Old Boston, new ways Nov 15, 2009
The Athenaeum may now be rented out for corporate events, but not for weddings, lest a champagne glass be smashed on Jean-Antoine Houdon s bust of Lafayette. Cocktail hours are permitted, but only after scheduled lectures, such as an upcoming lecture on Louis Armstrong, not as free-standing events. (Boston Globe)
Sotheby’s to auction rare bust of Washington Jul 4, 2009
This bust of George Washington, expected to fetch at least $490,000, was sculpted by Jean-Antoine Houdon of France ... The bust of America s first president comes from the workshop of Jean-Antoine Houdon, a French sculptor who was commissioned by Congress and the Virginia Legislature to produce a life-size sculpture of Washington. (Boston Globe)
Rare Bust of George Washington to Be Auctioned Jul 4, 2009
The bust of America's first president comes from the workshop of Jean-Antoine Houdon, a French sculptor who was commissioned by the U.S. Congress and the Virginia Legislature to produce a life-size sculpture of Washington. Houdon traveled from France to Philadelphia in 1787 to make a series of studies of Washington, then produced a small series of sculptures when he returned to his Paris studio. (Newsmax)
Peter Schjeldahl: Whistler portraits return to the Frick. Jun 16, 2009
One of them, a nice but anticlimactic seascape, now takes the former place, in the Oval Room, of Jean-Antoine Houdon s terra-cotta Diana the Huntress, which should come back, too, to stay. The Whistlers will return to internal exile on August 23, for some dull reason. (New Yorker)
An Up Close Look at the State Capitol May 16, 2009
Panoramic photographs showcase the history and beauty of Capitol treasures, including the priceless statue of George Washington by Jean-Antoine Houdon, which is the only statue for which Washington posed. From the Virtual Grounds, visitors can explore Capitol Square using five different maps showing how the Square has evolved over time, from its creation in 1785 to the present. (WTVR.com, VA)
GW's hidden treasures Mar 9, 2009
The bronze statue of the president by sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon was purchased in 1932 and then installed in University Yard. GW archivists, however, have to take great care with most of their artifacts, and much of their time is spent on conservation of objects in both archival and public storage. (GW Hatchet, Washington DC)
