Huntington Library, Gardens and Museums on Thursday

Thursday was a picture postcard day in San Marino, CA and a fine day for roaming around the library, gardens and museums with veterans.  We learned a lot about the Gutenberg Bible on velum, one of only 14 remaining, printed and painted 600 years ago.  It took about 5,000 sheep and other animal skins to make the velum for the printed pages.  Then each page was painted by artists showing scenes in the bible...with actual gold accents.  A wonderful docent answered all our questions.

We then strolled by the Shakespeare garden to the American art museum where I took pictures of some of the favorites seen below.  Then off to the Chinese garden with a view of the lake, bridges and pavilions while we sipped great tea and munched on cookies.  Then off to the Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and the Huntington Mansion to see the furnishings and  great art....English and French.

It was a great day...tired feet but happy minds.

"Abraham Lincoln," modeled 1860 cast 1880 by Leonard Wells Volk, 1828-1895.  On May 18, 1860, Leonard Volk made a life mask of Abraham Lincoln by covering the future president's face in plaster, letting it set, and carefully removing it.  He then used the mask to create numerous bronze sculptures of the 51 year-old presidential candidate.

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"Sailing Ships off the New England Coast," 1855 by Fitz Henry Lane, 1804-1865

"Chimborazo," 1864 by Frederic Church, 1826-1900

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"Bronco Buster," 1895 by Frederic Remington, 1861-1909

"Untitled," by Harry Bertoia, 1915-1978  "Based on the form of a tree, this sculpture's roughly patinated bronze leaves seem to flutter in an unseen wind."

"Benediction," 1922 by Caniel Chester French, 1830-1911 bronze

"Free Floating Clouds," 1980 by Sam Francis, 1923-1994 Acrylic on canvas

Silver by Allan Adler, 1916-2002.  This "Silversmith to the Stars," was the most innovative silversmiths working in Southern California after WWII.  Clients included Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Carol Channing, Steven Spielberg and Michael Jackson

"Bird Drinks Creek Dry, Fish Escapes," 1965 by Edward Ruscha, b. 1937

"Brillo Box," 1964 by Andy Warhol, 1928-1987, "art that was intended to provoke anxiety about the nature and value of art." 

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"Leaded Glass Window from the James A. Patten House, Evanston, Illinois," 1901 by George Washington Maher, 1864-1926 and Louis Millet, 1856-1923

"Pandora", 1858 by Chauncey Bradley Ives, 1810-1894, marble.  Note she has not yet opened the box that will release horrors into the world.

"Mrs. William Playfair," 1887 by John Singer Sargent 1856-1925

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"David Wilson Jordan," 1899 by Thomas Eakins, 1844-1916

"The Inner Studio, Tenth Street,": 1882 by William Merritt Chase 1849-1916

Painting is "Study," by William Merritt Chase
Chair created in 1869 by George Hunzinger, 1835-1898

"Zenobia in Chains," 1859 in marble by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer 1830-1908 

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"Puck," 1843 marble by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer

"Vesuvius from Portici," 1774-76 by Joseph Wright of Derby (British, 1734-1797) "Wright magnifies the volcano's terrifying mass against the minuscule buildings below"...Pompeii...with the moon rising through the smoke and clouds. 

"Charles Stuart Forbes," 1882 by John Singer Sargent