Something Beautiful

Native American baskets

The Minneapolis Institute of Art owns some handsome Native American artifacts.  My attention was particularly attracted to the woven baskets. 

These two are quite practical in appearance and design --

Papago covered basket

Pomo gathering basket

The coiled baskets have a simpler but (to my mind) more artistic design --

Apache

Pima

None of the others, however, is able to compete with this fine --

Navajo basket  (personal favorite)

Modest masterpiece

Here is something quite special -- a complete illuminated Book of Hours, all on one page.   This devotional book was made ca. 1475 in provincial France.    Although a modest work, it has a quiet dignity and appeal.  A transcription of the contents is available.

Pottery maker

American photographer Roland Reed took this photograph of a Hopi pottery-maker in about 1915.

Siena Cathedral

It being again Sunday, we shall dress up and go to church.   For today, I recommend this handful of photos of the Siena Duomo.  These two photos of the Cathedral  library are particularly fine. 

Bergognone (ca. 1500)

Have you ever heard of the Italian artist Bergognone?   I hadn't either until last week.   And yet I find his work very worthwhile.   Here's an example -- Presentation in the Temple, ca. 1494.   

Two drawings in metalpoint

There is just something about this Portrait of an Ecclesiastic that speaks to me.  Hope it will to you, too.  It was done by Jean Fouquet during the 15th century, in metalpoint and black chalk, on white prepared paper.   

Another example of what can be done through metalpoint is Standing Youth, Seated Youth, by Filippino Lippi, ca. 1480. This drawing was done in metalpoint, with white gouache highlights, on pink prepared paper.

Medallion

I have long liked this bronze medallion attributed to Benvenuto Cellini.

Shells

It often seems to me that the world once contained many more seashells than it does now, a fact which makes me sad.   Here, then, are three sets of lovely shells as a reminder of riches goneby --

Cracherode's shells

Sloane's shells, group 1   

Sloane's shells, group 2 

As always, you need to see the larger photo in order to appreciate the originals. 

Thomas Carlyle

Ever since I first came upon it, five or six years ago, I have considered this one of the most beautiful quotations in the world --

The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green. 

The speaker was 19th-century Scottish critic Thomas Carlyle. We get a glimpse of Carlyle in this delightful drawing, by Helen Allingham.

Bluebonnets

The website for the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, is modest but has some nice surprises.  In particular, I liked A Cloudy Day, Bluebonnets near San Antonio, Texas, 1918, by Julian Onderdonk.