Circa 1900: Decorative Arts at the Turn of the Century February 26–July 31, 2011
Vase, manufactured by Rozenburg Den Haag, decorated by H. G. A. Huyvenaar,
1903, eggshell porcelain, the MFAH.
František Kupka, The Yellow Scale, c. 1907, oil on canvas, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, John A. and Audrey Jones Beck Collection, Museum purchase funded by Audrey Jones Beck. © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris
Carlo Bugatti, Armchair, c. 1890–1900,
wood, vellum silk, copper, brass, and possibly pewter, the MFAH.
Emile Gallé, Water Lily Vase, c. 1895–1900, cameo-cut glass. Gift of J. Brian and Varina Eby.
Josef Hoffmann, Vitrine (Model no. 600/9), made by Jacob & Josef Kohn,
c. 1905–08, ebonized beech, glass, and brass, the MFAH.
This exhibition features European decorative and fine art from about 1890 to 1910. Works by artists such as Hector Guimard, František Kupka, Edvard Munch, and Vilmós Zsolnay illustrate the fascination of the period with dreams, nature, and the exotic—as well as the creeping unrest felt in Europe as the old century ended and a new, uncertain, one began. Circa 1900: Decorative Arts at the Turn of the Century also features several Art Nouveau items collected by Dominique de Menil that are now part of the Menil Collection.
"A period of upheaval forms the backstory behind the objects in this fascinating exhibit." —Houston Chronicle
"Don’t miss the delightfully uplifting decorative designs highlighted in this hidden treasure . . . These objets d’art serve as reminders of how beautiful life really is." —CultureMap
"Circa 1900: Decorative Arts at the Turn of the Century" is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
This exhibition receives generous funding from:
