![]() However, they are also executed with subtle washes of ink and color so that the overall effect still appears painterly. The seasonal flowers and plants are beautifully depicted in soft brushwork, retaining enough clarity and detail so that the species may be readily identified with botanical precision. These screens illustrate a significant painting style first developed by Tawaraya Sōtatsu (active c.1600–1642), a co-founder of the Rinpa school in the early 17th century. The other screen consists of amaranthus, begonia, chrysanthemum, the “seven grasses of autumn” (bush clover, eulalia, Japanese arrowroot, dianthus, patrinia, thoroughwort, and mistflower), Chinese bellflower, rose mallow, Japanese aster, arrow bamboo, Japanese narcissus, and grape. One screen includes yellow rose, Japanese dandelion, tree peony, dianthus, cymbidium, Oriental poppy, cow lily, rabbit-ear iris, hydrangea, morning glory, and arrow bamboo. This pair of screens features a variety of plant and flower species from spring and summer to fall and winter. A government facility in the Ryūkyū royal capital, Shuri, was responsible for managing the production of exquisite objects used as tribute gifts for the emperor of China as well as the shōgun (military dictator) and daimyō (feudal lords) in Japan. The distinctive tradition of lacquerware, seen in this dish, developed in the Ryūkyū Kingdom (1429–1879) through its trade with neighboring countries and became an important export. The decorative motifs are represented with thin iridescent mother-of-pearl from the shells of abalone, which are found in the waters of the Ryūkyūs, a chain of small islands in the Pacific Ocean between Taiwan and Japan. The rounded sides are divided into eight sections, alternately adorned with four different Buddhist emblems and with hexagonal patterns. The bold decoration features two five-clawed dragons amidst clouds encircling a flaming pearl in the center. The interior of this large circular lacquered dish is inlaid with exquisite mother-of-pearl. When the Seymours opened their cabinetmaking shop in Boston in 1795, they established a new standard for stylish furniture made with exquisite craftsmanship. ![]() John Seymour was born and trained as a furniture maker in the provincial city of Axminster, in southwestern England, before he immigrated to the United States with his family in 1784. The desk’s design, construction methods, and numerous inscriptions identify its makers as the father and son cabinetmakers John and Thomas Seymour. Contrasting patterns of light-colored satinwood and darker-toned woods like mahogany, rosewood, and purpleheart enliven the surface and lighten the mass of the desk’s geometric volumes. The desk’s simple function allowed a design of slender proportions, achieved by elevating it on long tapered legs. The sliding doors were made from strips of wood backed with canvas. Named for its flexible doors that open horizontally across the top, this tambour desk was intended for letter writing and other light work. ![]() See the arrangement and enjoy this year’s virtual Art in Bloom. This work of art inspired an award-winning floral interpretation by Jeana Reisinger in 2015. The painting was a part of the pope’s effort to refurbish the Roman basilica he served before ascending to the papacy. The artist presented this finished sketch to Pope Benedict XIV (1675–1758) for approval before painting the ceiling of the Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, where his work can still be seen today. ![]() Michael vanquishes a group of heretics and topples Satan from his throne. In the lowest grouping, the archangel St. The saint presents her own son, the emperor Constantine. Wearing bright blue in the middle, Mary looks up at her son, Jesus, as she beckons to St. At the top, Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, holds a flag and kneels in front of a cross, a symbol of his death. This large sketch for a church ceiling is organized into three main groups of figures to make it comprehensible to viewers standing on the floor below. ![]()
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