

The gala on Saturday, January 17, “Feasting and Frivolity in the Renaissance Fashion,” will celebrate the premiere of the major Dürer exhibition. This will be one of the most festive galas in years. The Renaissance will once again come to life. Claire Mazzella and Cam Kilgroe are the co-chairs.

Art in Bloom, which combines art and striking floral designs, has become one of The Stuart Society’s and the community’s favorite spring events. Many of the most talented floral designers in the area create arrangements in response to works in the collection and special exhibitions and sometimes to an entire gallery or space. Dale Wybrow is once again chairing the installation.

Art in Bloom will be on view March 14-18. The preview party, co-chaired by Margaret Amley and Mary Anne Boston,

The Stuart Societycordially invites you to

Feasting and Frivolityin the

Renaissance Fashionat the Museum of Fine ArtsSaturday, January 17, 2009

Albrecht Dürer, Adam and Eve (1504)Engraving

Collection of the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany

Celebrating the Opening of Albrecht Dürer: Art in Transition, Masterpieces from the Graphic Collection of the Hessisches

Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany

Sponsor Reception 6 p.m. General Reception 6:30 p.m.

Cocktails, Hors d’oeuvres, and Auction Tour of the Exhibition • Gourmet Dinner

Many Surprises • Renaissance Entertainment

Black Tie Valet Parking at the Beach Drive entrance

For reservations, please contact Greta Myers via e-mail, jimgreta@ij.net,

or by phone, 727-821-9392. Include “gala” in the subject line of e-mails.

Exhibition organized by the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany. Tour organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.

Fall Fashion ShowThe Stuart Society and Saks Fifth Avenue will present the Nicole Miller Evening Collection on Wednesday, October 29, in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club. Ms. Miller will attend the luncheon. A reception begins at 11 a.m. Sabal Trust Company is the presenting sponsor.

The raffle opportunities are exceptional. They include:

• Reserved Parking at nine Stuart Society meetings during the year Value: Priceless Tickets: $25 each or five for $100.

• Saks Fifth Avenue Shopping Spree Value: $5,000 Tickets: $25 each or five for $100.

• Nicole Miller Dress Value: $600 Tickets: $15 each or three for $40.

• Saks Day of Luxury for two (two spa packages available) Value: $300 each Tickets: $10 each or three for $25.

To purchase raffle tickets, please call 727-896-2667, ext. 197.

15

begins the celebration on March 14, and the luncheon will be held the closing day at 11 a.m. at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Michael George of Michael George Flowers in New York will give a demonstration. Katherine Prescott and Betty Shamas are co-chairing the luncheon. See the next Mosaic for more details on Art in Bloom.

Affaires d’ArtThis season’s schedule features innovative events and tried-and-true best-sellers. Please make your reservations early, as events sell out quickly. Please call Diana Dorken at 727-865-2217. Susanna Johnston-Versandi is the Affaires d’Art chair. The diverse programs follow:

Monday, October 6, 5:30 p.m.: Learn about the art of collecting gems from an expert, Nick Gizzarelli, Certified Gemologist

Appraiser at Bruce Watters Jewelry. Champagne and appetizers. 12 guests, $35 per person. Hosted by Liz Heinkel and Susanna Johnston-Versandi.

Thursday, October 9, 11:30 a.m.: Lunch and cooking demonstration with Chef Karim of the Pearl Restaurant, named the best Mediterranean restaurant of 2007 and 2008 by Tampa Bay Magazine. 30 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Jane Beam, Janet Hunter, Mary Maloof, and Joty Puckett.

Monday, October 20, 11:30 a.m.: Cooking demonstration and lunch with Chef Tyson Grant of Parkshore Grill. 16 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Carolyn Bond.

Monday, November 3, 11:30 a.m.: Demo and lunch with Chef Craig Smith from De Santo, Latin American

Bistro. 8 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Mary Anne Boston and Carol Piper.

Thursday, November 6, 11 a.m.: Play with Your Food, creating flowers from everyday food, lunch included. 8 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Betty Bowley and Priscilla Hobby.

Wednesday, November 12, 1-3 p.m.: Elegant and Edible—The Art of Decorating Beautiful Cookies. 20 guests, $35 per person. Hosted by Martha Buttner, Elise Minkoff, Katherine Prescott, Ann Vickstrom, and Becky Wells.

Thursday, November 13, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Rejuvenation Lunch and Learn. Christopher G. Nelson Jr., M.D., will explain the procedures of Botox® cosmetic and Juvederm®. Dr. Nelson will calm your fears. Surprise drawing for a lucky winner, luncheon buffet and refreshments. 15 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Jean Getting Irwin, Susan Hicks, and Connie Smith.

Friday, November 14, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Bridge on the Bay, lunch, beverages and prizes. Six tables, including the hostesses, party bridge format. 22 guests and two hostesses, $30 per person. Hosted by Sandi Averitt and Janice Brinkman.

Thursday, November 20, 6:15-10:15 p.m.: McClellan’s Magic and Margaritas. A visit to gifted glass artist Duncan McClellan’s studio in East Tampa. Also margaritas, a wine bar, and heavy hors d’ouevres (dinner equivalent). Meet at the Museum (leaving promptly at 6:30 with or without you), and returning at approximately 10:15. Dressy casual. 37 guests, $75 per person (covers food, drink, and transportation). Hosted by Sandi and Dick Averitt, Chris and Bob Hilton, Mary and Tom James, Carole and Dr. Lawrence Merritt, Donna

Painter, Fran and Bud Risser, and Jane and Van Sayler.

Tuesday, December 2, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Holiday Silk Floral Demonstration. Create your own holiday decoration. Festive appetizers, sweets, and wine. 20 guests, $30 per person. Hosted by Kim Horstman, Signe Oberhofer, and Connie Smith.

Wednesday, December 3, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.: View Glorious Glass: Translucent and Opaque at The Arts Center, featuring works by some of the world’s foremost glass artists. Docent tour, lunch, and an informational session about glass-blowing. 30 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Judy Jourdan, Fran Risser, Kathy Stover, and Keith Tulloch.

Thursday, December 4, 2 p.m.: An elegant Royal Tea at Emma’s Rose with scones, sweet cream, finger sandwiches, and tea breads. 35 guests, $35 per person. Hosted by Karen Belke, Lynell Bell, Janice Brinkley, Cam Kilgroe, and Joy Lemm.

Thursday, December 11, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Potpourri of Crafts Encore! Make a variety of holiday crafts with artist Adelia Samaha. Refreshments will be served. 12 guests, $45 per person. Hosted by Adelia Samaha.

Wednesday, January 7, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Ikebanafor the Home. Japanese flower-arranging demonstration in different rooms of a Pinellas Point home. Celebratory Japanese New Year’s lunch in a Bento Box. 10 guests, $70 per person. Hosted by Jeanne Houlton, Signe Oberhofer, Sandi Averitt, Dale Wybrow, Jennifer Rogers, and Celia Chapura.

Thursday, January 15, 10 a.m.: Raymond James Art Tour and Luncheon. See one of the largest private art collections in the South, as well as the outdoor sculpture garden.

Gala Tickets and OpportunitiesIndividual tickets for the January 17 Renaissance gala are $200. Four premium categories are available.

• Bronze, $300, one ticket and recognition in the program book and “The Scene,” The Stuart Society’s newsletter.

• Silver, $600, two tickets and name listed in the program book and “The Scene.”

• Gold, $1,200, four tickets, preferred seating, special pre-gala cocktail party, and tour of the Dürer exhibition with Museum Director Dr. John Schloder, as well as recognition in the program book and “The Scene.”

• Platinum, $2,000, six tickets and all of the “gold” benefits.

To reserve tickets, please contact Greta Myers via e-mail, jimgreta@ij.net, or by phone, 727-821-9392. Include “gala” in the subject line of e-mails.

The silent auction is always critical to the success of every gala. To donate items, trips, or services, please call Carol Phelps (727-822-6132) or Beverly Pankonie (727-898-3382).

The Stuart Society is also seeking underwriters for the following: valet parking, table decorations, invitations, program books, music, table favors, sponsor gifts, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, bar, security, and signs. To learn more, please call chairs Claire Mazzella (727-527-0057) or Cam Kilgroe (727-344-1925).

16

Introductory comments from Tom James. 20 guests, $45 per person. Hosted by Sandi Averitt, Beverly Daniel, Mary James, Carol Merritt, Joann Barger, Donna Painter, and Jane Sayler.

Thursday, January 22, 11 a.m.: Lunch and Learn, “Etched in Time,” lithographs and etchings of Frank W. Benson. Visit the home of Faith Andrews Bedford, author of the Sporting Art of Frank W. Benson, and learn about the artist from her private collection. Salad luncheon. 14 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Faith Andrews Bedford, Kim Horstma, Susan Cook Lahey, Yvonne Pav, Katherine Prescott, and Keith Tulloch.

Monday, January 26, 11:30 a.m.: Progressive Gourmet Lunch with Chef Bruce Noe, graduate of the Cordon Bleu in Paris. Dine among art and antiques and tour the lovely gardens of two Snell Isle homes (one is the last home designed by Perry Snell). 14 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Jan Crawford, Pat McBane, Susan Lahey, and Mary V. Paul.

Monday, February 2, 11:30 a.m.: Art of Design and Cooking with Mark Heimann, Executive Chef of the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club. Luncheon and cooking demonstration at the home of interior designer Madelyn Kinemond, recently featured in Housetrends magazine. 10 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Chris Hilton, Jane Sayler, and Barbara Godfrey Smith.

Saturday, February 7, 6:30 p.m.: Dinner in the Old Northeast. Expert chefs, exceptional food, and good friends. 14 guests, $100 per person. Hosted by Nancy Rutland, Kim Brett, and Carol Russell.

Wednesday, February 11, 11:30 a.m.: Discover the

History of Your Treasures. Bring a small item for appraisal by Eric Lang Peterson (no jewelry) and have lunch on the lake with this great Stuart Society friend and honorary member. 20 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Betty Shamas, Katherine Prescott, Elise Minkoff, Jane Beam, Muffie Hoche, and Elaine Hearn.

Saturday, February 14, 6:30 p.m.: Valentine Progressive Dinner. This romantic evening begins with cocktails in a Vinoy Towers condo with a spectacular view of the bay. Dinner follows in a charming city home and concludes with dessert in an art-filled condo. 20 guests, $100 per person. Hosted by Barbara Godfrey Smith, Lynell Bell, Mary Alice McClendon, and Mary V. Paul.

Tuesday, February 17, 11:30 a.m.: Mardi Gras cooking with Bella Brava’s Chef Brack May. Laissez les bons temps rouler. 14 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Susan Hicks.

Wednesday, March 11, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Lunch and Learn—The Art of P. Buckley Moss. Buffet luncheon after a talk by Pat Moss. 40 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Charlotte Kendall, Mary Wyatt Allen, Mary Joan Mann, Iris Salzer, Judy Stanton, and Joyce Wilson.

Tuesday, March 24, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Demonstration and lunch with Chef Javier de Jesús of the Pacific Wave. 12 guests, $50 per person. Hosted by Kally Harvard, Carol Piper, and Lynn Cox.

Tuesday, March 31, 11:30 a.m.: Art on the Edge at Nova 535 Art Lounge. 25 guests, $40 per person. Hosted by Helen Hameroff, Mary Ann Marger, Pam Newman, and Arlene Rothman.

Wednesday, April 1, 2:30 p.m.: Tour and Tea at

the Poynter Institute. Not open to the public for tours, the Poynter is a leading journalism teaching and research institution. 15 guests, $35 per person. Hosted by Susanna Johnston-Versandi.

Wednesday, April 8, 11:45 a.m.- 4 p.m.: A Blooming Affair. Luncheon and card party at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Eight tables at $120 per table, 32 people total. Hosted by Fran Davis, Laura Felix, Anne Long, Betty Jean Miller, Mary Lou Moench, Janet Raymond, Ardith Rutland, Judy Stanton, and Cary Bond Thomas.

Wednesday, April 22, 2:30 p.m.: Music and Art at Eckerd College with Brian Ransom, known for his ceramic musical instruments, and Kirk Wang, who uses traditional Chinese brushstrokes in his work. Light refreshments. 40 guests, $35 per person. Hosted by Mary Maloof and Diane Ferris.

Sunday, April 26, 6 p.m.: Progressive Dinner Party. Five courses with wine. Cocktail attire. 16 guests, $100 per person. Hosted by Parsla Mason, Mary Booker Wall, Jacqueline Ley Brown, and Charlotte Bacon.

Friday, May 1, 6:30 p.m.: Sunset Cruise with cocktails, appetizers, and conversation. 10 guests, $75 per person. Hosted by Connie Smith and Lynell Bell.

Take Your Place of Honor in the PlazaThe brick campaign continues to raise money to support the Museum and the new Hazel Hough Wing. Orders will be placed every four months until the spaces are sold out. Please consider honoring your family or a favorite docent, volunteer, or other Museum or Stuart Society friend. Engraved bricks make wonderful graduation, birthday, wedding, and anniversary

gifts. Corporations and businesses can buy a brick and include their logos. There are many possibilities.

The engraved bricks will be added to the striking plaza at the entrance to the wing on Bayshore Drive. You can see the bricks already in place.

Each line on the brick is limited to 20 spaces. Letters, characters, and spaces count as one space. The naming opportunities follow:

• 4 x 8” Brick, one to three lines, 20 spaces each line, $125

• 8 x 8” Paver, one to six lines, 20 spaces per line, $250

• 8 x 8” Paver Corporate, three lines with logo, 20 spaces each line, $500 (includes additional cost for artwork)

To obtain an order form, please contact Parsla Mason via e-mail, pkm2702@aol.com. Or call the Museum, 727-896-2667, ext. 197, or Mrs. Mason at 727-898-9178. Then return with your check, made payable to The Stuart Society, to Parsla Mason, One Beach Drive S.E., #2702, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. In the subject line of e-mails, please note the “Brick Campaign.”

Friends of the Library

The Museum expresses its appreciation to the following who have donated books to the library:

Lewis M. Andrews Jr.Jean GollayHazel and William R.

HoughMary Alice McClendonBarnett Newman

FoundationJohn H. Proctor FamilyMary Brenda RiontinoJane C. RobertsAnnie SolomonMartha and Jim SweenyLothar J. UhlTimothy J. Welsh

17

The café is another Museum masterpiece. Executive Chef James Canter and Olympia Catering & Events of Tampa have added so much to the MFA in such a short period of time. The café is

receiving rave reviews in the press and via word-of-mouth.

Lunch will continue to be served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, and brunches will be held during those same hours on the second Sunday of the month, as well as on special holidays. Museum members receive a 10-percent discount in the café.

As much as possible, Chef Canter uses local, sustainable produce and products, as well as organic food. He often buys from small farmers. The café’s heirloom tomatoes, which are incredibly delicious, come from Vic and Judy’s Heirloom in Dunedin. He also obtains edible flowers like chrysanthemum leaves and exotic spices from the couple.

Seasonal dishes are another café specialty, and the fall menus will begin the new season on an exciting note. Sturgeon steamed in aromatic fall spices, pumpkin ravioli in a sage brown-butter sauce, a sumac-encrusted skirt steak, and wonderfully prepared duck breasts will be some of the entrées.

The Sunday brunches are marked by variety. A wide array of fruit, crepes, Spanish-style omelets, southern homemade biscuits in sausage gravy, and of course, creative sweets transform brunch into a feast.

Olympia and Chef Canter are known for their desserts. Founded in 1924, Olympia, a third-generation family-owned business, remains one of the finest bakeries in the area. The triple-fudge chocolate cake and the vanilla bean crème brulée, for example, may be rich, but they are light on the palate.

Fall soups, paninis, and salads will offer surprises, and there will be favorites like the cheeseburger “that alone justifies the museum admission price,” according to Laura Reiley, the St. Petersburg Times restaurant critic. Of course, you do not have to pay admission to enjoy the café or the Museum Store, and autumn will be an ideal time to have lunch on the terrace, with its spectacular view of the bay.

The MFA Café is the place to treat yourself and your family and friends to some of the most imaginative lunches in the city. It makes any Museum visit complete.

Reservations are recommended for Sunday brunches. You can also call to learn the specials of the day. The café’s direct line is 727-822-1032.

Executive Chef James Canter with MFA Café Manager Lisa Schwartz-Green

Corporate and Foundation Partners

The Museum is grateful to the following organizations for supporting exhibitions,

educational programs, and general operations.

President’s Circle ($100,000 and above)The Stuart Society of the Museum of Fine Arts

St. Petersburg Times*Bright House Networks*

Benefactors ($50,000 - $99,999)

Patrons ($25,000 - $49,999)JMC Communities

Progress EnergyRBC Wealth Management

Sponsors ($15,000 - $24,999) Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club*

SunTrust Tampa Bay Magazine*

Partners ($10,000 - $14,999)Northern Trust

AT&T Real Yellow Pages*

Sustainers ($5,000 - $9,999)BNY Mellon Wealth Management

The Cowles Charitable TrustLydian Bank & TrustVerizon Foundation

Target Westminster Communities of St. Petersburg

Associates ($2,500 - $4,999)Biesinger Family Trust

Tampa Bay metro*

Contributors ($1,000 - $2,499)Café Alma

Catering by Design, Inc.Catering by the Family, Inc.

Catering by Lundy’s*Margaret Ann’s Catering & Gourmet Cookies

Michael’s on EastMise en Place Catering

Olympia Catering and EventsOrange Blossom Catering

Parkshore GrillRegency Oaks

Wine Cellar Restaurant & Catering

*In-Kind Donation

Please contact Director of Development Judy Whitney at 727-896-2667, ext 250, or via e-mail, judy@fine-arts.org, to learn about the benefits of becoming a corporate or

foundation partner.

18

Lecture SeriesSponsored by:

The Collectors Circle continues to bring experts in art history and collecting to the area. All the lectures will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. A special cocktail hour for Collectors Circle members only, also sponsored by Northern Trust, will begin at 5:30.

The lectures are free for Collectors Circle members, MFA docents, and docent apprentices. Museum members only pay $8 and the general public $15 (MFA admission is included). Lectures are free for students with current I.D. after paying Museum admission. Tickets will be available at the door. Collector and Museum trustee Dr. Gordon J. Gilbert chairs the series. Mary Alice McClendon is President of the Collectors Circle, and Mary B. Perry is the publicity chair.

Lecture fees support art acquisitions. The dates and distinguished lecturers follow:

October 24: Theresa McCullough, Director of Indian and Southeast Asian Art at Sotheby’s, will explore When Gold Blossoms: Indian Jewelry from the Susan L. Beningson Collection. Before joining Sotheby’s in 2006, she owned her own gallery, Theresa McCullough Ltd., in Mayfair, London, which specialized in Indian and Southeast Asian artworks.

During that time, she established an international reputation as a specialist in the field. Her gallery was represented annually at the Asian Art Fair in London and the International Asian Art Fair in New York. In 2002, a large-scale Indian sandstone figure of Vishnu (tenth century), which she exhibited, was named “best three-dimensional work of art in Asian Art in London.” This work was subsequently acquired by the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama, which is known for its Asian collection.

In addition, Ms. McCullough has served on the vetting committees of The Olympia Fine Arts Fairs and chaired the vetting committee for The Grosvenor House Art and Antiques Fair, both in London. She has lectured in Europe, Asia, and the United States, and in 2004, presented The Alston Callahan Lecture on “The Art of Gandhara” at the Birmingham Museum. Ms. McCullough holds her B.A. with honors from the Camberwell College of Art in London. December 12: Dr. Dennis P. Weller, Curator of Northern European Art at the North Carolina Museum of Art, will discuss “Jan Miense Molenaer: Opening Act for Jan Steen.” Molenaer is a significant seventeenth-century Dutch painter and was the subject of Dr. Weller’s dissertation. He curated the traveling exhibition, Jan Miense Molenaer: A Painter of the Dutch Golden Age and wrote the catalogue. He also wrote the entries on the artist for The Dictionary

of Art (1996) and The Grove Dictionary of Art: From Rembrandt to Vermeer (2000).

Dr. Weller has curated a host of exhibitions at the North Carolina Museum in Raleigh, including Rembrandt’s Etchings of the Bible, Old Testament Paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, and Sinners and Saints Darkness and Light: Caravaggio and His Dutch and Flemish

Followers, which traveled to the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Dayton Art Institute. He is currently working on an exhibition of Rembrandt paintings in American collections and another on contemporary landscape photography.

In addition to writing numerous exhibition catalogues, he has contributed chapters to The World’s Most Influential Painters and the Artists They Inspired and Going Dutch: The Dutch Presence in America 1609-2009. He has just completed the catalogue of seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish paintings in the collection of the North Carolina Museum.

Dr. Weller has been a frequent lecturer at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and has also lectured at Johns Hopkins University; the Indianapolis Museum of Art; the Worcester Art Museum; The Mint Museum of Art; and the Mauritshuis, The Hague, The Netherlands, among many others. He has delivered a wealth of lectures as a scholar in the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program and has been a member of the Vetting Committee for Old Master Paintings at The European Fine Arts Fair, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

He holds his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park; his advisor was Dr. Arthur Wheelock Jr., who presented an outstanding Collectors Circle lecture last year on Vermeer. He earned his M.A. from The Ohio State University where his advisor was another noted scholar and former Collectors Circle lecturer, Dr. Walter Liedtke. His B.A. is from Bowling Green (Ohio) State University. All of his degrees are in art history. January 23, 2009: Dr. Jeffrey Chipps Smith, the Kay Fortson Chair in European Art at the University of Texas at Austin, will focus on “Albrecht Dürer and the Language of Prints.” Dr. Smith is a major scholar of German Renaissance art and has just completed a monograph on Dürer, which will be published by Phaidon Press in London in February 2009. He was selected by the Princeton University Press to write the introduction for later editions of Erwin Panofsky’s seminal book, The Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer, and contributed the entry on the artist to the Encyclopedia of the Renaissance (1999). He is co-editor of The Essential Dürer, a volume of essays that the University of Pennsylvania Press will publish in September 2009.

Dr. Smith is a specialist on Renaissance Nuremberg, which gave birth to Dürer’s art. He is the author of Nuremberg, A Renaissance City, 1500-1618; The Northern Renaissance; and Sensuous Worship: Jesuits and the Art of the Early Catholic Reformation in Germany, among others. He also was the editor of New Perspectives on the Art of Renaissance Nuremberg: Five Essays. His books have won six prizes.

Dr. Smith is widely published in academic journals and has lectured at many of the world’s finest museums and universities, including

19

the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art and Case Western University, Harvard University, and the University of Pennsylvania. He has presented papers at international symposia, as well as at many annual meetings of the College Art Association.

In support of his research, Dr. Smith has received numerous grants and fellowships, including from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Getty. He has been listed repeatedly in Who’s Who in American Art and Who’s Who in America, both published by Marquis.

Dr. Smith earned his B.A. cum laude, with special honors in art history, from Duke University and his M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in art history from Columbia University. He joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin in 1979, where he has been honored with two endowed chairs. He has been recognized with awards for best book and best textbook by a UT faculty member.

February 20: Respected gallery owner Thomas Colville will examine “Quality and Connoisseurship in Collecting Nineteenth-Century American Art.” With galleries in New York and New Haven, Mr. Colville has specialized in nineteenth-century American and European art since 1972. He has sold works by many of the most significant American artists and is currently a member of the Board of Governors of the Colby College Museum of Art in Maine, known for its important collection of American and contemporary art.

Mr. Colville holds his B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and his Master of Music in composition from The Yale University School of Music, where he was on the Advisory Board of the Collection of Musical Instruments. He later studied American art with Theodore Stebbins and American decorative arts with Charles Montgomery, both at Yale. He has lectured at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Yale University Art Gallery. Mr. Colville has written many catalogue essays, especially on American artists, as well as an article on Charles Harold Davis for the Magazine Antiques.

Active in professional organizations, Mr. Colville is a member of the board of the Private Art Dealers Association. He serves on the vetting committees on American paintings for the Winter Antiques Show and on nineteenth-century American and European paintings for the International Fine Art Fair, both in New York.

Study TripsSponsored by:

The Collectors Circle travels to leading museums and art fairs throughout the United States and in Europe—another benefit of membership. The trips offer opportunities to meet others in the art world, to view both public and private collections, and to make new friends.

You must be a Collectors Circle member to participate. Space is limited, so please reserve early by contacting Barbara McCoy via e-mail, fmccoy@tampabay.rr.com, or by phone, 727-551-9598. The fall/winter excursions follow:

November 19, 2008: Visit the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota to see Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum, Fashioning Kimono: Art Deco and Modernism in Japan, and Modern Masters of the Japanese Print: Tradition and Transformation. Lydian will provide a beautiful luncheon at the bank’s Sarasota office.

February 3-5, 2009: The American International Fine Art Fair in Palm Beach is not to be missed. Special tours will be scheduled. Lydian will hold a reception at the bank’s Palm Beach office on February 4.

Save the Dates• New York Patrons’ Trip, March 27-29, 2009

Donors who give $1,000 or more to the Collectors Circle acquisitions fund will travel with Director Dr. John Schloder and Chief Curator Dr. Jennifer Hardin to see possible works for the collection. This trip will help prepare for Collectors Choice VIII. Space is limited, first come, first served.

• Collectors Choice VIII, April 24, 2009 Presenting Sponsor:

Sponsor:

This gala evening of art, gourmet food, and select wines is always one of the high points of the season. Dr. Schloder and Dr. Hardin will present three works to consider for the collection. Collectors Circle members will vote for their favorite. This elegant event is open to the general public.

• New Orleans Study Trip, May 13-16, 2009 Collectors Circle members will experience the unforgettable art, architecture, and food of the Big Easy. Dr. Schloder will accompany the group on tours of the New Orleans Museum of Art; The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, University of New Orleans; and private collections and galleries. The food will be exceptional. Space is limited, first come, first served.

New Collectors Circle MembersWelcome to these new members and thank you so much for your interest, support, and participation: Seymour and Susan Gordon and Camilla Kilgroe.

Students from the Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf portrayed their favorite artists describing their masterpieces at the closing reception

of the “Strokes of Genius” program. This annual initiative is designed for students in grades K-8 who face hearing challenges. Communication skills are enhanced by discussions of art history in the galleries, and the

children later create their own artworks in the Museum’s classroom.

20

Photograph by Edmund Fountain©St. Petersburg Times. All Rights Reserved.

What an Incredible Year! Thank you for the Memories and the Support.

21

Midori: Photograph by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

As the year comes to a close, please consider giving to the Museum. Membership dues alone do not cover all of the MFA’s operating expenses, which have more than doubled with the opening of the Hazel Hough Wing.

The Annual Giving campaign helps support our world-class exhibitions and diverse educational programs. These funds also maintain our beautiful building and new wing and are used to pay for utilities, insurance, and day-to-day maintenance.

The Museum has always depended on the generosity of its members and the larger community to fulfill its mission. If you have never given to the campaign, please join us

this year and if you are a regular donor, now would be the perfect time to increase your gift. We need your help more than ever.

As we enter the season of giving, please keep the Museum of Fine Arts in your thoughts and on your list. A donation to the Annual Giving campaign has a critical impact on our area’s cultural life and reaches far into the community.

Please make out your check to the Museum of Fine Arts, note “Annual Giving” in the memo line, and mail to the Development Department. For more information, please contact Director of Development Judy Whitney at 727-896-2667, ext. 250, or via e-mail, judy@fine-arts.org.

Annual Giving: An Investment in the Community

22

Welcome and thank you to those who became new members from May 27-August 26:

Pelican/DualBarnes Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Van H.Ferlita, Angeles and Angeles

C. RaganoHartnett, John and AnaJernigan, Martin and Janice

HunterSimpson, C. Jeffrey and Mary

PatronAnderson, Steven and PatsyKaplan, Stan and NancyMason, Charles and Margaret

W. MorrisSokolow, Nicholas and Tatiana

FamilyAbbott, Douglas A. and

Cynthia E.Castellano, Jacinto and Leni

BetesGeisler, PatKawliche, Boris and AimeeLappin, Joe and Mary JaneMacIsaac, SteveMcEwen, David and GloriaMiller, Jay and JanPastreich, Michael and

Colleen WapolePetit, Cathyann and Judith

GirardPowell, Tom and KayRaines, JosieScott, Dana and SeanSolomon, Karen and FamilyThomas FamilyYturralde, Dr. Fred and Jen

Goodman

General/DualAndrews, Mark and LavraBelovitz, John and LottieBevill, Andrew and ShirleyBlack, RobertaBrischetto, RonBrittaBrizzi, GeraldineByers, George and Barbara

LewisConners, Ed and MaureenDee, GeorgiaDexter, Lowell and Freda

Doherty, Patrick and MarleneDollar, Bob and JoyceDouglas, Jonathon and Joy

WatersDulohery III, C. J. and James

S. HughesFields, CarolFoley, Philip and NancyFyvolent, David and Joan

EsrickGraham, CourtneyGravitz, Len and MarleenGreenfield, JoyceJezek, David and SusanJordan, Steve and Ann RyanKinney, Barry and TereaLu, Chih-Pin and Dr. Shayne

MoylesMahal, B.K. and J.L.Maiolo, Frank and AnnaMalcolm, John and ChristineNelson, Mary LouNeusner, Frederick and Adele

BaydinPeters, QuayPevarski, Dr. Dennis and

MichellePhillips, Bill and DonaPugliano, Joe and Tim WatsonReed, JoAnneRudowski, Catherine M. and

Evalina HattonSalisbury, JaciSargent, LindaSchofer, Dr. Jerry and

Dr. GillianSchuster, Gary and SuzanneSeiden, Marshall and LeaSheppard, Michael and GayleSherman, KathrynSwanson, Dr. RandySypher, Richard and DorothyTreiser, Anita and David

BernsteinWarburton, Robert and Patrick

DuffyWeiss, Edward B. and CarrieWeiss, Kenneth and Vickie L.Williams, Lisa A.Willits, James C. and SusanneWilson, KathleenWinters, Deborah and Mary S.

Sweeney

IndividualAmbler, Janet E.

Angello, DianeBacher, BryanBevilacqua, Ms. MariaBeyhl, BarbaraBlack, SimonBrusini, FrancescaButts, ClydeCarter, Surelle L.Crane, LeeDahlhauser, HelenDaniel, LauraDeGeorge, Mary AnnDes Islets, RhondaDiCapua, RaeEhrhardt, MarkFox, JacquelineGarrett, Claude E.Glaeser, DianneGraves, KermitHarrison, MaryHaver, LloydHayes, StephanieHeiskell, GenevieveHenaghen, JillHendrick, EvamarieHewitt, Sara M.Horowitz, MarciaHurley, CatherineIncorvia, SandyJacobs, DorisJanzen, BarbaraJohnson, DonnaJohnston, VanessaKempner, JuliLaTorre, KristinaLeVasseur, JamesLeVasseur, Dr. MichelleLiesimaa, TuulaLoft, KurtLong, ScottMacLeod, Elizabeth M.Maynard, Michelle M.McLean, RuthanneMethvin, V. EllenMoorman, JanetMossing, KathleenNorton, FayNowrocik, LaVonOsswald, RobertPepe, DoloresPerkins, PollyRaaen, Randi L.Reeser, NancyRennacker, KarenRich, Dale

Robinson, LauraRosavage, Dr. Ann-MarieSchroeder, GuntherSmith, TexannSwan, MichelleTurner, EllenWelsh-Killion, Vivian R.White, GenieWhite, Rosalie M.Wise, Errol

EducatorBoylan, Theo C.Campbell, SandraCepero, ArmandoCepero, Traci LynneFernicola, LynneFlatley, MarieHinckley, Dr. JacquelineHussar, Jane J.Karniski, WaltRoberts, Linda LeeSawyer, BethStein, StanStrom, Jane GStrom, Joel

StudentChumney, ChristleGraham, CoralieMercado, QueencyRansom, ErickSakas, AmandaUmholtz, MatthewVance, DanaWilson, Andrew

Corporate MembersAEGONBerman PLCCeridianCornerstone Community

BankDerby LaneGeneral Dynamics-OTSHennessy Construction

ServicesRoberts, Hanna & Arndt,

P.A.Ruden, McClosky, Smith,

Schuster & Russell, P.A.Stahl and Associates,

Insurance Trenam Kemker

23

Ansel Adams and the American WestFINAL WEEKS, Through November 30

When Gold Blossoms: Indian Jewelry from the Susan L. Beningson CollectionThrough December 28The exhibition is organized by the Asia Society and Museum, New York. The national tour of the exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts.

Beauty in Common Things: American Arts and Crafts from the Two Red Roses FoundationOctober 4, 2008-February 15, 2009

The History of Photography is the History of Everything: 100 Highlights from The Drapkin CollectionOctober 18, 2008-January 4, 2009

A Selection of Ceramics: An Artist’s PerspectiveThrough January 2009

Carving the Way to Creativity: Woodcuts and Wood Engravings from the CollectionDecember 13, 2008-March 15, 2009

Albrecht Dürer: Art in Transition,Masterpieces from the Graphic Collection of the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, GermanyJanuary 17-April 12, 2009Organized by the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany. U.S. tour organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.

OctOberFriday/3First Friday Concert: Traditional Music From India, 6-9 p.m.

Saturday/4Beauty in Common Things: American Arts and Crafts Pottery from the Two Red Roses Foundation opens.

Sunday/5The Wayne W. and Frances Knight Parrish Lecture: Distinguished scholar Dr. Martin P. Eidelberg on “Arts and Crafts Pottery, What’s in a Name?”, 4 p.m. The Parrish Lecture has been changed from October 4.

Tuesday/7My First Collection for pre-K children and their adult companions, 3-4 p.m.

Wednesday/8Coffee Talk for people 55+: Nan Colton’s “Hindu Consort,” tour, and refreshments, 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Friday/10Art Consultation Service for members only, 1 p.m.Bollywood Weekend begins with the film Bride and Prejudice, 7 p.m. Wine and beer cash bar in the Conservatory from 6-7 p.m.

Saturday/11Bollywood Weekend continues with Mughal-E-Azam, a gripping tale of love, power and war, 7 p.m. Wine and beer cash bar in the Conservatory from 6-7 p.m.

Sunday/12Bollywood Weekend concludes with Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!, featuring a fun-loving heroine, 3 p.m. Purchase brunch in the MFA Café before the movie.

Tuesday/14Friends of Decorative Arts (FODA): Program to be announced.

Saturday/18The History of Photography is the History of Everything: 100 Highlights from The Drapkin Collection opens.Gallery Talk: Chief Curator Dr. Jennifer Hardin introduces the Drapkin exhibition, 3 p.m.

Sunday/19Indian Family Day, 1-4 p.m.

Friday/24Collectors Circle Lecture: Theresa McCullough, Director of Indian and Southeast Asian Art at Sotheby’s, on When Gold Blossoms, $15 general public, $8 Museum members, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday/28“Whet your Appetite” Spotlight Tour: “Great Dames of the Southwest,” 11:30 a.m.-noon.

Wednesday/29The Stuart Society Fall Fashion Show: The Nicole Miller Evening Collection, Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, 11 a.m.

Thursday/30My First Collection, 3-4 p.m.

NOvemberSaturday/1El Día de los Muertos Party, sponsored by the Contemporaries and the Zodiac Group of the Salvador Dalí Museum, 8-11 p.m.

Tuesday/4My First Collection, 3-4 p.m.

Friday/7First Friday Concert: The Walker Smith Blues Band, 6-9 p.m.

Sunday/9Special Brunch in the MFA Café, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Tuesday/11FODA: Henry Tyler on fine English porcelain, including Royal Worcester, 2 p.m.

Wednesday/12Coffee Talk for people 55+: Nan Colton’s “Hindu Consort,” tour, and refreshments, 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Saturday/15World of Imagination Storytelling: Egyptian Mythology, 11-11:30 a.m.Discovery Hour: Isis Nursing Horus the Child, noon-1 p.m. MFA Hands-On! Hieroglyphic Bookmark, 1:30-2:30 p.m.Encore: Nan Colton’s “Hindu Consort,” 3-3:30 p.m.

Wednesday/19Collectors Circle Study Trip to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, for Collectors Circle members only.

Thursday/20My First Collection, 3-4 p.m.

Tuesday/25“Whet your Appetite” Spotlight Tour: “Patrons of the Arts and Artists,” 11:30 a.m.-noon.

Thursday/27Museum Closed for Thanksgiving

Saturday/29MFA Film Series: Miracle on 34th Street on the Museum exterior after the tree-lighting in Straub Park.

Sunday/30Ansel Adams and the American West closes.

DecemberTuesday/2My First Collection, 3-4 p.m.

Friday/5First Friday Concert: Death by Disco featuring The Disco Love Explosion, 6-9 p.m.

Saturday/6Extra 10-percent discount for members in the Museum Store.

Sunday/7Holiday Open House, Accessible to All Festival for People With and Without Disabilities, 1-4 p.m.

Extra 10-percent discount for members in the Museum Store.

Tuesday/9FODA: Trip to the Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa.

Wednesday/10Coffee Talk for people 55+: Nan Colton’s “Seasonal Stories,” tour, and refreshments, 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Friday/12Collectors Circle Lecture: Dr. Dennis P. Weller, Curator of Northern European Art at the North Carolina Museum of Art, on Dutch artist Jan Miense Molenaer, $15 general public, $8 Museum members, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday/13Carving the Way to Creativity opens.

Sunday/14Special Brunch in the MFA Café, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.Gallery Talk in the Marly Room: Brian Ransom, Professor of Art at Eckerd College on a Selection of Ceramics, 2 p.m.

Thursday/18My First Collection, 3-4 p.m.

Wednesday/24Museum Store is open until 3 p.m. for those last-minute gifts.

Thursday/25Museum closed for Christmas.

Sunday/28When Gold Blossoms closes.

Monday/29-Wednesday/31Museum Store closed for inventory

JaNuaryThursday/1Museum closed for New Year’s Day.

Friday/2First Friday Concert: Gypsy Jazz by Impromptu, 6-9 p.m.

Sunday/4The History of Photography is the History of Everything closes.

Sunday/11Special Brunch in the MFA Café, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Wednesday/14 Coffee Talk for people 55+: Nan Colton’s “Georgia O’Keeffe: Changing the Way You See,” tour, and refreshments, 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Saturday/17Albrecht Dürer: Art in Transition opens.World of Imagination Storytelling: Stories from the Garden, 11-11:30 a.m.Discovery Hour: Georgia O’Keeffe’s Poppy, noon-1 p.m. MFA Hands-On! ($3 fee), handmade flowers, 1:30-2:30 p.m.Encore: Nan Colton’s “Georgia O’Keeffe: Changing the Way You See,” 3-3:30 p.m.The Stuart Society Gala: Feasting and Frivolity in the Renaissance Fashion at the MFA, 6:30 p.m.

Friday/23Collectors Circle Lecture: Major scholar Dr. Jeffrey Chipps Smith of the University of Texas at Austin on “Albrecht Dürer and the Language of Prints,” $15 general public, $8 Museum members, 6:30 p.m.

Dates to Remember

W hy not buy your family and friends a Museum membership for the holidays? They will receive free admission to the MFA, invitations to exhibition openings, and a 10-percent discount in the Store and Café, among other benefits. It’s a gift that will last all year.

Museum of Fine Arts255 Beach Drive NESt. Petersburg, FL 33701(727) 896-2667 FAX: (727) 894-4638www.fine-arts.org

Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday

MFA Café open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday

Special Brunches, Second Sunday of the Month, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDST. PETERSBURG, FL

PERMIT NO. 5408

The Museum of Fine Arts receives funding from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support comes from the Pinellas County Cultural Affairs Department, the Cultural Council, and the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, as well as the City of St. Petersburg.

Mosaic is printed by Fidelity Printing. Editor: David ConnellyPhotography: Thomas U. Gessler and Thaddeus Root

Membership ApplicationPlease make check payable to the Museum of Fine Arts and send to:

Membership OfficeMuseum of Fine Arts255 Beach Drive NESt. Petersburg, FL 33701Telephone: (727) 896-2667

*Application for Student Membership must be accompanied by a copy of a dated bursar’s receipt or current school I.D. from an accredited high school, college, or university.

Join Now! I wish to enroll as a Member in the category indicated

Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. _______________________________________________________ (Please Print)

Address _________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________________ State ____________ Zip __________

Telephone (home) _____________________ (business) _______________________

E-Mail Address __________________________________________________________

❏ $25 Student* ❏ $85 Dual ❏ $200 Pelican/Single

❏ $35 Educator ❏ $95 Family ❏ $275 Pelican/Dual

❏ $50 Individual ❏ $150 Patron ❏ $600 Fine Arts Sustainer

I also wish to join the following support group(s) for Museum Members:❏ $20 Marly Group ❏ $30 Friends of Photography ❏ $20 The Contemporaries (for 21 to 40-somethings)

❏ $20 Friends of Decorative Arts (FODA) ❏ $75 Marly Music Society ❏ $500 Collectors Circle

My check for the amount of $ _________________ is enclosed.

Please charge my credit card for the following amount: $ _____________________.

See information below.

❏ MasterCard

❏ Visa Credit card account number Expiration Date

❏ American Express ____________________________________________________________________

Signature