Dog, Han Dynasty 206 BCE-220 CE, Glazed earthenware, 15.5 x 18 x 14.5 inches. During the Han dynasty, dogs of various types were frequently placed in tombs. The most common was a mastiff-type animal usually shown standing on all four legs. This long-necked dog is unusual in both color and design. Although seated with paws…
The Crucifixion
by Peieter Porbus (Flemish, 1523-1584). Porbus (or Pourbus) was a Dutch Flemish painter, sculptor, and cartographer, best known for his religious portraits. He worked primarily in Bruges where his paintings are housed in the Groeninge Museum. Porbus’s paintings were greatly sought after by Northern European religious institutions and schools for the clarity of his vision…
The Night Rider (1932)
Officer John Brown is after the outlaw known as the Night Rider. Posing as Jim Blake he takes a job on the Rogers ranch. He finds the secret passage from the Rogers mine to the Rogers house used by the Night Rider and also a note written by the Night Rider to his henchmen. Practicing…
One Man’s Law (1940)
Trailcross is trying to get the new railroad and Stevens wants it to go to Mason City. Jack and sidekick Nevady arrive and when Jack faces down Stevens’ men, he is made Marshal. The townspeople raise money for the railroad and entrust it to Jack. But Stevens plants two of his henchmen as Jack’s escorts…
Ming Vase
The Ming vase possesses a very rare color combination, known as Fa Hua, applied to a shape that is very difficult to execute well and is known as a mei ping. Mei ping vases were made to hold the first blossoms of spring, and were typically produced with a glaze of celadon or decorated in…
Rose Medallion Tazza
The tazza was produced for a marriage. It supports the twin fish motif, of importance to Asians, yet the colors and other design elements are typical of items made for export to Western consumers. This combination of colors and motifs makes this specimen quite unusual, and potentially a special order for the marrying couple.
Mother and Child
by Ivan Ermakov (Russian, 1875-1942). Ermakov was trained in the academic traditions of pre-Revolutionary Russian and his work revealed the national tradition of old portraiture of the Russian Empire style, focusing on historic and nostalgic themes. His painting here, of the Madonna and Child, expresses a nostalgic look during the rapidly changing world of the…
Gun Fire from atop the Coach
by George Rozen (American, 1895-1974). A prolific illustrator for pulp-fiction publications. This painting appeared on the cover of Ace-High Western Stories, March 1950.
Almost Got It
Painted for the Father’s Day cover (June 18, 1939) of This Week Magazine by Russell Sambrook (American, 1891-1956). Illustrators such as Sambrook fill in the gap between the age dominated by Joseph Leyendecker and the renaissance of Americana seen through Norman Rockwell’s eyes. Sambrook’s approach to visual design and sense of stagey humor owe a…
Rose Medallion Garden Barrel
The garden barrel would have provided a seat for contemplation, with the cool porcelain making the garden pleasurable on a hot day.