By Meredith Gregory, Associate Curator of Education for School and Teacher Programs, Norton Museum of Art

The Norton Museum of Art is honored to share the Norton Art+ augmented reality app with our visitors starting January 2nd. The app is made in collaboration with the New York City-based design firm, Local Projects, and is supported by the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation.

The augmented reality experience allows visitors to engage with six contemporary works of art in the Norton’s permanent collection and encourages conversation between family members of all ages about the themes related to the work of art. “Norton Art+ stands out because each of the six augmented-reality interactions in the app is tailored to a specific contemporary artwork. …

By Glenn Tomlinson, William Randolph Hearst Curator of Education, Norton Museum of Art

This series features short essays on artworks in the American collection that visitors may have missed simply because of their intimate scale. Despite their size, these works and the artists who made them provide important insights into the expanding field of American art. It is our pleasure to explore these gems with you.

The waterfall that cascades through the center of this painting comes into view at the top of the canvas as a white pathway bounded by black, angular cliffs. As the torrent falls, the white shape is inflected with brushstrokes of grey-blue pigment that suggest rushing waters. At the very center of the painting, this waterfall becomes a beautiful chute of pale green, blue, and violet tones, flanked on either side by grey-green ledges. A nude woman raises her hand to catch the water as she bathes in the stream below. To her right, a second nude reclines by the banks of the stream. Her hand touches the earth, her fingers merging with the pink tone of the ground. The shape of her hip repeats the round forms of the stream’s bank that build up toward trees and verdant hills that ascend to a darkening sky at the upper right. In contrast, an active figure who stretches her arms and arches her back as if gesturing to the waterfall’s source dominates the left side of the painting. She too resonates with the landscape; her red hair matches the color of the tree above her. Her arched chest and abdomen echo contours of what may be the dark trunk and limbs of another tree, or the craggy edges of cliffs upon the ridge. Observing the entire scene from the lower left corner of the painting, a fourth nude rests on her elbow, her back to the viewer. She appears to look at the figure in the stream, suggesting traditional perspective and pictorial space, yet the forms of her body deny correct proportions or modeling. …

Featuring works by Asian artists in response to spiritual concepts, the exhibition “Divine Beings: China at the Center of Cross-Currents in Asian Art” spotlights exceptional works along with more than 30 selected works from the Norton’s collection.

Divine Beings: China at the Center of Cross-Currents in Asian Art is on view through January 31, 2021.

By Laurie Barnes, Elizabeth B. McGraw Curator of Chinese Art, Norton Museum of Art

The Passage of Shakyamuni Buddha into Nirvana

This rare and important hanging scroll by the Japanese artist TOSA YUKIHIRO* depicts the passing of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni into nirvana. In Buddhist thought, nirvana is a release from the cycle of death and rebirth. Parinirvana is the ultimate nirvana, which occurs with the death of the physical body of someone who has attained enlightenment.

The Buddha passes into nirvana while lying on a platform in meditation beneath sacred trees near the banks of the Batsudaiga River, represented behind a host of disciples. In the surrounding crowd are Bodhisattvas, Buddhist monks, Hindu deities, men and women of every class, a multitude of animals, and even some mythical beasts. …

by Kristen Cahill, Director of Retail Operations, Norton Museum of Art

Looking for a last-minute holiday gift that is distinctively unique? Look no further than The Store at the Norton! Though the deadline for ground shipping past, there’s just enough time to shop in the Store –for one-of-a-kind, artful gifts.

From handmade items like Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired painted scarves and ocean-inspired jewelry to fun stocking stuffers such as beaded ornaments and artist inspired card decks, find the perfect gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list.

As the Store’s Manager, I have the pleasure of knowing our inventory really well and put together this list for you of recommendations, must-haves, and festive favorites.

Recycled Tin Can Objects

American Gems: Small Artworks, Enduring Impact: Charles Ethan Porter (1847–1923)

By Glenn Tomlinson, William Randolph Hearst Curator of Education, Norton Museum of Art

This series features short essays on artworks in the American collection that visitors may have missed simply because of their intimate scale. Despite their size, these works and the artists who made them provide important insights into the expanding field of American art. It is our pleasure to explore these gems with you.

Charles Ethan Porter’s small painting, Roses, invites us to look as closely at a bouquet as if we were approaching to catch its scent. Set in a rotund ceramic jar atop a brown tablecloth and against a sepia background, the brilliant flower arrangement captures one’s gaze. At the right, white, pale yellow and pink roses appear at different stages of flowering. The yellow bud is relatively compact compared to the white rose’s petals that extend and curl back. Green tinted shadows upon this flower contrast with the warmer pink tones on the white blossom at the center of the composition. This blossom stands out against the deep green leaves behind, while projecting over the lip of the jar, casting a shadow on the ceramic surface. Three bright pink roses — as well as a fourth which has fallen to the table — draw our attention to the left. These flowers provide the most dramatic range of tones in the bouquet, from pale pink highlights to burgundy shadows as they turn away from the light. The bulbous profile of the bowl echoes the silhouette of the flower above and draws it to the rose on the tablecloth. …

Featuring works by Asian artists in response to spiritual concepts, the exhibition “Divine Beings: China at the Center of Cross-Currents in Asian Art” spotlights exceptional works, such as the Hindu sculpture from Bangladesh featured in this post.

Divine Beings: China at the Center of Cross-Currents in Asian Art is on view through January 31, 2021.

By Laurie Barnes, Elizabeth B. McGraw Curator of Chinese Art, Norton Museum of Art

This large, exquisitely crafted Hindu roundel depicts the Hindu god Vishnu riding his legendary transport, Garuda. Scholars believe that the work originally was situated on the lintel over the entrance to a Hindu temple built in the 5th to 6th century in what is now Bangladesh. Such temples were considered dwellings for deities, and the lower tiers were inset with terracotta narratives representing Hindu gods and their exploits. Priests and individuals would circumambulate temples in ritual acts of worship and offer prayers, flowers, and food. …

The Documentary Filmmaker Who Archived the Arts

Michael Blackwood founded Blackwood Productions Inc. with a vision to create compelling documentaries about leading figures in contemporary culture spanning art, music, dance, history, science, and architecture. Blackwood rarely used narration and never allowed the filmmaking to compete with his subjects. The recipient of a host of awards, in 2010 Blackwood became a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

This November, the Norton presents three films directed and produced by Michael Blackwood. Each 2pm screening is followed by a virtual post-screening Q&A. See films and dates below.

In anticipation of the series, we spoke with Benjamin Blackwood, President, Michael Blackwood Productions, Inc. …

American Gems: Small Artworks, Enduring Impact: Edward Mitchell Bannister (1828–1902)

By Glenn Tomlinson, William Randolph Hearst Curator of Education, Norton Museum of Art

This new series features short essays on artworks in the American collection that visitors may have missed simply because of their intimate scale. Despite their size, these works and the artists who made them provide important insights into the expanding field of American art. It is our pleasure to explore these gems with you.

Edward Mitchell Bannister’s two landscapes in the Norton Museum of Art collection present the New England countryside at its most contemplative. In the earlier work from 1881, a woman sits in the shadows of great trees whose trunks and branches frame her against a sunlit forest glade. The crimson ribbon on her hat, a counterpoint to the bright green and yellow tones of the open space, calls attention to the figure as she reads. Across the glade a steep hillside dense with foliage rises to the top of the canvas. …