We cordially invite you to join us for another marvelous tour by Dr. Helga Aurisch at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston on Thursday, June 28, 2012, at 6:30 p.m.
Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of the Artist, c.1665
Kenwood House, English Heritage; Iveagh Bequest, 1927
(88028836). Photo courtesy American Federation of Arts
From the Kenwood House in London, a magnificent collection of paintings is on a limited, four-stop tour in the United States, with its first stop in Houston. These 48 masterpieces include works by Rembrandt, Thomas Gainsborough, Frans Hals, Joshua Reynolds, Anthony van Dyck, and J.M.W. Turner, the best artists of their time. Kenwood House belonged to Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh (1847–1927) and heir to the world’s most successful brewer. The collection was shaped by the tastes of the Belle Epoque—Europe’s equivalent to America’s Gilded Age—when the earl shared the cultural stage and art market with other industry titans such as the Rothschilds, J. Pierpont Morgan, and Henry Clay Frick. This exhibition will be the first tour of an important group of works from the Iveagh Bequest and will provide a rare opportunity to see these superb paintings outside the United Kingdom.
The private tours of Dr. Aurisch at the MFAH are always an exquisite experience, as her expertise and inimitable style open our senses to the art and artists. Dr. Helga Kessler Aurisch joined the MFAH as assistant curator of European art in 2004. She received her BA from Smith College in 1975 and her MA and PhD from Albert-Ludwigs Universität, Freiburg, Germany, with honors, in 1978 and 1988, respectively. In 2010, she was promoted to Curator of European Art.
Our meeting at the museum on June 28, will begin at 6:30 p.m. with our customary food and wine reception, to be followed by the presentation by Dr. Aurisch. Registration begins at 6:15 p.m., so do come early! Please join us in the Jamail Meeting Room, Mezzanine Level, Audrey Jones Beck Building, 5601 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005. The meeting fee is $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers, and $5 for students, regardless of whether you participate in the reception. Parking is available in the museum’s garage on Binz between Fannin and San Jacinto – there is a big yellow arrow to direct you. Please RSVP to Angelika Schmidt-Lange.
Bring a friend, bring a partner, bring a spouse! We are looking forward to seeing all of you at the museum.
Cheers!