Bouguereau & America at the San Diego Museum of Art, to March 15
Some 40 paintings, including many of Bouguereau’s most iconic – among them Le repos; Young Girl Defending Herself Against Eros; and Homer and his Guide – are featured in this exhibition. The show is a rediscovery, of sorts, that asks visitors to push modernist tastes out of their minds and return, for a moment, to Bouguereau’s Gilded Age heyday. sdmart.org
Lifelines/Timelines at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, March 14 to June 15
The Huntington asks, “How do five venerable bonsai trees relate in age and historical significance to important works in the library and art collections?” The answer – perspective, depth, context. Lines in the grain of naturally dead sections of the bonsai can, like rings in a cross-section, indicate the tree’s age. The exhibition points to the lines that corresponds to the making of masterworks in the Huntington collection, such as Shakespeare’s First Folio of 1623 and Thomas Gainsborough’s The Blue Boy, painted c. 1770. huntington.org
Natural Forces: Winslow Homer and Frederic Remington at the Denver Art Museum, March 15 to June 7
Connections and insights into the themes and techniques the two quintessentially American artists explored and employed are examined though some 60 works they made. denverartmuseum.org
The Classical World at the Tampa Museum of Art, to March 15
Greek, Etruscan, and Roman artworks and artifacts – dating from 3000 BC to the 5th century AD – are highlighted as part of the exhibit The Making of a Museum: 100 Years, 100 Works. Among the collection’s finest specimens are Greek and southern Italian black-and-red figured vases. tampamuseum.org
Material Georgia 1733–1900: Two Decades of Scholarship at the Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, to March 15
This comprehensive review of 20 years of research examining Georgia’s numerous and diverse contributions to decorative arts will close soon. There is no shortage of remarkable material included: furniture, silver, pottery, and textiles; all showcase Georgia’s distinctive and influential regional aesthetic. georgiamuseum.org
An Ideal Unity: The Bauhaus & Beyond at the New Orleans Museum of Art, to March 15
NOMA celebrates the centennial of the founding of the influential German design school with this exhibition of photographs, prints, drawings, and decorative arts produced by Bauhaus students and faculty. noma.org
Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon: Masterworks from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society at the New Orleans Museum of Art, March 13 to June 7
Some 70 masterpieces drawn from the Asia Society’s permanent collection are presented in this expansive exhibition. The featured works—which range from Chinese vases to Indian Chola bronzes to Southeast Asian sculptures—demonstrate the technical skill and breadth of creativity of artists from across the continent. noma.org
Ruth Adler Schnee: Modern Designs for Living at the Cranbrook Art Museum, to March 15
Through vintage textiles, archival drawings, photography, and ephemera, the prolific life and career of designer Ruth Adler Schnee comes alive in this exhibition. Modern interior design owes a great deal to Schnee, who created textile patterns that helped define the mid-century American modernist aesthetic. Her vibrant colors and energizing textures will warm your spirit a bit this season. cranbrookartmuseum.org
The People Count: The Census in the Making of America at the New-York Historical Society, March 13 to June 7
Are you ready for the 2020 census? No? Perhaps this exhibit will inspire a bit of enthusiasm, as it explores the critical role the decennial survey has played in the development of our nation. Notable highlights include documents such as the first US Census of 1790, a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation from 1863, and a Census of American Indians from 1894. nyhistory.org
Théodore Rivière: Sculpture at the Maryhill Museum of Art, March 15 to November 15
A selection of Rivière’s small-scale bronze, marble, and terra cotta sculptures is on view, showcasing a distinctive style that mixes classicism with art nouveau nuances. maryhillmuseum.org
Orthodox Icons: The Saints and the Mother of God at the Maryhill Museum of Art, March 15 to November 15
More than 25 Russian icons – including examples provided by Queen Marie of Romania, a special patron of the Maryhill Museum in the 1920s – are highlighted. Notable among the Orthodox icons are those of St. Nicholas and St. John the Baptist. maryhillmuseum.org
A Particular Beauty: Romanian Folk Clothing at the Maryhill Museum of Art, March 15 to November 15
An impressive array of embroidered garments—including pieces displayed on 20 fully dressed mannequins—tell the sartorial story of Romanian folk clothing, and the blend of cross-cultural influences it reflects. maryhillmuseum.org
