The Weird and Wonderful: Unique Decorative Arts From the Lightner Museum, St. Augustine

 

September 3, 2010 – November 28, 2010

Edward E. and Jane B. Ford Gallery

 

Unique Decorative Arts from the Lightner Museum, St. Augustine

As one of America`s Splendor Seekers, Otto C.Lightner "Collector of Collections" left behind an  outstanding legacy in the form of a rare glimpse into the Gilded Age through art objects and artifacts with international flair relating to science and industry of the late 19th century .  This exhibition explores and highlights some of his most exciting and historic purchases and includes: a rare Regency terrestrial globe; swan and Sphinx-decorated Egyptian revival furniture;oversized Oriental and European porcelains;Tiffany, Galle` and Brilliant- cut glass; animalistitic and portrait bronzes, selections from his treasury of silver and a variety of wall decorations, clocks and other richly ornamented objets d`art.

Image: The Mandrill; Meissen Porcelain; 19th Century; 3ft tall; From the Collection of Lightner Museum, St. Augustine

 

Woof! Art of the Dog

September 3, 2010 - January 9, 2011
Gary R. Libby Entry Court

Ever seen a dog smile, admire the seemingly-simplistic artistry of a photograph of dogs at play or of dog behavior that is close to human?  For these fun and fascinating facts of life, come to our latest exhibit.  Contemporary portraits of dogs of all sizes, shapes and breeds celebrated through paintings  by such craftsmen and artists as George Rodrigue, Ron Burns, Will Rafuse, William Wegman and others.  These pieces will enliven the Museum’s Entry Court in this family friendly exhibit.

Image: Ron Burns; Madeline;  n.d.;  giclée on canvas, 24” x 18”

Spruce Creek and the St. Johns River: Silverprint Photography of Lee Dunkel 

  

August 6, 2010 – November 14, 2010

Root Family Gallery

Lee Dunkel’s interest in environmental and landscape photography began in the early 1980’s. Traditional gelatin-silver black and white photography appealed to the artist because of its abstract quality, and its potential to transcend mere documentation. While living and working in rapidly growing central Florida, Dunkel sought out pockets of pristine landscape, such as the Spruce Creek and St. Johns River basins. These areas became the subject of portfolios produced between 1988 and 1996. Spruce Creek is a meandering tidal black water creek in Central Florida, that empties into Rose Bay and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. It has areas of wetlands, savannah, and palm forest along its route. The St. Johns River is unique in that it flows from south to north and connects several lakes between central Florida and Jacksonville, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean near the Mayport Naval Station. It encompasses estuaries, logging canals, extensive marsh areas, wetland systems, and bird sanctuaries. Dunkel currently lives and works in central Florida and serves as adjunct instructor of Photography at Daytona State College. 

Got Feathers?

 Long - term display
Karshan Center of Graphic Art

This new exhibition features not only the most beautiful Audubon bird engravings in the MOAS collection, but also selections of the porcelain bird artistry of Edward Boehm, examples of rare feathers, and serious and amusingly lighthearted bird-related objects.  For example, the exhibit includes a recreation of an American Indian Chieftain’s  headdress used in the Hollywood movie epic Dances with Wolves alongside a showgirl’s  finery from the 1930’s; an engraving from Diderot’s 1763 Encyclopedie contrasts with a modern-day Shoe cartoon.

 
The Armory

Long - term display

Mary Louis Marzullo Gallery

Antique firearms, weapons and armor from the collections donated to MOAS by Kenneth Worcester Dow and Mary Mohan Dow in 1998, these spectacular artifacts have never been exhibited before. 

This includes the artistry of some of the most famous gunsmiths and weapon makers from the medieval period to the 19th century illustrated through a wide range of finely designed and decorated muskets, rifles and pistols, lions-head daggers, war axes, knives, sabers and straight-edge swords together with a rare late 17th century inlaid German crossbow.

The repeat performance of this exhibit is explained by its universal popularity and the many regrets expressed when last May’s “no-name” storm caused the West Wing’s closure.