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Smithsonian Cup
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Like gold gleaming in a muddy stream, many minerals flaunt
their natural beauty. Others, like uncut gems, cloak their
appeal, revealing it only through an artisan's touch.
Throughout history, artists and artisans have delighted in the
glories of minerals and admired the geometry of nature, from
the angled facets of crystals to the graceful curves of plants.
By enhancing precious materials and uniting them in pleasing
forms, art has drawn forth objects of extraordinary beauty from
nature. This exhibition presents works of art and jewelry
created by the House of Buccellati, an Italian firm established
in the mid-eighteenth century and reestablished by Mario
Buccellati in 1919. Selected from the House of Buccellati
collection and several international private collections, these
stunning jeweled and precious-metal masterpieces demonstrate
the time-honored art of jewelry making and small-scale sculpture
at its finest. At the same time, they attest to the infinite
richness of the natural world, the source of all beauty. |
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Previously unexhibited gems and minerals from the collections of
the National Museum of Natural History enlarge the scope of the
exhibition and demonstrate how the natural forms of minerals and
gems animate the remarkable designs of the House of Buccellati.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the "Smithsonian Cup," an
original piece created by Gianmaria Buccellati in honor of the exhibition. The cup will reside in
the permanent collection of the National Museum of Natural History.
Buccellati: Art in Gold, Silver, & Gems
- Exhibit extended through March 11, 2001. First floor, Special Exhibitions Gallery
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