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• The Famous Mauritshuis Museum In The Hague, Netherlands ~ Greets Our Editor
• Over Half a Million Visit Record-Breaking 17th Biennale of Sydney
• Exhibition by The Singh Twins Announced at the National Portrait Gallery
• Toledo Museum of Art acquires Bolognese Master Guercino's Baroque Painting
• IMAX Melbourne Museum to open "Van Gogh: Brush with Genius"
• The Great Wall of China dynasties, dragons & warriors at Melbourne Museum
• The Art of Dance: Sculpture by Emma Rodgers at the Walker Art Gallery
• Roman Art Exhibition from the Louvre at IMA
• Taft Museum of Art Offers Variety of Special Exhibitions
• Indianapolis Museum of Art shows Western European Design from 1985 to 2005
• The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza offers Avigdor Arikha Retrospective
• National Portrait Gallery opens "One Life: Thomas Paine - the Radical Founding Father"
• " Tezuka: the Marvel of Manga " at Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Walker Art Gallery of National Museums Liverpool displays Peter Chang's Objects
• The Picturesque Zorn Museum in Mora, Sweden
• This Week in Review in Art Knowledge News

The Famous Mauritshuis Museum In The Hague, Netherlands ~ Greets Our Editor Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:59 PM PST In 1822, the Mauritshuis was opened for the public and housed the Royal Cabinet of Paintings and the Royal Cabinet of Rarities. In 1875, the entire museum was available for paintings.The Mauritshuis was a state museum until it was privatized in 1995. The foundation set up at that time took charge of both the building and the collection, which it was given on long-term loan. This building, which is the property of the state, is rented by the museum. The museum collaborates regularly with major museums in other countries. In the center of The Hague, directly adjacent to the Binnenhof government buildings on the Hofvijver pond, the mansion of Johan Maurits, Count of Nassau Siegen, governor-general of Dutch Brazil, arose around 1640. The strictly classical building was designed and built by Jacob van Campen and Pieter Post, the two most important Dutch architects of that time. Since 1822, the intimate 'Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery' has housed the Royal Cabinet of Paintings, one of the most famous collections in the world. In 1774 the stadholder William V, Prince of Orange-Nassau (1748-1806), brought the most important paintings of his collection together in this building and regularly opened his picture gallery to the public. That made the Gallery the first public collection of paintings in the Netherlands. The largest part of William V's collection was brought to the Mauritshuis Museum in 1822. The Gallery gives a good impression of artistic tastes in the 18th century – the age of the periwig. Following the custom at that time, the walls of the long gallery are covered with paintings from floor to ceiling. Most of the paintings on display are by artists who were popular in the 18th century, such as Jan Steen, Isaac van Ostade, Philips Wouwerman, Abraham Bloemaert and Gerard ter Borch. The paintings come from the Mauritshuis, supplemented by paintings on loan from other collections. The Gallery Prince William V is now reopened for visitors. In 2009, the museum had almost 450,000 visitors from every where ... Worldwide. Visit the website at : www.mauritshuis.nl/ The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis houses a world-famous collection of art. The heart of the collection consists of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, including top-quality work by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Steen and Frans Hals. But this is not all. The collection also offers a splendid overview of Dutch and Flemish painting from 1400 to 1800. The masterpieces on display include work by Rogier van der Weyden, Hans Memling, Rubens, Van Dyck, Cornelis Troost and Adriaen Coorte. Moreover, the museum owns several top-notch works by the 16th-century German artists Lucas Cranach the Elder and Hans Holbein the Younger. This exceptional collection has been housed for nearly 200 years in the Mauritshuis, a 17th-century palace on the Hofvijver in The Hague. Only after 1875 did the Mauritshuis pursue a deliberate policy of acquisition. In those days most acquisitions were either purchases funded by the Dutch state at the urging of the directors or else donations made by private individuals. In all these years it has never been the intention to form a collection that represents an art-historical overview. The museum strives chiefly to round out its strong suits by enlarging the collection with important paintings by leading artists, concentrating on the areas of the stadholder's collection that were already the best represented: Dutch and Flemish painting. Thus the collection has been enriched over time with a large number of exceptional paintings, including: • Portrait of a man by Hans Memling in 1894 • The goldfinch by Carel Fabritius in 1896 • 'As the old sing, so pipe the young' by Jan Steen in 1913 • Travellers outside an inn by Isack van Ostade in 1925 • Self-portrait by Rembrandt in 1947 • The adoration of the shepherds by Jacob Jordaens in 1959 • Simeon praising Christ by Arent de Gelder in 1987 • Wooded landscape with farmhouses by Meindert Hobbema in 1994 • Portrait of an elderly man by Rembrandt in 1999 • Portrait of a man and Portrait of a woman by Rubens in 2003 The Mauritshuis was built in what was then one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in The Hague. In its immediate vicinity were the city's most beautiful homes, as well as the Binnenhof – the centre of government with the stadholder's quarters. The land on which the house was built, which was part of the garden of the Binnenhof, was put up for sale in 1631. Both Johan Maurits and Constantijn Huygens, secretary to the stadholder, bought plots on which to build. Johan Maurits acquired the most desirable plot, bordering on the pond called the Hofvijver. The Mauritshuis is one of the first examples of Dutch classicism; it is also one of the most perfect. Jacob van Campen was the founder of this architectural style, which flourished between 1640 and 1665. Dutch classicism was based on the principles of classical Greek and Roman architecture. Another important source of inspiration for Van Campen was the work of the 16th-century Northern Italian architects Scamozzi and Palladio. The layout of the 17th-century Mauritshuis is strictly symmetrical. Both story's have the same series of rooms on left and right, starting with an antechamber and continuing through a chamber and a cabinet to a cloakroom. Together they form a so-called 'apartment', of which there are four in the Mauritshuis. The apartments are divided by a central hallway, a staircase and – at the back of the house on both floors – a Great Hall. The Great Hall on the upper floor was the grand finale of a tour of the building. The ceiling of this hall boasted a cupola with a walkway around it, where musicians could sit and play, thus adding a festive note to banquets and celebrations. The large hall on the ground floor – the Golden Hall – was lavishly decorated in a late Louis XIV style with much gilding. The walls and the ceiling were decorated with allegorical representations, which were painted by Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, a Venetian artist who happened to be in The Hague in search of work. ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Editor has been invited to visit Museums and cultural sites in mainland China, Korea, Vietnam. Myanmar, Thailand (Siam), Singapore, Bali and mainland Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and now the Netherlands. Because of the Editor's travel we will be posting many interesting articles from our archives, some of the BEST Articles and Art Images that appeared in your magazine during the past six plus (6+) years . . Enjoy.

Over Half a Million Visit Record-Breaking 17th Biennale of Sydney Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:58 PM PST SYDNEY.- The 17th Biennale of Sydney closed on Sunday with record-breaking visitation of over half a million attending the event. More than 517,000 visited the Biennale venues, with an estimated 408,000 additional visitors enjoying the Biennale's outdoor works in the Royal Botanic Gardens and an innumerable audience experiencing Roxy Paine's large-scale work, Neuron, on the front lawn of the Museum of Contemporary Art at Circular Quay.

Exhibition by The Singh Twins Announced at the National Portrait Gallery Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:56 PM PST LONDON.- Work by The Singh Twins will be on display at the National Portrait Gallery for the first time in March. The twin sisters are contemporary British artists whose award-winning paintings explore issues of social, political, religious and multicultural debate. The display will offer a contemporary response to the concurrent exhibition, The Indian Portrait 1560-1860, and The Singh Twins have created a new Gallery trail to draw links between their work, The Indian Portrait 1560-1860, and the Gallery's permanent Collection. On view 11 March through 20 June 2010

Toledo Museum of Art acquires Bolognese Master Guercino's Baroque Painting Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:54 PM PST TOLEDO, OH.-Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) has been trying to fill for more than 50 years. A work by Bolognese master Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, commonly known as Guercino ("the squinter"), has been a long-sought-after addition to the TMA collection. Guercino's vibrant "Lot and His Daughters" (about 1651-1652) was acquired by the Museum in October of 2009. The large painting (176 x 231 cm / 69 ¼ x 90 7/8 inches) will be unveiled to Museum members and the general public on Friday, Jan. 22 during a 7 p.m. ceremony in the Museum's Great Gallery. "Lot and His Daughters" will temporarily hang in the gallery's most prominent location, normally reserved for Peter Paul Rubens' "Crowning of St. Catherine", which will be relocated to an adjacent wall. The move will result in several additional works being relocated within the gallery in order to show the new Guercino to its best advantage.

IMAX Melbourne Museum to open "Van Gogh: Brush with Genius" Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:52 PM PST Melbourne, AU  - Van Gogh: Brush with Genius, set to be released at IMAX Melbourne Museum on 13 August, 2009. Filmed entirely in 15/70mm film on location in France and the Netherlands, Van Gogh: Brush with Genius captures the breathtaking landscapes and extraordinary colours of Van Gogh's most famous works with the stunning visual effects of IMAX technology. From the dazzling yellow of the artist's famous cornfields to the deep blue of his famous night sky, audiences will learn the story behind of some of the most important works in art history.

The Great Wall of China dynasties, dragons & warriors at Melbourne Museum Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:51 PM PST First ever international exhibition about the Great Wall on show at Melbourne Museum.  Including rare objects such as a Terracotta Warrior, crossbow, sword and axe from the Qin Dynasty (221- 206 BCE), a bronze Funerary mask from the Liao Dynasty (916 – 1125 AD) and formal court robes belonging to the Qianlong Emperor (reigned 1736-1795), the exhibition will bring to life many of the fascinating stories associated with The Great Wall of China over a period of 2,500 years. Featuring treasures dated as far back as 475 BCE, many never before seen outside China On exhibition until 22 July, 2007.

The Art of Dance: Sculpture by Emma Rodgers at the Walker Art Gallery Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:48 PM PST LIVERPOOL.- A stunning 8ft bronze sculpture of a female dancer by local artist Emma Rodgers, takes centre stage at the Walker Art Gallery from 28 April to 6 July 2010. The display, "Emma Rodgers: From Sketch to Sculpture", reveals the journey from the artist's imagination to reality. The sculpture is accompanied by preparatory sketches and photographs taken by Rodgers as visual aids. There is also a photograph of the maquette, which Rodgers employed to test her ideas out in 3D and replicas of a foot of the sculpture at various stages in the casting process, revealing how the method known as the "lost wax process" works.

Roman Art Exhibition from the Louvre at IMA Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:46 PM PST   INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The Indianapolis Museum of Art will premiere Roman Art from the Louvre, an exhibition of works from the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France, which will be on view from September 23, 2007 to January 6, 2008. Featuring 184 works drawn from the Louvre's unparalleled collection of Roman art, the exhibition includes mosaics, frescoes, terracotta statuettes, monumental sculptures, sarcophagi, marble reliefs, glass and metal vessels, and gold jewelry, most of which have never traveled to the United States. Organized thematically, the exhibition examines everyday Roman public and private life through different lenses, including religion, urbanism, war, imperial expansion, funerary practices, intellectual life, and family.

Taft Museum of Art Offers Variety of Special Exhibitions Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:44 PM PST CINCINNATI, OHIO - The art featured in the new season of special exhibitions at the Taft Museum of Art offers a window onto other cultures and times. From contemporary Chinese paintings to opulent Elizabethan costumes, these exhibitions offer an escape from the ordinary and a chance to connect with the extraordinary.  The exhibition Views from the Uffizi: Painting the Italian Landscape continues into the fall, offering regional audiences their only chance to view dramatic landscapes from one of the most famous museums in Italy. The artists featured in the show, including Botticelli, Guercino, Poussin, Claude Lorrain, Frans Hals, and Canaletto, inspired later works by European masters included in the Taft's collection.

Indianapolis Museum of Art shows Western European Design from 1985 to 2005 Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:42 PM PST INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The first comprehensive assessment of Western European design from 1985 to 2005—a period of enormous creativity and experimentation that resulted in a proliferation of ideas and styles—will premiere at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA)  in March 2009. European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century will trace the evolution of design with 250 works by some of the most influential artists of this era; the show will encompass furniture, glass, ceramics, metalwork and a broad range of product design created by 118 designers spanning 14 Western European countries.

The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza offers Avigdor Arikha Retrospective Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:40 PM PST MADRID - From 10 June the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza is showing the first retrospective exhibition in Spain of the Israeli painter Avigdor Arikha. A total of 95 works – oils, drawings, and pastels – to offer the visitor a complete overview of the artist's work from 1965 to the present day. The exhibition continues the Museum's strategy of organising exhibitions of contemporary art and once again focuses on the work of a living artist.

National Portrait Gallery opens "One Life: Thomas Paine - the Radical Founding Father" Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:37 PM PST WASHINGTON, DC. - This "One Life" exhibition will be located in a single gallery devoted to Thomas Paine (1737–1809). Two hundred years ago, on June 8, 1809, Paine, scorned by his old associates and fallen from popularity, died in poverty. However, 33 years earlier, Paine's pamphlet, "Common Sense," had inspired Americans to declare independence. His exhortation, "These are the times that try men's souls," invigorated General George Washington's dispirited troops in December 1776. This exhibition tells the tumultuous life story of Paine through paintings, engravings, documents and caricatures and includes the Portrait Gallery's recently acquired portrait of Paine by the French artist Laurent Dabos. Other images illustrate how prominent caricaturists of the period depicted Paine, while copies of his most important publications, the inexpensive pamphlets that were passed hand to hand, demonstrate how the documents influenced American culture at the time. These items are on loan from the American Antiquarian Society, the American Philosophical Society and the Library of Congress.

" Tezuka: the Marvel of Manga " at Art Gallery of New South Wales Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:34 PM PST Sydney,  Australia - TEZUKA Osamu is acknowledged as an artistic master, and is revered as the figurehead of the manga  and anime industries in Japan. In the West he is best known for Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion which were serialised internationally for television in the 1960s.

Walker Art Gallery of National Museums Liverpool displays Peter Chang's Objects Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:28 PM PST LIVERPOOL, UK - Unnatural Selection: Jewellery, objects and sculpture by Peter Chang brings a riot of color and wild forms to the Walker Art Gallery, one of the National Museums Liverpool, from 15 June to 30 September 2007. The first British retrospective of the Liverpool artist is a comprehensive look at his successful international career. Chang is a contemporary 3D artist whose work includes stunning sculptural jewellery. The exhibition brings together around 150 pieces, from British, European and American museums and collectors. The Walker Art Gallery is the national gallery of the North. For over 120 years it has housed Liverpool's most outstanding art collection. Many of the gallery's most important works have been on display in the city for nearly 200 years.

The Picturesque Zorn Museum in Mora, Sweden Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:24 PM PST Anders Zorn, a famous Swedish artist and art collector, gathered over the years in which art and crafts in large quantities. He also had plans to build a museum for his collections. There was, however, his widow, Emma Zorn, who along with Zorn Collections senior curator, Professor Gerda Boëthius, came to realize his plans. Zorn Museum was opened in 1939 in Mora, Sweden. The Zorn Museum was designed by Ragnar Ostberg, known as the architect to City Hall. Zorn Museum was Östberg's last work. The classicism brick building was supplemented in 1982 with a glazed stairwell on the west side, designed by architect Torbjörn Olsson. In 1996 the museum was equipped also with an extension of exhibition galleries, library and museum office. Anders Zorn had educational ambitions of the museum he planned. This would allow art lovers and students to have the opportunity to see and learn from arts and crafts from around the world. That ambition remains to some extent still today, even though the focus over the years increasingly been directed at the artist's own works. The permanent exhibition offers paintings by Midnight (1891), Vall Kulla (1908), Dancing in Gopsmorstugan (1913) and the two self-portraits in red and the wolf-skin coat (both 1915). Among the watercolors are Grandma (1883), Misses Solomon (1888) and a large number of water studies. Zorn's etchings occupy a single room. The Zorn Museum also displays works of contemporary friends of the artist Bruno Liljefors, Carl Larsson, Prince Eugene, Albert Edelfelt and others. Zorn Museum and Zorngården is centrally located in Mora.. Zorn Gammelgård and Textile Chamber is exactly one kilometer from the Zorn Museum (a beautiful walk along the shore of Lake Siljan). Gopsmor is situated two miles north of Mora. Anders Zorn (1860 – 1920) painter of three US presidents is internationally renowned for his portraits and paintings. At the World Exhibition in Paris in 1889 Zorn was awarded the French Legion of Honour, all Swedish newspapers featured this art news about their celebrated artist.

This Week in Review in Art Knowledge News Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:23 PM PST This is a new feature for the subscribers and visitors to Art Knowledge News (AKN), that will enable you to see "thumbnail descriptions" of the last ninety (90) articles and art images that we published. This will allow you to visit any article that you may have missed ; or re-visit any article or image of particular interest. Every day the article "thumbnail images" will change. For you to see the entire last ninety images just click : here . When opened that also will allow you to change the language from English to anyone of 54 other languages, by clicking your language choice on the upper left corner of our Home Page.  You can share any article we publish with the eleven (11) social websites we offer like Twitter, Flicker, Linkedin, Facebook, etc. by one click on the image shown at the end of each opened article.  Last, but not least, you can email or print any entire article by using an icon visible to the right side of an article's headline.

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