In Museums & Art Institutions

Norton Simon Museum

Tales of the Blue Lord explores the life and legends of Krishna, the lotus-eyed mischievous god whose name means “the dark one.” One of the most revered deities within the Hindu pantheon, Krishna elicits great devotion from his followers, due in part to his numerous incarnations or manifestations, including naughty child, bewitching flautist, slayer of demons, sensual lover and bucolic hero. Indeed, images of Krishna’s adventures are among the most colorful and beloved in Indian art.

The centerpiece of this installation is an 18th-century temple wall from Kerala, India. A recent donation to the Museum, the wall is more than nine feet wide and nearly eight feet high. The wall comprises 12 separately carved wooden boards, with each bright polychromed panel depicting a different scene from the life of Krishna.

The temple wall is accompanied by some twelve paintings and sculptures from the Museum’s permanent collections, including several Chola bronzes and numerous paintings from devotional folios such as the Gitagovinda and the Bhagavatapurana.

Tales of the Blue Lord is the first in a series of exhibitions presented in a newly dedicated space for rotating Asian installations. Located in the lower level alcove near the stairwell, the gallery features installations that explore focused themes, genres and styles found in the Museum’s celebrated Asian art collection. On exhibit through April 14, 2008

Over the course of his art collecting career, Norton Simon acquired close to 50 works by French artist Aristide Maillol, many of which are on permanent display in the Museum’s galleries and garden. The exhibition Maillol’s Miniatures offers a rare look at those Maillol works that are not usually on view, providing a better understanding of the artist’s working methods.

Maillol was born to humble beginnings on December 8, 1861, in Banyuls-sur-Mer, France. His small childhood home, owned by his aunt Lucie, later became a winter retreat from his studio and tapestry workshop. Maillol was accepted into the École des Beaux-Arts in 1885, after several attempts at admission. He was inspired, encouraged and praised by contemporaries and fellow artists such as Paul Gauguin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Émile Bernard. After years of creating intricate tapestries, he abandoned this medium because of the toll the highly detailed creations were taking on his vision. He then turned to sculpture, a more visceral art form that did not strain his failing eyesight. Finally, in 1896, Maillol began exhibiting his wood carvings, wax statuettes and ceramic objects, slowly gaining success as the years progressed. Some of Maillol’s better-known large-scale projects include monumental lead sculptures such as Air,La Méditerranée and Harmony.

The bronze and marble pieces exhibited in Maillol’s Miniatures show Maillol’s studio work on a smaller scale and serve as an entry point to his larger works scattered throughout the Museum’s galleries and garden. Included in the exhibition is a video of an interview with Dina Vierny, Maillol’s muse and studio model, and now the director of the Musée Maillol in Paris. Over a period of ten years, Vierny posed for many of Maillol’s famous sculptures, including those that grace the garden of the Museum and this intimate exhibition. Filmed in the summer of 2007, the interview offers a rare glimpse into Madame Vierny’s association with Maillol, as well as the story of Norton Simon’s interest in Maillol’s artworks. On exhibit March 7 - August 18.

Norton Simon Museum.

411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. (626) 449-6840. Website:www.nortonsimon.org

Open: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from noon until 6:00 p.m. Fridays, from noon until 9:00 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. Cost: Adults, $8.00. Seniors (aged 62 years and above), $4.00. Visitors under 18 years of age and Students with valid identification, free.