A Look at the Morgan Library and Museum’s Ongoing 2023/2024 Exhibits (Part 2)

Job's Comforters, ca. 1805-6, pen and black and gray ink, gray wash, and watercolor, over faint indications in pencil, William Blake (1757-1827)

Considering the substandard state of New York City’s cultural institutions of late, our recent visit to the Morgan Library and Museum in Midtown Manhattan was a welcome breath of fresh air.

The five ongoing installations we took in, were not only interesting and enjoyable but impressive in quality and scope. An eclectic array of treasures, combining highlights from the Morgan’s permanent collection and prized loans, the exhibits included masterly works from Hieronymus Bosch, William Blake, and Fra Angelico, among others.

Curated with the utmost professionalism, each gallery (working our way up from the lower level to the second floor) was better than the last. We highly recommend you go see them before they come to a close.

[See Part 1] [See Part 3]

Highlights from ‘Morgan's Bibles: Splendor in Scripture’ October 20, 2023 through January 21, 2024

Closeup of Job's Comforters, William Blake

(L) Gold and cabochon rock crystal box-case, a 19th-century pastiche,
containing: Gospel book fragments, in Latin, Salzburg, Austria, second
half of the 8th century. (R) "Lindau Gospels," in Latin, Switzerland, St.
Gall, ca. 880 (manuscript), Eastern France, ca. 870 (front cover),
Austria, Salzburg region, ca. 780-800 (back cover)

(L) The Nativity and Annunciation in an initial P Gradual cuttings, leaf I,
Italy, Florence, 1392-99, illuminated by Silvestro dei Gherarducci (1339-1399)
parchment. (R) Jeweled plaque, style of Imperial Habsburg Workshop, Vienna,
19th century, silver-gilt, gold enamel and open work, set with
baroque pearls, emeralds, diamonds, and rubies

Miniatures of the Life of Christ, France, perhaps Corbie, ca. 1175, parchment

Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves ("The Three Crosses"), 1653,
drypoint, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669)

Christ Preaching ("The Hundred Guilder Print"), ca. 1648, etching,
engraving, and drypoint, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669)

(L) Tankard with ivory work depicting the Queen of Sheba paying
homage to King Solomon, Poland, Gdańsk, possibly 1692, ivory and
silver-gilt, Christoph Maucher (1642-after 1705) and Johann Ernst Kadau
(d. 1711). (R) The Fall of Man, probably Austria, Vienna, before 1650,
ivory, Master of the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian

Polyptych with scenes from Christ's Passion, France,
ca. 1350, ivory, paint, and gilding with metal mounts

(L) Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, ca. 1665-70, pen and brown ink and
wash, over black chalk, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682). (R) Fragment
of the Epic of Atrahasis, Mesopotamia, First Dynasty of Babylon, reign
of King Ammi-saduqa, ca. 1646-26 BC, clay tablet

Censer with a lioness hunting a boar, Byzantine
Egypt, sixth or seventh century, bronze

Highlights from ‘Seeds of Knowledge: Early Modern Illustrated Herbals’ October 6, 2023 through January 14, 2024

White Swallowwort (Vincetoxicum officinale), ca. 1577-87, watercolor and opaque watercolor, over black chalk, on parchment, Jacopo Ligozzi (1547-1626)

Buch der Natur (Book of Nature), Konrad von Megenberg (1309-1374)

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) with a Ladybug; Daffodil
(Narcissus pseudonarcissus) with a Beetle; Chicory (Chichorium intybus)
with a Dragonfly, France, Loire River Valley (Tours?), ca. 1515-20;
Master of Claude de France (act. ca. 1508-1520s)

De materia medica (On medical material) Constantinople,
875-925, Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40-90)

Caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyris) and Hazelwort (Asarum eurapaeum)
woodblocks, Praguw, ca. 1562, Giorgio Liberale (b. 1527), illustrator;
Wolfgang Meyerpeck (ca. 1505-1578), blockcutter

Kreütterbuch (Herbal), Starsbourg: Josias Rihel, 1577;
Heironymus Bock (1498-1554); David Kandel (1520-1592), illustrator

Commentarii in sex libros Pedacii Dioscoridis Anazarbei de medica materia
(Commentary on the six books of Dioscorides's "On medical material"), Venice:
Vincenzo Valgrisi, 1565; Pietro Andrea Mattioli (1501-1577); Giorgio Liberale
(b. 1527), illustrator; Wolfgang Meyerpeck (ca. 1505-1578), blockcutter

Historia naturalis (Natural History), Venice: printed by Melchior Sessa
for Alessandro Benedetto, 1513; Pliny the Elder (23/24-79),
Benedetto Bordone (1450-1530), illustrator

A Look at the Morgan Library and Museum’s Ongoing 2023/2024 Exhibits (Part 1)

Ischia and the Bay of Naples by Moonlight, ca. 1800,
oil on paper, Pierre Henri de Valenciennes or circle

Considering the substandard state of New York City’s cultural institutions of late, our recent visit to the Morgan Library and Museum in Midtown Manhattan was a welcome breath of fresh air.

The five ongoing installations we took in, were not only interesting and enjoyable but impressive in quality and scope. An eclectic array of treasures, combining highlights from the Morgan’s permanent collection and prized loans, the exhibits included masterly works from Hieronymus Bosch, William Blake, and Fra Angelico, among many others.

Curated with the utmost professionalism, each gallery (working our way up from the lower level to the second floor) was better than the last. We highly recommend you go see them before they come to a close.

[See Part 2] [See Part 3]

Highlights from 'Capturing Atmosphere: European Nature Studies in Oil' (November 14, 2023 through August 11, 2024)

Stormy Sky, ca. 1800, oil on paper,
Pierre Henri de Valenciennes or circle

Sunset: Normandy Coast, 1830s, oil on paper,
mounted to canvas, Eugène Isabey

Landscape at Civitá Castellana, 1826/27, oil on paper,
mounted to canvas, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

(L) Alpine Riverscape, ca. 1850-60, oil on paper, mounted to canvas, Alexandre Calame. (R) Garden of the Villa Medici, Rome, ca. 1864, Jean-Achille Benouville

View of Notre Dame de Versalles from the Plaine de Rocouencourt
toward the South, ca. 1833-47, oil on paper, mounted on
canvas, attributed to François Marius Granet

A Landscape by Sunset, ca. 1830, oil on cardboard, Carl Gustav Carus

Sky Study (Sunset), ca. 1850, oil on paper, Carl Maria Nicolaus Hummel

Highlights from 'Spirit and Invention: Drawings by Giambattista and Domenico Tiepolo' (October 27, 2023 through January 28, 2024)

Apollo and the Continents, ca. 1737-39,
oil on canvas, Giambattista Tiepolo

(L) Marriage of the Virgin, ca. 1785-91, pen and brown ink and wash,
over black chalk, Domenico Tiepolo. (R) Holy Family on the Flight into
Egypt Accompanied by Angels, ca. 1785-91, pen and brown ink
and wash, over charcoal, Domenico Tiepolo

The Dancing Dogs, ca. 1762, oil on canvas, Domenico Tiepolo

Punchinello Carried Off by an Eagle, ca. 1797-1804, pen and
brown ink with brown wash, over black chalk, Domenico Tiepolo

(L) The Coronation of the Virgin, 1754, oil on canvas, Giambattista Tiepolo.
(R) The Apotheosis of St. Roch, ca. 1755, oil on canvas, Giambattista Tiepolo

Punchinello Riding on an Ass in Procession of His Fellows, ca. 1797-1804,
pen and brown ink with brown wash, over black chalk, Domenico Tiepolo

Sketch for "The Glory of St. Dominic," ca. 1737-39,
oil on canvas, Giambattista Tiepolo

Punchinellos Feasting, ca. 1797-1804, pen and brown ink
with brown wash, over black chalk, Domenico Tiepolo

A Group of Punchinellos, ca. 1730-35,
oil on canvas, Giambattista Tiepolo

A Group of Punchinellos Watching the Making of Glass, ca. 1797-1804,
pen and brown ink with brown wash, over black chalk, Domenico Tiepolo

The Burial of Punchinello, ca. 1797-1804, pen and brown ink
with brown wash, over black chalk, Domenico Tiepolo

Photo of the Week: Statue of Charles I of Anjou on the Western Facade of the Palazzo Reale di Napoli

Statue of Charles I of Anjou, King of Sicily sculpted by Tommaso Solari in a niche on the western facade of the Palazzo Reale di Napoli (Royal Palace of Naples) in the Piazza del Plebiscito (formally Largo del Palazzo Reale), Naples 
Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Battistello’s ‘The Calling of St. Matthew’ on View at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

The Calling of St. Matthew, ca. 1625-30, oil on canvas,
Giovanni Battista Caracciolo (1578-1635)

Revisiting some old favorites during our recent trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s newly reopened European Paintings 1300-1800 galleries, we unexpectedly stumbled upon The Calling of St. Matthew (ca.1625-30) by Giovanni Battista Caracciolo, also known as Battistello, in gallery 620. Acquired by the Met in 2016, I don’t recall seeing this oil painting before. Only the second Battistello painting I’ve seen at the Met (back in 2013, his Tobias and the Angel, ca. 1622, was on view), this is a rare opportunity to see the Neapolitan’s work in person. Needless to say, my photos do these great masterpieces no justice, they should be experienced in person, even if they aren't in their original palatial and church settings.

The "Old Favorites"

Self-Portrait, ca. 1647, oil on canvas,
Salvator Rosa (1615-1673)

The Dream of Aeneas, 1660-65, oil on canvas, Salvator Rosa (1615-1673)

Bandits on a Rocky Coast, 1655-60,
oil on canvas, Salvator Rosa (1615-1673)

Pilate Washing His Hands, 1663, oil on canvas,
Mattia Preti (Il Cavalier Calabrese) (1613-1699)

Christ Crowned with Thorns, oil, possibly over tempera, on wood,
Antonello da Messina (Antonello di Giovanni d'Antonio) (1430-1479)

Portrait of a Young Man, ca. 1470, oil on wood,
Antonello da Messina (Antonello di Giovanni d'Antonio) (1430-1479)

Judith with the Head of Holofernes, ca. 1640,
oil on canvas, Massimo Stanzione (1585-1656)

Medea Rejuvenating Aeson, ca. 1760, oil on canvas,
Corrado Giaquinto (1703-1766)

The Penitent Magdalen, ca. 1750, oil on canvas,
Corrado Giaquinto (1703-1766)

The Translation of the Holy House of Loreto, ca. 1490, Tempera
and gold on wood, attributed to Saturnino Gatti, (1463-1518)

St. Margaret of Cortona, ca. 1758, oil on canvas,
Gaspare Traversi (ca. 1722-1770)

Teasing a Sleeping Girl, ca. 1760, oil on canvas,
Gaspare Traversi (ca. 1722-1770)