Spring 2016 - High Style

THE
MUSEUM
O F
FINE ARTS,
HOUSTON
MAGAZINE
High Style

THE THE
MUSEUM
O F O F
FINE FINE ARTS , ,
HOUSTON
MAGAZINE
02 02 Welcome
07 07 Backstory
09 09 Object Object Lesson Lesson
10 10 In the In the Mix Mix
High Style
Issue Issue 5 / 2016 5 / 2016
15 15 Up Up Close Close
18 18 Portfolio
31 31 Series Series
34 34 Profile Profile
38 38 Surfacing
45 45 Five Five Minutes With With
46 46 Exhibition Funders
47 47 Credits Credits
48 48 Coming Soon Soon

At the Starting Line of Style
Even in the midst of the Great Depression, imaginative coachbuilders embraced
the flowing lines of the then-prevalent Art Deco style. With sensuous curves and
streamlined forms, their innovative vehicle designs convey a sense of speed as well
as luxury. Sculpted in Steel: Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1929–1940
showcases 17 prime examples, including rare concept vehicles and those made in
limited production runs.

G A R Y T I N T E R O W , D I R E C T O R
High Style
W E L C O M E
02
To arrive in style has always been a conspicuous expression of power, wealth, and taste, hence the Museum’s first
exhibition of automobiles, Sculpted in Steel, provides the theme for this issue of h. The exhibition focuses on a select
few automobile designers who sought to elevate the appearance of their vehicles from mundane efficiency to heights
of elegance never before seen. More than a dozen splendid automobiles are included in the display organized by Cindi
Strauss, Sara and Bill Morgan Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design, and Ken Gross, guest curator.
These vehicles encapsulate the spirit of the age. The best cars of the 1930s deserve a place among the most
extraordinary objects of the Art Deco period. To provide context, this issue features other stunning examples of design
and fine art made between the two world wars—from photographs of Harlem nightlife and Josephine Baker in Paris
to cocktail sets and portable phonographs.
A self-made arbiter of style, the 19th-century painter Franz Xaver Winterhalter bestowed on his aristocratic subjects
a beauty and grace that they did not always possess. Thanks to that remarkable talent, he became the preeminent
portraitist of European royalty of his day. No artist painted as many monarchs—from Mexico City to Madrid, from London
to St. Petersburg—as did Winterhalter. These royal portraits are brought together in the exhibition High Society,
conceived and organized by curator Helga Kessler Aurisch. She shows how Winterhalter collaborated with couturiers,
especially Charles Frederick Worth, the father of modern haute couture, to create iconic images. For the first time,
nearly a dozen gowns by Worth and his contemporaries are featured alongside Winterhalter’s acclaimed portraits.
Style is a theme that unites two of the Museum’s major initiatives of the past year—the MFA Shop and the
MFA Café. Both have been renovated to reveal architect Rafael Moneo’s original designs for those two spaces. The
new shop and its contents have been conceived by consultant Murray Moss, creator of the SoHo design mecca Moss,
and it is nothing if not stylish. The MFA Café takes its cue from the north Italian region of the Veneto, birthplace of
restauranteur Paolo Fronza. Serving Italian panini, pizza, pastries, and coffee, the MFA Café provides a pretext for displaying
works from our collections that celebrate Italy and Italian artistry. The first rotation showcased Murano glass
and Italian silver by the Memphis Group, as well as photographs of Venice. Eating in style means enjoying fine, fresh
food in handsome surroundings.
Our issue concludes with a Q&A with one of the most stylish women of our times: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,
Life Trustee Lynn Wyatt. Born a Sakowitz, of the eponymous Houston department store, Mrs. Wyatt gained entrée to
the world of fashion and haute couture from the moment she could walk in high heels. Surprisingly, in her interview
she explains how style has little to do with looks and fashion, and instead depends on character, grace, and an honest
expression of values and identity. In Lynn Wyatt’s worldview, style is something each of us can achieve.
Yours sincerely,

03

Va-va-vroom
Designed by Alfred Böning, the BMW R7 Concept Motorcyle was built in 1934 as a one-of-a-kind concept motorcyle.
The pressed steel frame, gracefully skirted front and rear fenders, fuel tank, and streamlined and fluted partial side
covers for the engine were beautifully integrated. Nothing came close in the marketplace at the time. Finished in
period BMW glossy black-and white–striped livery, the single-seater was once lost and long forgotten. It was stored
in a crate for nearly 70 years before being discovered in 2005. The BMW R7 is one of three stunning motorcyles
exhibited in Sculpted in Steel.
04

05
Flight of Fancy
As an aircraft builder, Gabriel Voisin drew inspiration more
from aviation and architecture, departing from the rounded
feminine forms found in other Art Deco automobiles. The
singular design of his 1934 Type C27 Aérosport Coupe borrows
the angular shapes, crank-out windscreens, and sling-back
seats found in planes.

06

See these and other stylish vehicles in Sculpted in Steel: Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1929–1940,
on view through May 30, 2016, in the Brown Foundation Galleries of the Audrey Jones Beck Building.
Art Deco in
Overdrive
Held in Paris in 1925, the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative
Arts had a far-reaching influence in the years to come. The style that it promoted, later
referred to as “Art Deco,” celebrated the modernity, luxury, efficiency, and streamlining
of the machine age. By the late 1920s and 1930s, Art Deco was widespread, and could
be seen in architecture, fashion, decorative arts, graphic and industrial design—and, of
course, in automobile design.
According to Cindi Strauss, the Museum’s Sara and Bill Morgan Curator of Decorative
Arts, Craft, and Design, “Transportation design in the first half of the 20th century affords
numerous opportunities to study the global influence of style. Although the Museum’s
collection is rich in objects from the Art Deco period, it lacks automobiles and
motorcycles. Sculpted in Steel: Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1929–1940
offers Museum visitors the opportunity to learn more about this important period in
design history from the point of view of automotive innovation.”
Several of the celebrated coachbuilders were based in France, where Art Deco got
its start. The names Bugatti and Delahaye were synonymous with high style. It was
in Paris that the designers Joseph Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi developed the stunning
Talbot-Lago T-150C-SS Teardrop Coupe, taking curvaceous form to the extreme.
Airplanes, as icons of the modern age, often served as inspiration for earthbound
vehicles. The French aeronautical expert Gabriel Voisin applied his knowledge of
aerodynamics to building cars that resembled wingless planes, such as the Type
C27 Aérosport Coupe. The French aircraft designer Jean Andreau created the H6B
Dubonnet “Xenia” Coupe for the engineer André Dubonnet in 1938. Meanwhile, the
Czech company Tatra developed models that drew from zeppelin designs, such as the
T97, which sports a sloping roof with a prominent rear dorsal fin, known as a “fast-back.”
In the United States, William Bushnell Stout, who likewise had a background in
aeronautical construction, produced the unusual Scarab—a radical beetle-shaped
automobile with a rear engine and complex chrome detailing whose high price tag
resulted in fewer than 10 being built. Thought to be the spiritual predecessor to today’s
B A C K S T O R Y
07

minivan, the Scarab had moveable seats, an interior table, and a back
bench so that it could accommodate numerous passengers comfortably.
Other American makers also embraced the Art Deco impulse.
Chrysler unveiled the Imperial Model C-2 Airflow Coupe and a concept
car called the Thunderbolt. Cord and Packard similarly created luxurious
vehicles that boldly exhibited streamlined forms and Art Deco detailing.
Art Deco styling was applied to motorcycles as well—as seen in
the Indian Motorcycle Company’s popular Chief, with its curving fenders
shaped to resemble war bonnets. Some were more beautiful than
practical. The designer O. Ray Courtney produced a prototype KJ
Streamline motorcycle for the American firm Henderson and Excelsior
that featured a sweeping vertical grille and enclosed bodywork.
Three extraordinary motorcycles and 14 automobiles are the stars
of Sculpted in Steel, a version of which previously debuted at the Frist
Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville in 2013. These exceptionally
well-preserved and restored vehicles fully embody the Art Deco
aesthetic. Their sleek curves and daring lines exemplify the optimism
and ambition of the age.
B A C K S T O R Y
06

Driven to Design
Based in Paris, the designers Joseph Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi touted themselves
as the “Couturiers of the Automobile.” Their Delahaye 135MS Roadster was a unique
design made especially for the 1937 Paris Auto Salon, where it dazzled with its voluptuous
curves, skirted fenders, long hood, and swooping chrome details.
07

08

This exquisite ewer is among the masterpieces in an outstanding collection of
English silver recently given to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
P A U L D E L A M E R I E ’ S E W E R F O R T H E E A R L O F E L Y
A Stylish
Masterpiece of
English Silver
Focus on the
Ewer for the Earl of Ely
• The ewer is shaped like an inverted Roman
helmet. The ewer form was popular from
the 1660s for displaying on a buffet or for
use on a toilet table for hand-washing.
• The Rococo-style ornament includes many
marine-related forms—scales, seaweed,
shells, and waterfall motifs—all appropriate
for a vessel made to hold water.
• Continuing the aquatic theme, the handle
features a mask that is likely the face of
Neptune, god of the sea.
• The fronds at the bottom not only serve
as ornament but also strengthen the vessel,
to support the weight of the exuberant spout
and handle.
• The engraved coat-of-arms indicates that
the ewer formerly belonged to the Earl of Ely.
• The motto incorporated into the coatof-arms
reads “Prend moy tel que je suis,”
or “Take me as I am.”
A highly regarded collection of English silver has come to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, thanks
to a generous gift from George S. Heyer, Jr., a longtime friend and Trustee of the Museum who
passed away in October 2015. Dr. Heyer, an ordained minister and historian, was professor emeritus
at Austin Seminary. When in his late twenties, Dr. Heyer visited an antiques show in New York and
was captivated by the objects in the booth of an English silver dealer, inspiring a collecting effort
that endured for many decades. The Heyer collection is one of the most select, thoughtful, and
internationally renowned assemblages of English silver in the United States.
“I have tremendous respect for Dr. Heyer and the silver collection he formed,” said Katherine S.
Howe, director of Rienzi. “He truly took an intelligent, judicious approach in defining his collection.
He focused on the very finest examples of silver made by London’s best silversmiths from 1660 to
1760, who were known for their excellent design and craftsmanship. Dr. Heyer was a scholar who
was keenly aware of everything going on in his field of collecting, and he was a delightful gentleman.”
The silver represented in the Heyer collection was created during one of the most interesting
periods in English history, beginning with the restoration of the monarchy to the throne in 1660 and
ending with the death of King George II in 1760. These years coincide with a gradual transition in
art and architecture from the more classically inspired shapes and ornament of the Baroque style
to the more fanciful, asymmetrical exuberance of the Rococo. By the end of this era, England had
grown from a regional to a world power, and London had become a wealthy, international city. Its
nobility and upper classes could well afford to own impressive objects made of silver. London was
also a haven for immigrants, some of them excellent silversmiths from France, Holland, and the
German principalities. Paul de Lamerie (c. 1688–1751), a French Huguenot born in Holland, is one
example of the fine immigrant silversmiths working in London who enlivened English silver with
new shapes, ornament, and techniques.
One of the highlights of the Heyer collection is this spectacular ewer, or water pitcher, c. 1735, by
de Lamerie, who was active in London from 1703 to around 1751. It is designed in the fashionable
Régence, or early Rococo, style that emerged in Paris in the late 17th century and was brought to
England by Huguenot goldsmiths such as de Lamerie.
O B J E C T L E S S O N
09
15 x 13”

Cosmopolitan Style
10
How did the son of a Black Forest farmer achieve superstar status
on the international royal circuit? The fascinating story of Franz Xaver
Winterhalter (1805–1873), portraitist extraordinaire to the courts of
Paris and London, Vienna and Berlin, and St. Petersburg and Madrid,
in the 19th century, documents a painter’s prowess, panache, and
suave style. Winterhalter’s success as a sought-after portraitist was
unrivaled. Among the renowned European court painters who had preceded
him, neither Titian, nor Peter Paul Rubens, nor Anthony van Dyck
served as many sovereign rulers. Winterhalter achieved his success in
part because of the increasingly close bonds that were being established
between the royal families and aristocratic houses in Europe.
New means of travel enabled both the artist and his esteemed clients to
tour the Continent and visit the spectacular universal exhibitions held in
Europe’s capitals, or to take the rejuvenating waters at celebrated spas.
Above all, Winterhalter’s success is attributed to his astonishing
talent. The artist could exquisitely capture the likeness of his sitters,
depicting their figures and their often luxurious clothing in exacting
detail. He painted people in a most favorable light, as they wished
to see themselves, even though the social and political climates
reflected a more complicated reality. Winterhalter began his career
as a graphic artist for a publishing house in Freiburg, then trained in
Munich, which was becoming the foremost artistic center in Germany
during the 1820s. In Karlsruhe, Winterhalter solidified his relationship
with the Grand Duke Leopold, who eventually appointed him as his
court painter. Despite the assumption that the artist would dedicate
himself entirely to the demands of his patron, Winterhalter soon departed
for Paris, where he would settle permanently and make his lasting
impression on high society.
After Winterhalter’s increasingly well-received showings at the
Paris Salons of the 1830s, the newly installed King Louis-Philippe
commissioned the artist to paint more than 30 full-length portraits
of his immediate family. Within a very short time, Winterhalter had
become the de facto court painter of the “citizen king” who had ascended
the throne following the revolution in 1830.
Beguiling Beauty
Both the size and horizontal format of this painting in rendering a single figure are unique in
Winterhalter’s oeuvre, as is the sitter’s languorous pose. The combination of Princess Leonilla’s
pose—with its allusion to Orientalist images of odalisques—and the lush, tropical landscape
elevate this picture to a level somewhere between portrait and genre painting.

High Society: The Portraits of Franz X. Winterhalter will be on view from April 17 to August 14, 2016,
in the Upper Brown Pavilion of the Caroline Wiess Law Building.
I N T H E M I X
11
56 x 83 1/2”

The magisterial portrait gallery at Versailles
includes some of Winterhalter’s finest works,
which already reflect his eventual signature style
of slightly idealizing the features of his sitters as
well as subtly elongating their bodies.
An intricate web of family relationships linked
one dynasty to another. Winterhalter had come
to the attention of Louis-Philippe through the
patronage of the king’s daughter, Queen Louise-
Marie of the Belgians. She, in turn, provided
Winterhalter with an entrée to her niece, Queen
Victoria. Winterhalter invented what might be
called the “glamour shot” of the British royal
family: in 1836 he painted the Queen, her consort
Prince Albert, and their charming children
for a grand, romantic portrait. Winterhalter went
on to paint more than 100 formal and informal
I N T H E M I X
12
45 1/4 x 34 3/8”
36 1/2 x 29”
Delicate Elegance
One of Winterhalter’s finest portraits of
the Second Empire is of Pauline Sándor,
Princess Metternich, the wife of the Austrian
ambassador to the French court. Although
not considered a beauty—she had the rather
unfortunate nickname of “le singe à la mode”
(the fashionable monkey), the princess was
nonetheless applauded for her style.
Fancy Dress
Empress Eugénie presided over a court
that was even more fashion-obsessed than
that of Marie Antoinette (1755–1793), her
predecessor on the French throne. Eugénie
commissioned Winterhalter to portray herself
wearing an 18th-century–style costume
à la Marie Antoinette.
portraits for Queen Victoria and her extended
family during a 30-year period.
One high-placed connection quickly led to the
next, and Winterhalter became in demand globally.
The revolution of 1848 in France prompted him
to travel extensively, including to Spain, where his
newfound interest in Spanish themes was perhaps
prompted by the rumors swirling around Louis-
Napoleon’s courtship of the beautiful Spanish
countess Eugénie of Montijo.
Louis-Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor
Napoleon III in December 1852 and married
Eugénie in January 1853. In no short order,
Winterhalter was serving another French monarch
as the court painter and giving legitimacy
to a new French dynasty that had prevailed over
agitated demands for reform. He created the
iconic image of the cosmopolitan Second Empire
with his monumental Empress Eugénie and
Her Ladies-in-Waiting. The empress numbered
among Winterhalter’s most faithful clients.
Yet in 1871, with the fall of the Second Empire,
Winterhalter’s effective reign as the premier
court painter ended abruptly. Through his remarkable
portraits, Winterhalter had created an
unforgettable image of the majesty and power
that characterized the opulent courts of Europe
in the 19th century.

13

14
Innovative Art for the Stage
Russian-born avant-garde stage designer Alexandra Exter settled in Paris in 1924 and drew on her training
in Cubism to create innovative stage designs that rejected traditional painted or elaborate decorations and
curtains. She chose instead to incorporate vertical and more abstract elements that would promote fluid
and even spontaneous movement among performers.

Deco Nights: Evenings in the Jazz Age is on view through June 5, 2016,
in the Alice Pratt Brown Gallery of the Caroline Wiess Law Building.
I T W A S A N A G E O F M I R A C L E S , I T W A S
A N A G E O F A R T , I T W A S A N A G E O F
E X C E S S A N D I T W A S A N A G E O F S A T I R E .
—F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Echoes of the Jazz Age”
And All
That Jazz
U P C L O S E
15
Dubbed the “Jazz Age” by the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, the period between the
end of World War I and the beginning of the Great Depression was characterized by a certain
exuberance, decadence, and lack of inhibition exemplified by jazz—the modern, improvisational
music form that became especially popular during this time.
Perhaps the most iconic figure of this era was the irreverent and daring flapper, the
fashionable young woman with bobbed hair, who wore short skirts, smoked cigarettes, drank
alcohol in defiance of the restrictions of Prohibition (1920–33), and danced the night away,
embracing freedoms women had not previously enjoyed. The flapper lived in a world where
women were entering the workplace in larger numbers, and, in turn, becoming consumers
who demanded luxury items such as evening dresses and accessories, perfumes, and
jeweled cigarette holders.
The Art Deco style, which emerged in France in the 1920s, quickly became an international
movement and the defining aesthetic of the flourishing consumer culture of the Jazz
Age. Like jazz, Art Deco reflected the energy and innovations of the modern world. It was
also a style defined by contradictions: rooted in a kind of classicism and drawn to geometries,
repeated patterns, and clean lines, it also emphasized exoticism, sensuality, and
luxury; moreover, Art Deco celebrated artistry and handicraft while seeking ways to translate
original visions into mass-produced objects.
The exhibition Deco Nights: Evenings in the Jazz Age captures the glamour associated
with this period, virtually transporting viewers back to a Jazz Age evening that offered
cocktails, music, dancing, fashion, and spontaneity, and that also promised pleasure.
19 1/4 x 24 3/8 ”

Skyrocketing to Style
Josephine Baker skyrocketed to fame in Paris at age 19—first as part of the
“La Revue Nègre” and later as a star of the Folies Bergère. There on stage, she
seductively performed the “danse sauvage” while clad only in a string of artificial
bananas. In this image, Paris-based portrait photographer Stanislaw Ignacy,
whose working name was Walery, captured the coy expression, lithe body, and
fanciful dress of Baker, once the highest-paid entertainer in Europe.
U P C L O S E
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8 3/4 x 6 3/8”

17
The Age of Excess
Despite the fact that Prohibition technically restricted the sale
and distribution of alcohol in the U.S. through much of the Jazz
Age, drinking, smoking, and the pursuit of pleasure characterized
nightlife during this era. Designed only one year after the end of
Prohibition, this elegant “Manhattan” Cocktail Set by Norman Bel
Geddes is inspired by New York’s soaring skyscrapers, buildings
that articulate the ambition to challenge physical limits.
13 x 3 1/4”
8 x 16 1/2 x 17 1/2”
A Modern Miracle
Art Deco embraced modernity and
its technological advancements,
integrating design with innovation
in such objects as John Vassos’s
portable phonograph. Made of
lightweight aluminum and boasting
sleek lines and a chromed finish,
this beautiful and functional piece
offered consumers the ability to
enjoy the music of the Jazz Age
anywhere.

A C R O S S T H E C O L L E C T I O N S
In Style
High style endures across the ages, as celebrated in this issue’s Portfolio. A wide range of
artistic innovations and influences is featured in the following pages—from a rare Javanese
gold crown to a spectacular, recently acquired painting by Johann Zoffany of the Duchess of
Parma to a monumental fireplace decoration by Henri Matisse.
18
9th–10th Century
This spectacular Javanese crown is formed of five leaf-shaped
ornaments bearing vegetal and abstract repoussé designs.
Because the pounded sheet gold used to create this crown was
fragile and easily torn, bronze was added for support. Clay filled
the space between the gold and the bronze. Stone statues of
Hindu gods wear similar crowns of exquisite style.

Late 16th–early17th Century
Opulent silk velvet wall hangings and upholstery fabrics such as this one decorated the Ottoman
sultan’s palace and the wealthiest households of the 16th and 17th centuries. Bursa was at the
center of the important Ottoman textile industry in Turkey, and the ogival lattice design seen on
this panel was among the favorites for the velvets produced there. The Ottoman sultans loved
gardens, and the tulips, carnations, and hyacinths adorning this panel are part of the enduring
floral style developed by the court artist Kara Memi and that is seen in many artistic mediums.
This velvet panel is spectacular, because it includes two full-loom widths instead of one.
P O R T F O L I O
19
Overall
5 7/8 x 2 7/8 x 3/8”
69 1/2 x 49 1/4”

20
Circa 1778
In this Rococo portrait of the Archduchess
Maria Amalia of Austria (1746–1804),
Johann Zoffany (1733–1810) captures
the renowned beauty and devoted patron
of the arts in a lavish interior filled with
luxurious textures and decorative patterns.
Zoffany’s painting also conveys a family
drama. Maria Amalia was forced to marry
the ineffectual Duke of Parma, who is
depicted in a framed portrait, revealingly
turned away from his wife. Following their
separation, the formidable Archduchess
took control of Parma. Details like the
conspicuously empty chair beneath the
Duke’s portrait and the book and musical
instrument indicate both the ruptured
relationship and the Archduchess’s
interests. This exquisite portrait was
recently acquired for the Museum’s
Rienzi Collection

P O R T F O L I O
21
28 5/8 × 16 3/4
39 1/8 x 28 7/8”
Circa 1757–58
Pompeo Batoni (1708–1787), one of the most celebrated painters in 18th-century Rome,
received prestigious commissions from popes, princes, and British aristocrats on the
Grand Tour. One of the traveling Englishmen who sat for a portrait by Batoni was William
Fermor of Oxfordshire. By employing a dark, unadorned backdrop rather than a Roman
landscape setting, Batoni draws attention to his subject’s compelling, precisely defined
facial features and the details of his clothing. Fermor’s red velvet coat lined with lynx was
fashionable among the British for foreign travel and was likely purchased in Italy. The
Museum’s penetrating portrait is among the 730 paintings and drawings illustrated in the
two-volume catalogue raisonné of Batoni’s work, recently published by Yale University
Press in association with the MFAH and the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art.

22
1736–96
This unique puzzle vase is formed by two interlocking segments with
lingzhi-shaped outlines. Lingzhi mushrooms are Taoist symbols of longevity.
The vase is slip-painted around the sides with delicate archaistic motifs
applied against a celadon-glazed ground. The flanged-base form is known as a
zun vessel, first created in bronze during the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC)
to hold ritual offerings. A seal on the underside of the Museum’s vase records
that the object was made for the Qianlong emperor (r. 1735–1796), who
deeply appreciated archaic objects.

Circa 1816
Considered among America’s greatest cabinetmakers,
Duncan Phyfe (1770–1854) was a leading proponent of
Neoclassicism. His interpretations of fashionable European
styles are distinguished by their elegant, graceful proportions,
exquisite details, and fine craftsmanship. This mahogany side
chair, featuring a lyre back, is the first example by Phyfe to
have entered the Museum’s prestigious Bayou Bend Collection.
Prominent Philadelphia banker and merchant Charles Nicoll
Bancker ordered the chair from Phyfe in 1815.
P O R T F O L I O
23
5 x 3 1/2”
32 1/4 x 18 1/2 x 19 1/2”

24
1899
American artist John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) painted this elegant portrait
of Sarah Choate Sears, his lifelong friend, in his London studio. An avid and
influential patron of the arts in Boston, Sarah Sears nurtured the careers of
a number of artists by acquiring their works and providing critical financial
support. In addition, she was an accomplished painter and photographer in
her own right who exhibited her work in such important venues as the World’s
Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago and the Pan-American Exposition of
1901 in Buffalo, New York.

P O R T F O L I O
25
58 1/8 x 38 1/8”
31 x 29 1/4”
Circa 1907
František Kupka (1871–1957) believed in the sheer power of color and in its expressive
potential to project spirituality. The Yellow Scale is a highly finished study for the
artist’s early masterpiece of the same title, which resides in the collection of the Museé
national d’art moderne, Paris. On one hand, The Yellow Scale serves as a self-portrait
that provides a striking physical likeness of Kupka; on the other hand, his painted
proclamation of the yellow scale represents a broader exploration of color and
offers what has been described as a subjective “resonance.” Kupka was a pioneer
of abstract painting in the early 20th century, and color was the focus of this artistic
movement. He painted The Yellow Scale while conducting extensive research into
optical science and the principles of color theory.

26
1917
A Muse typifies the fresh and purely modern sensibility
Constantin Brancusi (1856–1957) achieved by paring
sculpture down to essential shapes and using such
industrial materials as polished bronze. Drawing inspiration
from Cubism’s geometry, African masks, and ancient Greek
figurines, Brancusi pioneered a streamlined aesthetic that
heralded the machine age while maintaining vital ties to
the greater history of art. Although not a portrait in the
strictest sense, A Muse evolved out of an earlier portrait
commissioned by the Baroness Renée-Irana Frachon.
Returning to this subject, Brancusi minimized facial
features so that the elongated ovoid shape of the head is
the dominant motif of the sculpture. He later proclaimed:
“With this form I could move the universe.”

P O R T F O L I O
27
9 5/8 x 11 3/4 x 9 5/8”
15 x 8 1/2 x 4 1/8”
1921
Jeanne Lanvin (1867–1946) began her career as a milliner before she pursued
couture fashion early in the 20th century. Lanvin was greatly inspired by the
blue pigment seen in paintings by the Renaissance painter Fra Angelico, and
she used this color to striking effect in Dance Dress. The low waist and full skirt
of this dress are typical of Lanvin’s stylish designs from the Art Deco period.
Here, Lanvin worked with façonné (voided) velvet, a fabric with a chiffon ground
over which woven and cut dimensional motifs could be created. Dance Dress
is among the fashions exhibited in Deco Nights: Evenings in the Jazz Age
(see pp. 14–17).
1935
Richmond Barthé (1901–1989) was among the leading artists of New York’s Harlem
Renaissance. In 1934 he visited Paris, where he encountered the Senegalese
cabaret dancer François (a.k.a. Feral) Benga at the Folies Bergère. Immediately
struck by Benga’s graceful exoticism, Barthé sculpted this figure on his return
to New York. This work, which reflects the sinuous lines of the Art Deco style, is
also a powerful celebration of African culture. Feral Benga is currently on view in
the exhibition Statements: African American Art from the Museum’s Collection
(through September 18, 2016).

28

P O R T F O L I O
29
112 1/2 x 73 3/4”
1938
Henri Matisse (1869–1954) commenced work on Le chant (The Song) on
November 16, 1938, and completed this monumental decoration fewer
than three weeks later. Two of his favorite models, Lydia Delectorskaya
and her friend, Hélène Galitzine, posed for the four figures seen here.
The quartet’s bodies are defined with sweeping arabesques and
unrestrained lines—all reflecting the captivating effect of the music.
Matisse freely used blocks of background color to set off each figure
and to emphasize the complementary rhythms in the composition. The
painting’s unusual shape and frame reflect its original purpose. Oil heir
Nelson A. Rockefeller commissioned Matisse to undertake a mural to
be installed around one of the two fireplaces in the living room of his
glamorous New York City apartment. Matisse accepted the commission,
and with it the challenge of adapting his composition to the specific site.
One of the figures is draped across what would have been the mantel
surmounting the original fireplace.

30

See these photographs and more in the exhibition Deco Nights: Evenings in the Jazz Age,
on view through June 5, 2016, in the Alice Pratt Brown Gallery of the Caroline Wiess Law Building.
High Times in
Harlem
Stompin’ at the Savoy
Siskind put himself near the
action on the dance floor to
capture two dancers in motion.
His flash leaves the rest of the
Savoy’s expansive ballroom
in near darkness while
dramatically spotlighting the
couple’s inventive movements
and joyful expressions.
Even in the midst of the Great Depression, Harlem
had a vibrant nightlife, and was known for its music
halls, such as the Lafayette Theatre, the Apollo
Theatre, and the Savoy Ballroom. Dressed in their
best, people swarmed to these hot spots to catch the
latest headliners and amateur performers, or to “cut
a rug” to the lively sounds of swing. The New York
photographer Aaron Siskind (1903–1991) conveyed
the spirit of these jumping venues in his series Harlem
Document. This series was part of a larger project
by the Feature Group, a group of photographers he
had organized in 1936 from within the ranks of the
Photo League to produce photo-essays exposing the
conditions of disenfranchised citizens of New York.
Accordingly, Siskind’s series sensitively documents
Harlem’s architecture and inhabitants. His images
portray people going about their everyday lives—
sitting in their apartments, walking down streets,
lounging on stoops, worshiping in churches, and
frequenting music halls and dance clubs, as seen in
Apollo Theatre and Savoy Dancers.
S E R I E S
31
11 1/2 x 9 1/2”

32
9 1/8 x 7 1/8”
Live at the Apollo
Photographing from the stage,
Siskind offered an unusual
perspective on amateur
night at the legendary Apollo
Theatre. He catches the energy
and anxiety of this performer
in mid-act, with the brilliant
white of his hat, cuffs, and
socks drawing attention to his
curious pose.
The legendary Apollo, which still stands today, was
where famous African American acts drew crowds and upand-coming
hopefuls got their start. Its weekly amateur
night launched the career of the jazz chanteuse Ella
Fitzgerald, among many others. Siskind’s photograph
of the Apollo, taken from the stage, captures an amateur
performer in the midst of his act as well as the ornate
interior of the theater, with its lavish tiered balcony.
The Savoy was equally swanky and boasted a ballroom
spanning the length of a city block, which attracted a
clientele of riotous lindy-hoppers and earned it the
nickname “the home of happy feet.” For Savoy Dancers,
Siskind similarly positioned himself in the middle of
the action, snapping an image of an exuberant couple
careening across the dance floor, appearing on the brink
of tumbling out of the frame.
In a 1940 issue of the Photo League’s newsletter, Photo
Notes, Siskind stated that “a series of pictures must be
informed with such things as order, rhythm, emphasis,
etc, etc—qualities which result from the perception of the
photographer, and are not necessarily (or apparently)
the property of the subject.” In the 1940s, he continued
to seek out these qualities as he turned his lens on more
abstract imagery and embraced modernist aesthetics.
He wanted to reveal what he called “the drama of
objects,” finding rhythm and order in up-close views
of natural forms and man-made structures. Yet his early
documentary work still stands as a testament to the
ecstatic energy and vitality of Harlem in the 1930s, an
entirely different kind of drama.

S E R I E S
33
9 1/8 x 7 1/8”

P R O F I L E
34
An Eye for Style

Shop in Style
A brand-new look and carefully handpicked
objects from around the world distinguish the
MFA Shop as a retail destination. The array
of art books by internationally acclaimed
publishers is also a strong selling point.
35
In late October 2015, the Museum’s gift store, rechristened the MFA Shop, unveiled a brand-new look. It
was expertly transformed into a bright, open space punctuated by illuminated vitrines, shelving, and cases
displaying a carefully curated selection of choice objects from across the globe. The eclectic and sophisticated
offerings represent the latest in cutting-edge design, such as an eye-catching orange Martone bike,
colorful Krenit bowls, curving Aalto glass vases, and even a 14-karat gold-plated Slinky. In several display
cases, large-scale illustrations of iconic works of art from the Museum’s collections are arranged in inspiring
juxtapositions with the merchandise.

36

Museum Director Gary Tinterow chose Murray Moss, a celebrated
arbiter of taste, to help conceptualize and implement the striking
new look of the MFA Shop. Moss was the force behind his own design
store, named Moss, which was located in the heart of New York’s SoHo
neighborhood and that drew high praise. Moss and his partner, Franklin
Gretchell, opened the store in 1994, filling it with remarkable items that
celebrated the crème de la crème of the design world. The Washington
Post described the store as “America’s most closely watched purveyor
of industrial design.” Nevertheless, rising rents and a sluggish economy
prompted Moss to close his store in 2012.
Not to be deterred, Moss then launched Moss Bureau, a design
consultancy based in New York City. Soon after, the Philip Johnson
House in New Canaan, Connecticut, tapped him to redesign and
select merchandise for the Glass House Design Shop, which the Wall
Street Journal subsequently praised as being “among the top five
museum shops” in 2013. So when the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,
was seeking to redesign its shop, Moss was the natural choice. He
brought his keen eye and magic touch to the MFA Shop, with a fresh
selection of inventory that includes jewelry, kitchenware, office décor,
books, toys, Texas-themed gifts, and much more. Christine Goins, the
Museum’s general manager of retail, says the selection offers “a diversified
range of products that is smart, stylish, and closely aligned with
the Museum’s mission.”
This spring, the MFA Shop is offering a pop-up shop, also located
in the Audrey Jones Beck Building, that is filled with fabulous products
related to the Art Deco automobiles and motorcycles on view in
Sculpted in Steel.
P R O F I L E
37
“One of the most
cleverly curated
shops in America.”
—The New York Times

A Touch of
Glass
S U R F A C I N G
38
11 1/4 x 8 x 7”
Truman Capote once famously declared, “Venice is like
eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.”
This intoxicating Italian city, with its network of canals
crossed by picturesque bridges and gondoliers, is truly a
feast for the senses—and thus serves as the theme for
the new MFA Café. The menu, which includes Italianinspired
fare, is complemented by an environment that
evokes the “floating city.” Central to the new design
are two partitioning walls with built-in display cases
illuminating 20 fine examples of Murano glass from
the Museum’s permanent collection of modern and
contemporary decorative arts and design.
Over the centuries, the bustling port city of Venice
absorbed and adapted glassmaking traditions and
techniques from Asia and the Middle East. However, in
1291 the Venetian Republic ordered the destruction of
its foundries due to the threat of fire to the surrounding
buildings. As a result, glassmakers moved their
operations to an island located in Venice’s lagoon—the
island of Murano, which has remained a glassmaking
hub ever since.

39

S U R F A C I N G
40
16 3/4 x 13 1/2 x 2 1/8”
9 1/8 x 11 1/4”
9 1/2 x 5 1/2”
Inspired Style
The island of Murano in Venice has inspired
generations of glassmakers and a multitude
of forms, such as these works by (opposite,
clockwise top to bottom) Laura de Santillana,
Cristiano Bianchin, and Ohira Yoichi,
and by Alfredo Barbini (see p. 39).
Among the works of Murano glass featured in the café is Piatto del Serpente (c. 1940). The architect
and Venice native Carlo Scarpa designed this stunning serving plate embellished with a spiraling snakelike
form. The plate was manufactured about 1940 by Venini, one of the most revered glassworks of Murano,
established in 1921. Also on display are several vases by notable artists such as Vittorio Zecchin and
Ermanno Toso, whose glass from the first half of the 20th century was particularly notable. Their vases are
classical in form with the Toso pieces highlighting the millefiori technique. Three vases of unusual form and
design produced in the 1960s testify to the prodigious technical skill of Alfredo Barbini, born to a prominent
Murano glassmaking family. The contemporary master Ohira Yoichi, who moved from his native Japan to
Murano in 1973 and quickly rose through the glassmaking ranks, is acclaimed for his detailed, elaborate
vase designs that incorporate many different processes. The Museum is fortunate to own a significant
number of pieces by this important artist.
Glass also proved adaptable to other forms, as seen in the charming multicolored glass birds made by
Alessandro Painon in the early 1960s, and in the unstable, hemp-wrapped black glass container produced
by Cristiano Bianchin in 2007. The artist Laura de Santillana, granddaughter of Paolo Venini of the Venini
glassware family, creates dramatic slablike sculptures with bold hues, such as the aptly titled Cobalto-
Siena-Cobalto of 2001.
From the early 20th century to today, new generations of artists and architects have turned their attention
to glass, working together with master glassblowers and factories in Murano to create stylistically and
technically innovative forms. The examples on display in the café demonstrate the breadth of creativity.

41

S U R F A C I N G
42
Overall: 91 x 112”

Mesmerizing
Style
In the world of contemporary photographer Vera Lutter, black is white,
and left is right. Her large-scale, otherworldly images are inverses
of reality. They portray familiar locales in a way that makes them
appear strangely unfamiliar. Born in Germany and based in New York,
Lutter is known for her unusual perspectives of Venice, Germany,
New York City, and upstate New York. Her subjects range from lyrical
views of Venetian canals and Piazza San Marcos to the mammoth
machinery of a strip mine, an oil rig, the visual cacophony of Times
Square, and her iconic image of the Pepsi sign that long loomed over
the East River atop the abandoned bottling plant.
Lutter’s photographs are one-of-a-kind negative prints made inside
a room-sized pinhole camera with exposures that range from hours
to days. On one hand, the artist relies on the most basic photographic
principle dating to the origin of the medium, but on the other, she
exploits that in a highly innovative way. As seen in the Museum’s recent
exhibition Vera Lutter: Inverted Worlds, her mesmerizing imagery is at
once hyper-real and surreal. Finely detailed and rendered in grainless
continuous tone, Lutter’s photographs present a kind of parallel
universe to the one we know. Devoid of people because of her long
exposures, her images of postindustrial ruins, modern cities, and
historical monuments share a slightly eerie quality that seems to
remove the subject from the present moment.
The work of Vera Lutter is represented in the Museum’s permanent
collection of photography. San Marco, Venice XX: December 3, 2005,
illustrated here, is a new acquisition.
43

44

Lynn Wyatt
Q&A
If Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
ran an illustration to accompany the term
“high style,” surely a stunning photograph of
Lynn Wyatt would appear on the page. The
Houston native, who was appointed to serve
as a Life Trustee of the Museum, is admired
and revered across the globe for her legendary
style. A perennial glamorous figure on the
International Best-Dressed List, Mrs. Wyatt is
recognized for her long-standing patronage
of haute couture and the fashion industry and
of the arts at large. h Magazine staff met recently
with Mrs. Wyatt to inquire about her
unique take on high style.
“If you have to think about being
chic, you’re not truly chic. Chic
is living one’s lifestyle in a classy,
timeless, distinctive manner, and
being as gracious to the bus driver
as you would be to royalty. Your
character is the real you—the inner
you. Character is not something you
develop in a crisis. It’s something
you exhibit in a crisis, no matter
what you are wearing.”
Could you point out one of your personal favorite works in the
Museum’s permanent collection that you associate with high style?
James Turrell’s daring work, The Light Inside, made such an overall
impression on me. When I first walked through it, even before it had been
officially opened, I was dizzy with joy and in total amazement. Now, that’s
pure high style to me.
As the Chairman last year of the Museum’s record-breaking
$2 million Grand Gala Ball, you chose a black-and-white theme for
the exquisite décor and the guests’ dress code. Tell us more about
what inspired your chic choice.
My favorite colors are black and white because each is so simple, yet
the combination of the two together makes an even more powerful
impression. For the Black and White Ball, I thought all the black, white,
and black-and-white evening gowns were just gorgeous, not to exclude
the handsome gentlemen in Black Tie. I had imagined in my mind’s
eye that they all would become an integral part of the décor—making
everyone stand out even more, and I like to think I was not wrong.
You and your husband, Oscar Wyatt, have generously contributed
to the Museum’s current capital campaign, and the 202-seat
Lynn and Oscar Wyatt Theater will be among the new attractions
in the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building. As the Film Subcommittee
Founding Chair, can you recommend one film—above all others—
that epitomizes style?
I think Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window epitomizes style simply because
of Grace Kelly. Who else would arrive carrying a chic briefcase, open it,
and slowly pull out a silk nightgown? In the final scene of the film, Grace
is reading Beyond the High Himalayas by Supreme Court Justice William
O. Douglas as she watches over a recovering James Stewart. The moment
he falls asleep, she puts down the book and with a sly look pulls out the
latest issue of Harper’s Bazaar. Truly, Mr. Hitchcock already knew what
clothes could do for a woman.
You have been friends with many of the great fashion designers
of the 20th century. How do you distinguish between fashion and
classic style?
Beauty trends come and go. No one should be obsessed with fashion
in today’s liberating galaxy. One wears something because one wants
to feel good about one’s self. You are presenting yourself to the outside
world. However, just because something is graded “fashionable” doesn’t
mean one needs to rush out and buy it. Have fun with fashion, but develop
your own style by deciding what is right for you.
Don’t purchase something when you can’t decide whether you like it or not.
When in doubt—don’t! Know your basic style and revert back to it. Your best
friend is a three-way mirror, trust it. The mirror never lies—and remember,
whatever you’re wearing, your best accessory is finally your attitude.
F I V E M I N U T E S W I T H
45

E X H I B I T I O N F U N D E R S
Sculpted in Steel: Art Deco
Automobiles and Motorcycles,
1929–1940
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Lead corporate sponsor:
Lead foundation underwriting is provided by:
The Hamill Foundation
Additional generous funding is provided by:
46
Norton Rose Fulbright
Vivian L. Smith Foundation
High Society: The Portraits of
Franz X. Winterhalter
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the
Städtische Museen Freiburg; the Réunion des musées nationaux–
Grand Palais, Paris; and the Musée national du Palais de Compiègne.
Lead underwriting is provided by:
Kinder Foundation
Additional generous funding is provided by:
Estate of Margo Lamb
Luther King Capital Management
Statements: African American Art
from the Museum’s Collection
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Generous funding is provided by:

C R E D I T S
PAGE 1 (DETAIL) AND FOLDOUT–PAGE 5
Gabriel Voisin, French, 1880–1973, Avions Voisin,
French, active 1905–1946, Type C27 Aérosport
Coupe, 1934, collection of Peter and Merle Mullin.
© Peter Harholdt
PAGE 3–FOLDOUT
Alfred Böning, German, life dates unknown,
BMW AG, German, established 1916, BMW
R7 Concept Motorcycle, 1934, BMW Classic
Collection. © Peter Harholdt
Art Deco in Overdrive
FOLDOUT
Bodywork designed by Figoni & Falaschi,
French, active 1935–1950s, Delahaye, French,
active 1894–1954, 135MS Roadster, 1937,
The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Inc.,
Naples, FL. © Peter Harholdt.
Paul de Lamerie’s Ewer
for the Earl of Ely
PAGE 8
Paul de Lamerie, Ewer, c. 1735, sterling silver,
the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of
George S. Heyer, Jr., in memory of his parents,
George S. Heyer and Jane Gregory Maréchal,
2015.533.
Cosmopolitan Style
PAGES 10–11
Franz X. Winterhalter, Princess Leonilla of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, 1843, oil on canvas,
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
PAGE 12
Franz X. Winterhalter, Pauline Sándor, Princess
Metternich, 1860, oil on canvas, private collection.
PAGE 13
Franz X. Winterhalter, Empress Eugénie
(Eugénie de Montijo Condesa de Teba) in
18th-Century Costume, 1854, oil on canvas,
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, purchase,
Mr. and Mrs. Claus von Bülow Gift, 1978.
And All That Jazz
PAGES 14–15
Alexandra A. Exter, Stage Design for Don Juan
in Hell, late 1920s, gouache on wove paper,
the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of
Simon Lissim, 64.25. © Alexandra Exter
PAGE 16
Stanislaw Julian Ignacy, Josephine Baker,
c. 1927, gelatin silver print, the Museum of
Fine Arts, Houston, museum purchase funded
by Clare A. Glassell, 2015.185.
PAGE 17
Top: John Vassos, Alfred Weiland, and Selden T.
Williams; manufactured by Radio Corporation of
America Manufacturing Company, established
1901, Portable Phonograph, RCA Victor Special,
Model M, c. 1935, aluminum, chromed steel, and
flocking, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,
museum purchase funded by Jeffrey A.
Shankman, 2002.3545.
Bottom: Norman Bel Geddes; manufactured
by Revere Copper and Brass Co., established
1928, “Manhattan” Cocktail Set, designed 1934,
chrome-plated brass, the Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston, The American Institute of Architects,
Houston Design Collection, museum purchase
funded by the American Institute of Architects,
Houston; Glassman Shoemake Maldonado
Architects; Haynes Whaley Associates, Inc.;
Watkins Hamilton Ross Architects; Kirksey &
Partners Architects; Powers Brown Architecture;
Rey de la Reza; Lonnie Hoogeboom, AIA; Heights
Venture Architects, LLP; Martha Murphree, Hon.
AIA; Chris Hudson; Griesenbeck Architectural
Products, Inc.; Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Searight;
Martha Seng; John Hawkins; Dan Brents; Pam
Vassallos; Palmer and Merry Schooley; and an
anonymous donor, 2001.608.1–.10.
In Style
PAGE 18
Javanese, Crown Ornament, 9th–10th century,
gold, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of
Alfred C. Glassell, Jr., 2004.2246.1–.5
PAGE 19
Turkish (Bursa), Velvet Panel, late 16th–early 17th
century, silk, cotton, and metal-wrapped thread:
cut and voided velvet, brocaded, the Museum of
Fine Arts, Houston, museum purchase funded
by the 2015 Arts of the Islamic World Gala, and
Anne and Albert Chao, 2015.80.
PAGE 20
Johann Zoffany, Portrait of the Archduchess
Maria Amalia of Austria, Duchess of Parma,
c. 1778, oil on canvas, the Museum of Fine
Arts, Houston, the Rienzi Collection, museum
purchase funded by the Rienzi Society,
2015.663.
PAGE 21
Pompeo Batoni, William Fermor (1737–1806),
c. 1757–58, oil on canvas, the Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston, the Samuel H. Kress Collection, frame
purchased with funds provided by the Museum
Collectors, 61.76.
PAGE 22
Chinese, Puzzle Vase, 1736–96 (Qianlong period),
ceramic with celadon glaze and gilt (Jingdezhen
ware), the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, bequest
of Charlene Q. Thompson, 2013.499.A,.B.
PAGE 23
Duncan Phyfe, Side Chair, c. 1816, mahogany and
mahogany veneer; ash, tulip poplar, and brass,
The Bayou Bend Collection, museum purchase
funded by the Bayou Bend Committee in memory
of Michael K. Brown, B.2013.35.
PAGE 24
John Singer Sargent, Mrs. Joshua Montgomery
Sears (Sarah Choate Sears), 1899, oil on canvas,
the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, museum
purchase funded by George R. Brown in honor
of his wife, Alice Pratt Brown, 80.144.
PAGE 25
František Kupka, The Yellow Scale, c. 1907,
oil on canvas, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,
museum purchase funded by Audrey Jones
Beck, 94.247. © Artists Rights Society (ARS),
New York / ADAGP, Paris
PAGE 26
Constantin Brancusi, A Muse, 1917, polished
bronze, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,
museum purchase funded by Mrs. Herman
Brown and Mrs. William Stamps Farish, 62.1.
© Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York /
ADAGP, Paris
PAGE 27
Left: House of Lanvin, French, established 1889,
Dance Dress, 1921, voided velvet and silk crepe,
the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, museum
purchase funded by the Costume Institute
Founders’ Fund, 86.633.
Right: Richmond Barthé, Feral Benga, 1935,
bronze, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,
museum purchase funded by the African
American Art Advisory Association, 2000.245.
© The Barthé Trust
PAGES 28–29
Henri Matisse, Le chant (The Song), 1938, oil on
canvas, The Lewis Collection, TR: 380-2014.
© Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society
(ARS), New York
High Times in Harlem
PAGE 30
Aaron Siskind, Savoy Dancers, from the series
Harlem Document, c. 1936, gelatin silver print,
the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, museum
purchase funded by Gay Block, 93.71.
© Aaron Siskind Foundation
PAGE 33
Aaron Siskind, Apollo Theatre, from the
series Harlem Document, c. 1937, gelatin silver
print, printed 1976, the Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston, gift of Gay Block, 83.28.14.
© Aaron Siskind Foundation
An Eye for Style
PAGES 34–37
Photographs by Wilson Parish Photography.
A Touch of Glass
PAGE 39
Alfredo Barbini, Vase, c. 1965, glass, the Museum of
Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Curtis B. Wolff, 2006.1343.
PAGE 40
Photograph by Wilson Parish Photography.
PAGE 41
Top: Laura de Santillana, Cobalto-Siena-Cobalto,
2001, glass, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,
museum purchase funded by Enron for Jeffrey A.
Shankman, Barry Friedman Ltd., the Art Colony
Association, Inc., the Susan Vaughan Foundation,
Judy Sauer, Jeffrey A. Shankman, and various
donors, 2002.331.
Center: Cristiano Bianchin, Instabile, Contenitore
(Unstable, Container), 2007, glass and hemp, the
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of the artist and
Barry Friedman Ltd., 2014.261.
Bottom: Ohira Yoichi, Laguna, from the Pasta
Vitrea series, designed by Ohira Yoichi, fabricated by
Livio Serena, 1998, glass, the Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston, museum purchase funded by J. Brian and
Varina Eby, by exchange, 99.245. © Yoichi Ohira
Mesmerizing Style
PAGES 42–43
Vera Lutter, San Marco, Venice XX: December 3,
2005, 2005, gelatin silver prints, the Museum of
Fine Arts, Houston, museum purchase funded by
the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment
Fund, 2015.285.A, .B. © Vera Lutter
Q&A with Lynn Wyatt
PAGE 44
Photograph of Lynn Wyatt by Wilson Parish
Photography. The painting by Mark Rothko
is No. 21 (Untitled), 1949, The Menil Collection,
Houston, acquired in honor of Alice and George
Brown with support from Nancy Wellin and
Louisa Sarofim. © 2015 Kate Rothko Prizel
and Christopher Rothko
Infinity
PAGE 48
Yayoi Kusama, Aftermath of Obliteration of
Eternity, 2009, wood, metal, glass mirrors,
plastic, acrylic panel, LED lighting system, and
water, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, museum
purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law
Accessions Endowment Fund, 2016.34.
Image © Yayoi Kusama. Courtesy of David Zwirner,
New York; Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo / Singapore;
Victoria Miro, London; KUSAMA Enterprise
47

S U M M E R 2 0 1 6
Infinity
C O M I N G S O O N
Yayoi Kusama has enjoyed one of the most remarkable careers of the
20th century. Born in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1929, Kusama began her
formal training in traditional ink-wash painting (Nihonga) at the Kyoto
Municipal School of Arts and Crafts in 1948. She left her homeland
in 1957 and moved to New York, where she allied herself with the
emerging currents of Pop Art and Minimalism. However, Kusama
also remained an independent force, becoming one of the foremost
innovators in performance and installation art. The concept of Infinity
quickly became central to her practice, manifested first in her Net
paintings (1961 to the present) and then in her Infinity rooms (1965 to
the present). Kusama returned to Japan in 1973, and over the past
four decades she has continued to produce a remarkable range
of works in all media, testing the limits of perception and engaging
audiences of all ages and nations.
This summer, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, will unveil the
museum’s newly acquired Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity, 2009,
in a special exhibition celebrating Kusama’s poetic universe, one that
encompasses both the tangible joys of the physical and the mystical
transcendence of the infinite.
48
163 1/2 x 163 1/2 x 113 1/4”

THE
MUSEUM
O F
FINE ARTS,
HOUSTON
MAGAZINE
High Style
Issue 5 / 2016
P. O. Box 6826, Houston, TX 77265-6826
© 2016 by The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
PUBLISHER IN CHIEF
Diane Lovejoy
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Heather Brand, Michelle Dugan, Melina Kervandjian,
and Christine Waller Manca
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Pentagram Design: DJ Stout, Julie Savasky,
and Carla Delgado
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston:
Phenon Finley-Smiley
PRINTING
CPY Printing
The paper used in the printing of this magazine was
produced from well-managed, independently certified
forests and contains 10% PCW.
MUSEUM LOCATIONS
The Audrey Jones Beck Building
5601 Main Street
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
1001 Bissonnet Street
The Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen
Sculpture Garden
Montrose Boulevard at Bissonnet Street
The Glassell School of Art
2450 Holcombe Boulevard, Suite 2-25G, 713-639-7500
The Glassell Junior School
5100 Montrose Boulevard, 713-639-7700
MFAH Visitors Center and Parking Garage
5600 Fannin Street (entrance on Binz)
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
6003 Memorial Drive, 713-639-7750
Rienzi
1406 Kirby Drive, 713-639-7800
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MFAH INFORMATION
Main Number 713-639-7300
Membership 713-639-7550
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Tuesday–Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Thursday, 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Friday, 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Closed Monday; open Monday holidays,
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
MUSEUM ADMISSION
MFAH Members
Members receive free general admission. For ticketed
exhibitions, members are eligible to receive free or
discounted tickets, based on membership level.
General Public
$15 adults (19+)
$10 senior adults (65+)
$7.50 students (19+ with ID)
$7.50 youth (13–18)
Free for children 12 and younger
Free for Glassell School students
Free Saturday–Sunday for ages 18 and younger with
their cards from any Texas public library
Free for everyone on Thursday, courtesy of Shell
PARKING
All-day covered parking in the MFAH
Visitors Center Garage
$6 for MFAH members or with proof of
Museum admission
$3 for Patron-Plus members
$10 for non-Museum visitors
METRORail Stop
Museum District Station
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MFAH members at the Patron level
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To join or upgrade, go to mfah.org/member
or call 713-639-7550.
Official Airline of the Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston
The City of Houston provides generous operating
support for the MFAH through the Hotel Occupancy
Tax program.