February 21, 1939
The exhibit of recent accessions on view at the Brooklyn Museum through March 12th takes a colorful and effective showing on account of the variety and beauty of the items exhibited, oil and water color paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, costumes, and a collection of Coptic and Arabic textiles from Egypt with a wealth of pictorial designs in tapestry weaving being included.
Of first importance are Kuniyoshi’s "Alabaster Vase and Fruit" and Sterne's “Garden Flowers”, both the gift of Sam A. Lewisohn; Lucas Van Leyden's woodcut of The Daughter of Herodias with the Head of John the Baptist; a group of water colors by Paul Gill, the bequest of the artist; and a group of water colors by Paul Sample and Bernadine Custer, the gift of the Friends of Southern Vermont Artists.
Significant purchases by the Department of Prints and Drawings are works by Toulouse Lautrec, Picasso, Bracquemond, Philip Otto Runge, Edvard Munch, Charles Moryon, Carl Ruggles and unknown Italian miniaturists of the 14th Century.
Excellent examples of Sioux Indian beadwork have been acquired by the Department of American Indian Art through the Dick S. Ramsay Fund, and through the same fund the Department of Primitive Cultures has scoured objects representing several South Sea Island peoples, including a gruesome strangling cord or garotte from the Marquesas Island ornamented with beads of human bones.
The collection of sculpture gains a Dancing Figure by Elie Nadelman the gift of Sam A. Lewisohn, a Semetic Head by Jose do Creoft, and a Japanese bronze Buddhist statue of the Kamakura period.
Accessions to the Department of Ancient art, Egyptian Section, however, will repay the closest examination and offer material for sustained study and comparison. In addition to exceptional Ushabtii (ceremonial figures) some of them unusual in size and workmanship, a stele representing a prison keeper and his wife, and another recording a most extraordinrary contract between a mother and her children by which she surrenders her property and they agree to support her in her old age; there are twenty five Egyptian textiles of the Graeco Roman, Coptic and Arabic periods. They range in date from the 4th to the 18th Centuries. They are chiefly in the difficult and brilliant tapestry weaving, exceptionally effective as handled in Egypt since the designs are set against plain backgrounds instead of being lost in a welter of ornament as was the fashion in medieval Europe. There is also some embroidery in imitation of tapestry weave. The materials are chiefly wool on undyed linen, but in the later periods silk is used and finally the silk print appears, probably imported from India. Some of the colors have faded. The purple, for instance, has become a dark brown. But many of the colors look as fresh as if they had been dyed yesterday. The motives are especially curious and include: human figures, animals, scrolls, figures of saints, trees of life, birds, arcades, inscriptions, geometrical figures, a warrior with shield and sword, winged genius with a basket of fruit, and portrait heads making googoo eyes at each other.
Other textiles shown are two modern evening gowns by Thurm the gift of Mrs. Monroe Hewlett and a collection of fine lace borders the gift of Miss Josephine How.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1939. 01-03/1939, 062-3. View Original
February 17, 1939
Oil Paintings
MARICE STERNE: Garden Flowers; gift of Sam A. Lewisohn.
YASUO KUNIYOSHI: Alabaster Vase and Fruit; gift of Sam A. Lewisohn.
Water Colors
PAUL GILL (1394-1938): Cathedral Steps; bequest of Paul Gill.
Tugs; bequest of Paul Gill.
Fog, Perce, Canada; bequest of Paul Gill.
Front Street; bequest of Paul Gill.
PAUL S. SAMPLE (1896-): Road to Berlin Corners; gift of the Friends of Southern Vermont Artists.
BERNADINE CUSTER: Good Tidings Tabernacle; gift of the Friends of Southern Vermont Artists.
Lamp Shelf; gift of the Friends of Southern Vermont Artists.
Prints and Drawings
HENRI DE TOULOUSE LAUTREC (1864-1901): Aux Ambassadeurs 1894, from L’Estampe Original, Series VI, color lithograph.
Purchase, Smith MemorIal Fund.
PABLO PICASSO (1881-): Tête de Jeune Homme, ca. 1923; grease crayon and pencil drawing. Purchase.
FELIX BRACQUEMOND (1833-1914): La Volaille Plumee, ca. 1884, etching, only state.
LUCAS VAN LEYDEN (1494-1533) The Daughter of Herodias with the Head of John the Baptist, woodcut. Gift of Frederic B. Pratt.
PHILIP OTTO RUNGE (1777-1810): Daybreak, from Times of Day, engraving; purchase; Museum Collection Fund.
Night, from Times of Day, engraving; purchase; Museum Collection Fund.
EDVARD MUNCH (1863-) : Madonna, 1907; purchase, Smith Memorial Fund.
CHARLES MERYON: Le Petit Pont, 1850; etching. Purchase.
UNKNOWN MASTER, North Italian, late 14th Century: Illuminated Initial Letter D, God the Father Inspiring David to Write the Psalms; ca. 1450. Purchase.
UNKNOWN MASTER, Italian, School of Sienna, ear1y 14th Century:
Illuminated Initial Letter E, St. John the Baptist
Announcing the Coming of the Messiah. Purchase.
CARL RUGGLES: Southern Pine, wash drawing gift of the Friends of Southern Vermont Artists.
Sculpture
ELIE NADELMAN: Dancing Figure; gift of Sam A. Lewisohn.
JOSE DE CREEFT: Semetic Head, purchase.
Oriental Art
UNKNOWN ARTIST: Bronze Buddhist Figure; Japan; Karnakura Period (1170-1340); purchase, A. A. Healy Fund.
American Indian Art
Cradle of Buffalo Hide with beadwork decoration and miniature ornaments; Sioux Indian; purchase Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Pipe of Caolinite with wooden stem with carved decorations of turtles, buffalo and elk. This pipe is said to have belonged to Chief Old Three Totem; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Bandolier Pouch of typical beaded cloth; Winnebago; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Buckskin Shirt with beadwork, grizzly bear foot-print design, with scalp-lock and medicine bag; Sioux; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Woman’s Saddle Blanket of heavy cotton with wide borders of buckskin, heavy beadwork decoration; Sioux; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Primitive Cultures
Textile with Spirit Boat Design (tampan djung galuh). This cotton textile is an example of a “floating warp" technique in weaving developed in the district of Kroe, South Sumatra. It is used on ceremonial occasions; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Strangling Cord with “tikis” of human bone; Marquesas Islands; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Necklace of Shell Beads and Coconut; Fiji Islands; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Necklace of Beads Made from Coconut Shell; Samoa; purchase, Dick S. Ramsay Fund.
Ancient Egypt
Recent books on Egyptian Textiles, souc with color illustrations
GRAECO—ROMAN AND COPTIC TEXTILES OF FROM EGYPT as follows:
Border from Woolen Tunic, with decorations of human figures and animals in scrolls; tapestry weave in colored wools; 6th Century A.D.
Floral Scatter Motifs from garment or hanging; tapestry weave in red and green wool on undyed linen. 5th to 6th Century
Roundel from a Cloak or Tunic; tapestry weave in wool on undyed linen. 4th to 5th Century A.D.
Fragment of Green Woolen Tunic (large); ornamented with bands of figures of saints; tapestry weave in colored wools. 6th Century A.D.
Tree of Life with Birds; tapestry weave in wools on undyed linen. 6th Century A.D.
Sleeve Bands from a Tunic; decoration of figures In arcades; tapestry weave in purple on yellOw wool. 6th Century A.D.
Ornamental Bands in the Coptic Tradition; tapestry weave in wool on undyed linen. 7th Century A.D.
Wide Bands probably from a Garment; Islamic period; tapestry weave in red and yellow silk. 12th to 13th Century A.D.
End of Scarf or Turban Cloth; decorated with inscription of prayer in Arabic characters; embroidered silk; 9th to 10th Century A.D.
Ornamental Band for Scarf or Turban Cloth; tapestry weave, silk on undyed linen; 11th to 12th Century A.D.
Ornamental Band for Garment; fine tapestry weave, silk on undyed linen; 11th to 12th Century A.D.
Band with Inscription: repeated formula "Happiness is in God"; tapestry weave in silk on undyed linen; second half 11th Century A.D.
Band with Inscription; silk on undyed linen; Caliph al-Muqtadir billah (908-932 A.D.)
Sleeves with Geometrical Border; embroidered in silk on undyed linen. 13th to 15th Century.
End of Scarf or Turban Cloth; early Arabic in Coptic tradition; tapestry weave in wool on undyed linen; 7th Century A.D.
Printed Textiles; from Fostat, Egypt; probably printed in India; 12th to 15th Century A.D.
Fragment of Egyptian Tunic, Turkish Period; embroidered in silk on undyed linen; 16th to 18th Century.
Band with Human Figures and Animals; tapestry weave, blue and yellow wool; 6th to 7th Century A.D.
Warrior with Shield and Sword; tapestry weave in wool on undyed. linen; 6th Century A.D.
Large Square from Hanging tapestry weave in wool on undyed linen; 5th to 6th Century A.D.
Large Square from Ranging; tapestry weave in wool on undyed linen; 5th to 6th Century A.D.
Frieze with Portrait Heads; tapestry weave on undyed linon; 5th Century A.D.
Winged Genius with Fruit Basket; looped technique; wool on undyed linen; 5th Century A.D.
Shrub with Arabesque Leaves in Pot; tapestry weave in wool on undyed linen; 5th Century A.D.
Border with Grape Vine Motive; tapestry weave in wool on undyed linen; 6th Century A.D..
Sandstone Funerary Bust; late XVIIIth Dynasty (c. 1370—1300 B.C.) probably connected with the cult of identification with Osiris as a means of securing immortality; few such examples are known; from excavations of the Egypt Exploration Society through contributions from the Wilbour Fund.
Objects from a foundation deposit (scarabs, small pottery and placque): late XVIIIth Dynasty (c. 137O B.C.). This deposit was placed under a temple and corresponds to our cornerstone deposits except that this deposit had for the Egyptians a religious significance; from excavations of the Egypt Exploration Society through contributions from the Wilbour Fund.
Ushabtii (ceremonial statues) of Senkamansekon; XXVIth Dynasty (633-613 B.C.); frou the Royal Pyramids at Nuri in the Sudan; by exchange with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Lunette-Shaped Sandstone Stela; XIXth to XXth Dynasty (c. 1350-1090 B.C.); recording a contract between a mother, son and daughter by which in return for prescnting her property to the children they agree to maintain the another in her old age; found in the sanctuary of the temple where the son was a priest; from excavations of the Egypt Exploration Society at Amara West; through contributions from the Wilbour Fund.
Ushabtii (ceremonial statues) of Tirbaqa and Senkamanseken, one of alabaster and two of sandstone; (XXVth to XXVIth Dynasty, 688-613 B.C.) From the Royal Pyramids at Nuri in the Sudan; from excavations of the Egypt Exploration Society through contributions from the Wilbour Fund.
Limestone Funerary Stela; first revival period (c. 2475-2160 B.C.): the seal-bearer and keeper of the prison and his wife Djedowi; crudely inscribed and colored but quite effective as general decoration.
Textile Division
Evening Dress; made by Thurm (1930); gift of Mrs. Monroe Hewlett; painted sliver on black and grey printed silk with slippers to match.
Evening Dress; made by Thurm (1930); black velvet with white fur shoulder straps and buckle of white metal set with costume jewels; gift of Mrs. Monroe Hewlett.
ITEMS FROM A COLLECTION OF FIFTY PIECES OF LACE; gift of Josephine W. How.
Border of Duchess Lace; Flemish.
Collar of Buckingham Type; Flemish.
Border of Alencon; French.
Wide Border of Point de Gaze; Flemish.
Border of Point de Venise; Italian.
Border of Point de Gaze; Flemish.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1939. 01-03/1939, 064-7. View Original
