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Follow that Art! Balcomb Greene's Six-Sided Planes in Context

Posted by Sarah Bailey Hogarty on July 18, 2011

Last week, we followed Six-Sided Planes into the photgraphy studio where it was shot for record identification. Today we learn about the history and significance of this painting from the curatorial perspective.

My name is Emma Acker, and I’m a curatorial assistant in the American Art department at the Fine Arts Museums. In May of this year, I presented Balcomb Greene’s Six-Sided Planes as a potential purchase to the Acquisitions Committee of our Board of Trustees.

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The World-famous "David" Violin is on View at the Legion of Honor!

Posted by Sarah Bailey Hogarty on July 15, 2011

For a limited one-month engagement, the famed violin “The David” made by Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri (del Gesú) is on display at the Legion of Honor through August 10!

Bequeathed to the Museums in 1989 by Jascha Heifetz, who was one of the world’s greatest violinists, this instrument currently spends most of its time at the San Francisco Symphony in the skilled hands of Concertmaster Alexander “Sascha” Barantschik.

Guiseppe Antonio Guarneri del Gesu (Italian, 1687–1745). Violin, ca. 1740. Spruce and maple. Bequest of Jascha Heifetz. 1989.6.1

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Will Work for Art: Jim Ganz

Posted by Sarah Bailey Hogarty on July 14, 2011

"Will Work for Art" takes you behind the scenes to meet the people who make the Fine Arts Museums work. This week we take you into the curatorial department at the Legion of Honor to meet Jim Ganz, curator of the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts. Originally from West Hartford, Connecticut, Jim has been with the Museums for three years and one month (but who's counting, anyway?).

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FRAME|WORK: Lewis Powell (Alias Payne), Conspirator, Seated and Manacled by Alexander Gardner

Posted by Sarah Bailey Hogarty on July 13, 2011

FRAME|WORK is a weekly blog series that highlights an artwork in the Museums' permanent collections. This week, we feature a powerful Civil War-era photograph from The Album of the Lincoln Conspiracy. This work is currently not on view, so we have provided an exclusive online viewing!

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Follow that Art! Balcomb Greene's Six-Sided Planes is Ready for its Close-up

Posted by Sarah Bailey Hogarty on July 12, 2011

Now that the Board of Trustees has approved the purchase of Balcomb Greene's Six-Sided Planes and it has been permanently accessioned into the Museums' collection, the next step is to make identification photography of the artwork. This photo will be used for internal recordkeeping on the collections management database and the website.

Art technicians Osvaldo Ruiz and Mark Grim prepare the painting for transportation to the photo studio. For safety, two people handle artworks at all times.

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Conservation Treatment of a Monumental Print

Posted by Debbie and Victor... on July 11, 2011

A monumental 17th-century etching/engraving by the artist Jacques Callot is currently on view in the Jacqueline and Peter Hoefer Print Study Room at the Legion of Honor. In addition to a dramatic naval battle scene, the print depicts many fascinating details of daily life, which are visible upon close inspection. Although the print was acquired by the museums in 1968, it had never been exhibited due to condition issues. The most noticeable of these condition issues was the fact that until recently, the sixteen panels comprising the print were separate pieces!


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