AFA 20th Anniversary

2020 Antiques & Fine Art 139 previous page Fig. 11: Interior, Fisher Island house with John Gregory bronze sculpture, Young Panther (1931), and Blue Aurene vase with applied decoration, ca. 1927, engraved “Steuben Aurene 6297,” iridized handblown glass (2018.20.37). Photograph by Joshua McHugh (before gift to The Newark Museum of Art). Armstrong curated these visual relationships throughout the house, connecting the glass colors and forms to the artwork and furnishings inside and to the garden and natural landscape outside. Fig. 12: Interior, Fishers Island house with bronze animal sculptures and Norman Bluhm oil on canvas painting, Open Red (1959). L to R: Orange Cintra charger with applied blue rim, ca. 1929, unmarked, handblown glass (TR81.2017.6A). Lent by the Thomas N. Armstrong III Family. Orange Cintra compote, ca. 1929, acid-stamped “STEUBEN,” shape 3179, handblown glass (TR81.2017.8). Lent by the Thomas N. Armstrong III Family. Orange Cintra vase with applied blue rim, ca. 1929, acid-stamped “STEUBEN,” shape 334, handblown glass (TR81.2017.9). Lent by the Thomas N. Armstrong III Family. Photograph by Joshua McHugh (before gift to The Newark Museum of Art). A retrospective of Bluhm’s art will be on view at the Newark Museum of Art from February 13-May 3, 2020. glass, and artwork are visible through the glass walls, visually interacting with both the interior objects and exterior landscape. Unexpected Color spotlights these interactions and reveals ways of looking at and thinking about glass (Fig. 12). Carder’s colorful Steuben creations have not been produced since the 1930s, yet Armstrong’s unique vision dramatically expands our understanding of how this glass can be seen, in ways that transcend its original era, style, and use.  Amy Simon Hopwood is associate curator of decorative arts at The Newark Museum of Art in Newark, New Jersey. All glass works shown were designed by Frederick Carder and produced by Steuben Glass Works (1903–1918) or Steuben Division, Corning Glass Works, (1918–1933). All glass works shown are from the Thomas N. Armstrong III Collection, Gift of the Thomas N. Armstrong III Family 2018, unless noted. All photographs by Richard Goodbody/Newark Museum, unless noted. 1. Steuben Glass Works (1903–1918), then Steuben Division, Corning Glass Works (1918–1933), and finally Steuben Glass, Incorporated (1933–2011) was located in Corning, Steuben County, New York, which inspired the company names. Unexpected Color: A Journey Through Glass is on view through Spring 2022 at The Newark Museum of Art in Newark, New Jersey. The exhibition was curated by Amy Simon Hopwood, associate curator of decorative arts, and Stephen Milne, guest curator and exhibition design consultant. For more information about the exhibition, call 973.596.6550 or visit www.newarkmuseumart.org.