Small Precious Things
6 artworks from 6 artists across 6 galleries
The tour is ordered to begin from the Michigan Avenue entrance. If you are starting in the Modern Wing, simply do your tour in reverse order.
A tour for the young (and young at heart) that explores artworks that are small and precious, sometimes in unexpected ways.
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E-24: French Salon of the Louis XVI Period, c. 1780
Narcissa Niblack Thorne
Gallery 11, lower level, Thorne Miniature Rooms
Narcissa Niblack Thorne designed this miniature interior “entirely in the spirit of Marie Antoinette—dainty in coloring and full of her symbols of design.” The queen was fond of roses, which were often incorporated into the molded decorations of swags, garlands, and baskets. The garden tools and musical instruments in the carvings of the panel heads represent her love of nature and music."Fit for the dollhouse of Marie Antoinette herself, this parlor is decorated with tiny portraits of pretty ladies in gilded frames and porcelain vases with Chinese-inspired patterns. How many paintings can you find?"
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The Knickknack Peddler
Gallery 134, first level, Arts of China, Japan and Korea Galleries
The knickknack peddler is a motif often featured in Chinese paintings. This object shows the peddler eagerly approaching his young customers but carelessly leaving his goods unattended among a group of mischievous little boys. While maintaining the traditional composition for this scene, the circular shape of this ivory medallion and its deeply carved surface give the image a novel sense of movement."In medieval China, the arrival of a knickknack peddler might be the most interesting thing to happen in a small village for months. These little boys are certainly excited to see what flowers, feathers, and other wonders might be hidden inside his cart."
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Crucifixion Relief from a Rosary Bead
Flemish
Gallery 238, second level, Arms and Armor Galleries
Private prayer and contemplation were fundamental to Catholic practice. The intimate scale and detailed workmanship of this wooden bead was intended to inspire both visual and spiritual wonder. The sequence and number of beads in a rosary also gave structure to prayers; rosaries could also be personalized with detailed ornaments, like a prayer nut carved to depict Jesus's crucifixion."Several world religions use beads strung on cord to count prayers or mantras. Some beads are made from common materials such as wood and seeds, others from costly gold and pearls. But it is the stories represented by the beads that are the most precious."
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Sustaining Traditions—Digital Teachings
Kelly Church
Gallery 262, second level, Arts of the Americas Galleries
Native artists such as Kelly Church, a fifth-generation basketmaker, have long used black ash trees to create their woven vessels. But these trees are being decimated by the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect. Church worries that knowledge keepers may not be able to teach this art to the next generation. Inside this basket, she has placed a flash drive containing files that record this knowledge so that our museum can help preserve it."This basket is made with special wood and shiny curls of copper. But what’s even more precious is the cultural memories it holds inside. What memories do you have of learning to make something special with an older friend, relative, or teacher?"
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Drachm (Coin) Depicting the Gorgon Medusa
Ancient Greek
Gallery 151, first level, Arts of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine Worlds Galleries
The ancient city of Neapolis (near modern Kavala, Greece) was famous for its horse-breeding, so they chose to honor the snake-haired Medusa, mother of the miraculous winged horse Pegasus, on the front (obverse) of their coins. On the back (reverse), they depicted the maiden Parthenos, a local moon goddess and patron of the city. These images helped link Neapolis to a set of Greek deities and myths shared by city-states across the Mediterranean.
"The mythical 'gorgoneia' (snake-haired women) were terrifying to look at due to their bulging eyes, sharp fangs, and extended tongue. So ancient Greeks and Romans often kept pictures of them around to frighten away monsters, sickness, and bad luck."
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Amulet of Bes
Ancient Egyptian
Gallery 50, lower level, Arts of Ancient Egypt Galleries
The dwarf Bes, with his feathered headdress, lion mane and tail, and protruding tongue, was the protector of women and children in ancient Egypt. This amulet depicting him is but one example of the great many that were made in the Ptolemaic period."Ancient Egyptians believed that bad luck could be driven away by shock or laughter. To protect children, the dwarf god Bes made them laugh by sticking his tongue out, dancing around naked, and loudly playing his tambourine."
