Baker Museum V: Chihuly Merletto

 

Some of Chihuly's newest experiments have yielded a series of glass bowls infused with lace-like cane patterning called "merletto" (Italian for "lace").  Venetian blowers of Murano glass developed the technique in the 15th century, but Chihuly's modern interpretation flows more loosely.

Baker Museum IV: Chihuly Baskets

Chihuly has designed several basket series over the decades, inspired by the baskets made by Native Americans in the Northwest United States that he saw at the Washington State History Museum. 

These are from a basket series called Fire Orange Baskets. 

The museum displayed Chihuly baskets with Native American baskets.

Behind this collection of Chihuly baskets was a wonderful collection of photographs of Native American men by Edward S. Curtis from the first third of the 20th century.

Baker Museum III: Chihuly River and Boat

 Baker Museum has had Dale Chihuly glassworks shows before.  The new show is excellent.

One display is called River and Cobalt Millefiori, a 2010 installation inspired by river grass.

Another installation displays a boat.

Baker Museum II: Permanent Collection

There is a new exhibition from the museum's permanent collection.  

I especially liked two rooms that presented works about the human body.

Joseph Konopka's 1969 painting, Campari, held down one wall in another part of the exhibition. An attractive blond woman stood nearby.   I asked her to pose with the painting.  She agreed.

Baker Museum I: Rodin

 Baker Museum at Artis-Naples is open now with limited timed admissions.

A superb exhibition of 22 sculptures by Auguste Rodin from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation collection is exhibited on the first floor.

The exhibition includes several studies for Rodin's signature work, The Burghers of Calais.

Rodin's father was a strong supporter of Auguste's decision to pursue a career in art.

This is an early sculpture of Rodin's father.

Rodin was commissioned to make a sculpture of the French novelist and playwright, Honore de Balzac. 

 It was a challenging commission because Balzac had a huge belly and short legs.  

Rodin made 50 studies for the monument, including portraying Balzac in three different forms.

On to Christmas!

Thanksgiving?  Check.  Black Friday?  Check.  On to Christmas!

The Village Shops on Venetian Bay

 These are the back sides of one wing of the Village Shops on Venetian Bay, an upscale shopping center

 in the Park Shore neighborhood in Naples.