A blog by staff and others about the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Septimius Severus
March 7, 2011
There is a very interesting story behind Septimius Severus—both the man himself and the statue of him at VMFA. What some people don’t know is that this Roman emperor was born in Lepcis Magna, North Africa, and so was sometimes referred to as the “African Emperor.” When Severus was 18, he moved to Rome to…
Prints, Literacy, and Freedom
March 4, 2011
As we continue to explore selected works from the VMFA’s exhibition A Celebration of Print: 500 Years of Graphic Art from the Frank Raysor Collection, the “democracy” of the print medium becomes apparent. As something becomes cheaper and more widely available, more people will see it and own it. Prints often allowed a broader demographic…
Film Director and Legendary Movie Star to Appear
February 28, 2011
At this Friday Films, March 4, 2011, VMFA will present film director Tim Reid with his guest Richard Roundtree showing Reid’s 1996 motion picture directorial debut, Once Upon a Time…When We Were Colored, in which Roundtree plays the sturdy ice man, Cleve. Afterwards they will be joined by Tim’s lovely wife, actress Daphne Maxwell Reid,…
Claude
February 28, 2011
“The finest landscape etching in the world.” This is the fifth in a series of blog posts discussing highlights of the exhibition A Celebration of Print: 500 Years of Graphic Art from the Frank Raysor Collection currently on display in VMFA’s Mellon Focus Galleries. Admission to this exhibition is free. Claude Lorrain is best known…
Achieving Gradations in Etching and Drypoint
February 24, 2011
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts discussing highlights of the exhibition A Celebration of Print: 500 Years of Graphic Art from the Frank Raysor Collection currently on display in VMFA’s Mellon Focus Galleries. Admission to this exhibition is free. In this post collector and donor Frank Raysor contributes to our knowledge…
The power of line
February 11, 2011
This is the third in a series of blog posts discussing highlights of the exhibition A Celebration of Print: 500 Years of Graphic Art from the Frank Raysor Collection currently on display in VMFA’s Mellon Focus Galleries. Admission to this exhibition is free. One of the pleasures of A Celebration of Print is the wide…
A giant leap forward
February 5, 2011
This is the second in a series of blog posts discussing highlights of the exhibition A Celebration of Print: 500 Years of Graphic Art from the Frank Raysor Collection currently on display in VMFA’s Mellon Focus Galleries. Admission to this exhibition is free. One of the great pleasures of A Celebration of Print is…
Powerful Prints
February 4, 2011
This is the first in a series of blog posts discussing highlights of the exhibition A Celebration of Print: 500 Years of Graphic Art from the Frank Raysor Collection currently on display in VMFA’s Mellon Focus Galleries. Admission to this exhibition is free. The Frank Raysor collection spans 500 years, from the late 15th to…
My favorite work in the ancient collection
January 28, 2011
As an intern in the ancient art department in 2008, I grew attached to a few artifacts in the Greek collection that have enchanted me with their beauty. Now that I’ve returned to volunteer in the department and the ancient art galleries are open, I have an opportunity to once again work closely with the…
Revised Sign Plan for VMFA
January 27, 2011
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will be developing its Boulevard sign in phases. An institutional identifying sign will be installed first, which will be composed of a stainless steel armature with a panel of frosted acrylic to complement the building materials of the McGlothlin Wing. The letters VMFA and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts…