Italy: Views, Maps, Ornament

Arader Galleries is pleased to present a very special collection of antique original maps, views, architectural studies and decorative ornament related to the history of Italy.

Italy has long been the birthplace of many important artistic and intellectual movements in European culture, beginning with the Etruscans and Romans, and later the Renaissance and Baroque movements. In the mid-18th to 19th centuries, a return to the Roman Classical style of art and architecture, Neoclassicism, became very popular. From the baroque illustrations of Raphael’s frescoes at the Vatican by Ottaviani, to the 18th century illustrations of Etruscan artifacts by Hamilton, the collection of Italian material in this catalog spans over several centuries.

Also featured are maps of all regions of Italy executed by Dutch and French cartographers in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the baroque Italian botanical engravings by Ferrari.

To request a copy of this recently published catalog, please call 415.788.5115. Many of these items are currently on view at our 435 Jackson St. location in San Francisco.

W. Graham Arader on the Today Show!

Click the link below to watch W. Graham Arader discuss the 5 most historically important maps of the United States, as seen on The Today Show on Tuesday, December 5th:

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-US&brand=msnbc&vid=285d2682-f26f-4e4a-9b0a-acd3262a3f22

A Celebration of Paris: On View Through November 2007

A Celebration of Paris
Arader Galleries, November 2007

Arader Galleries is pleased to present a special exhibition of antique engravings and lithographs relating to Paris, France. Paris has been a center for arts and culture for over a millennia. The city, as the seat of the French government, has also been the backdrop to countless historical events that had huge influence throughout the world. From 16^th century maps, to 19^th century French revolution scenes, Arader Galleries has a wide range of material highlighting Paris, and its rich history, which will be on view and available for purchase during November. Also featured in this special exhibition are highly regarded artists, such as the great botanical artist Pierre-Joseph Redoute, that lived and worked in Paris.

Reception:
November 15, 2007
5 to 8 p.m.
Arader Galleries
435 Jackson St.
Jackson Square, between Montgomery and Sansome
San Francisco, CA 94111

Please call (415) 788-5115 to request a catalog of the exhibition.

We also invite you to attend the Jackson Square Holiday Walk on November 29^th, 5-8 p.m.

Upcoming Exhibition: Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles

Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles
November 17, 2007 — February 17, 2008
Legion of Honor, San Francisco

Marie-Antoinette, the Austrian-born queen of Louis XVI of France, was given the Petit Trianon, a small château secluded in the park at Versailles, upon her accession in 1774. An icon of French neoclassicism, it exemplifies the perfection of 18th-century French architecture through its delicate balance of form and proportion. Its interiors were furnished to the queen's order with pieces of the utmost elegance, restraint, and beauty. This exhibition gives a visual history of the Petit Trianon through 88 pieces of the finest furniture, paintings, and sculpture from this château. It is complemented by watercolors, prints, and drawings of the house and its innovative landscaping, including the picturesque Hameau, a rustic village where the queen and her favorites could relax away from the prying eyes of the court at Versailles. This is the only venue of the exhibition, which is organized by the Musée National of the Château de Versailles. Link

A Grand View of the Gardens of Versailles

Pierre le Pautre
“Plan General de la Ville & du Chateau de Versailles, des Jardins, Bosquets et Fountaines”
Paris: 1717
Hand-colored copperplate engraving
Paper size: 37 ½" x 50"
Framed size: 43 ½" x 56 ½"

Louis XIV (1638-1715), the Sun King of France, had grown up during a civil war between rival factions of aristocrats, known as the Fronde, and wanted a site where he could control the French government by absolute rule. Louis settled on the royal hunting lodge at Versailles, which had been acquired by Louis XIII in 1632, and over the following decades expanded it into the largest palace and grounds in the world. It was Louis XIV's hope to create a center for the royal court at Versailles.

Beginning in 1669, the architect, Louis Le Vau (1612-1670), began a detailed renovation of the château. The Château of Versailles, outside of Paris, was converted into a spectacular royal palace in a series of four major and distinct building campaigns. By the end of the third building campaign, the Château had taken on most of the appearance that it retains to this day, except for the Royal Chapel in the last decade of the reign. Louis XIV officially moved to Versailles, along with the royal court, on May 6, 1682.

Louis had several reasons for creating such a symbol of extravagant opulence and stately grandeur, and for shifting the seat of the monarch. By moving the royal court and the seat of the French government, Louis XIV hoped to gain greater control of the government from the nobility. All the power of France emanated from this centre: there were government offices here, as well as the homes of thousands of courtiers and all the attendant functionaries of court. By requiring that nobles of a certain rank and position spend time each year at Versailles, Louis prevented them from developing their own regional power and kept them from countering his efforts to centralize the French government in an absolute monarchy. Thus, many noblemen had to either to give up all influence, or to depend entirely on the king for grants and subsidies. Instead of exercising power and potentially creating trouble, the nobles vied for the honor of dining at the king’s table or the privilege of carrying a candlestick as the king retired to his bedroom.

Versailles also served as a dazzling and awe-inspiring setting for state affairs and for the reception of foreign dignitaries, where the attention was not shared with the city of Paris, but was assumed solely by the king. Court life centered on magnificence; courtiers lived lives of expensive luxury, dressed with suitable magnificence and constantly attended balls, dinners, performances and celebrations.

This grand view showcases the garden plan of Versailles, the grounds of which are the largest formal gardens ever created, with extensive fountains and canals (identified with a key on either side of the illustrated garden plan). The gardens at Versailles were designed by the landscape architect André Le Nôtre (1673-1700). Le Nôtre modified the original gardens by expanding them and giving them a sense of openness and larger scale. The plan was centered by the central axis of the Grand Canal (le Canal), an ornamental body of water covering 105 acres. The gardens are centered on the south front of the palace, which is set on a terrace, giving the palace a sweeping view of the gardens. The Fountain of Latona (6) is located at the foot of the steps, and tells a story taken from Ovid’s poem Metamorphoses, which was considered an allegory of the Fronde, the French civil war (1646-53) that occurred when Louis XIV was a child. Beyond this is the Fountain of Apollo (15 - Bassin d’Apollon), which symbolizes the regime of the Sun King. To the right of the Grand Canal is Trianon, a getaway built by Louis XIV to spend time with his family, and unwind from the tedium of life at the royal court. Far into the distance lie the dense woods of the King’s hunting grounds.

This view is currently on view at Arader Galleries and is available for purchase.

A Syndication of Gould's Birds of Asia

We are pleased to announce a syndication of John Gould’s spectacular Birds of Asia. This set of hand-colored lithographs contains some of the most exquisite depictions of birds ever executed by an ornithologist. John Gould strove to record as many known species of the birds of Asia as possible, which resulted in 530 images of beautiful, exotic birds. The Birds of Asia is considered Gould’s greatest accomplishment, an undertaking that resulted in over 30 years being produced.

John Gould (1804-1881) was without question the most prolific and successful ornithological artist of the 19th century, and the only one to rival John James Audubon in ambition and quality. The 19th century was a time of intense fascination with discoveries in natural history, especially regarding knowledge of the wildlife of exotic lands. Gould shared the romantic enthusiasm of his time for such subjects, as well as the popular impulse to catalogue exotic wildlife. He combined his passion for natural history with outstanding scientific, artistic, and entrepreneurial talents. Drawing on these abilities, he embarked on a series of projects that would eventually make him the leading publisher of ornithological illustrations in Victorian Britain. Gould’s unparalleled career spanned five decades, during which he produced a monumental series of books of birds found throughout the world.

Considered one of Gould’s greatest achievements, the Birds of Asia was in production longer than any of his other works, taking 34 years for the appearance of its 35 parts. The ornithologist was fascinated by the diversity of the exotic, colorful species of Asia, and he conveyed his enchantment to viewers, creating one of his most monumental and magnificent sets. The subjects of the plates are among the most varied of Gould’s folios: trogons, kingfishers, sunbirds, woodpeckers, partridges, parrots, parakeets, pheasants, and many other genera are beautifully drawn, printed and colored. Gould placed many of the vibrant, showy and elegant birds in their appropriate settings.

530 hand-colored lithographs, each measuring 21 ½" x 14 ½", will be distributed by way of syndication on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at 1:00 pm in New York City at our 1016 Madison Avenue gallery. For more information, please contact Arader Galleries at 415.788.5115.

Piranesi as Designer exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

"Piranesi as a Designer" is the first museum exhibition to show Piranesi's full range and influence as a designer or architecture, elaborate interiors and exquisite furnishings. On view will be etchings, original drawings and prints by Piranesi, as will as a selection of three-dimensional objects. Read a review of the show at nytimes.com.
“Piranesi as Designer” continues through Jan. 20 at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, 2 East 91st Street, Manhattan; (212)849-8400, cooperhewitt.org.
Image shown: "The Drawbridge”: Staircases and bridges dwarfing tiny figures.

Arader Galleries at Art International Fair, San Francisco

Arader Galleries will be participating in the upcoming Art International Fair at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco: Friday, September 28 through Sunday, September 30^th. We invite you to stop by the special Gala Preview event, Thursday, September 27, from 7 – 10 p.m.

For more information, visit: http://www.artinternationalfair.com/

An Early 20th Century Watercolor of Santa Barbara, California

George Elbert Burr, American (1859-1939)
“View from Reservoir Hill, Santa Barbara, California”
Watercolor on paper
c. 1906-1924
Signed lower left
18" x 21 ½" framed

George Elbert Burr, born in Ohio and raised in Missouri, had an interest in art from an early age. As a child, he experimented with etching techniques, using zinc scraps from the kitchen stove, and printing the plates on a press located in the tin shop of his father’s hardware store. In 1878 Burr attended the Art Institute of Chicago for a few months his only formal art training. Burr returned to Missouri to run the family hardware store and marry Elizabeth Rogers, who supported his love of art. He traveled the countryside on sketching trips, and was an art instructor for a local drawing class.

In 1888, Burr began working as an illustrator for the publications Scribner’s, Harper’s and The Observer. His illustrations were also published in Volume II of John Muir’s Picturesque California that year. For the next several years, Burr worked and traveled extensively as an illustrator for periodicals including Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and The Cosmopolitan. Another notable project was illustrating the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s catalog of Heber R. Bishop’s jade collection; a four-year project began by Burr in 1892.

After a 5 year tour of Europe, Burr and his wife settled in New Jersey in 1901, and lived off of Burr’s earnings from sales of his watercolors and etchings. During this time his watercolors were displayed in galleries and exhibitions along the east coast, and as far west as Kansas City, Missouri. Due to ill health, Burr spent his winters traveling throughout the deserts of Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico, and in 1906, moved to Denver. His years in Denver were highly productive, and he gained membership to many art organizations, including the New York Society of Etchers and the Society of American Etchers.

Burr’s continued failing health prompted a move to the more moderate climate in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1924. Burr continued to work, serving as the president of the Phoenix Fine Arts Association, and participating the Phoenix’ first major art exhibition.

Burr was a prolific artist during his lifetime, working in a variety of mediums, and creating approximately 50 oil on canvas paintings, over a 1,000 watercolors, 2,000 pen and ink drawings and over 25,000 etchings pulled from his own presses. His works are currently held in the collections of the Boston Museum, Biliotèque National (Paris), Newark Museum (NJ), Library of Congress, Santa Barbara Museum, New York Public Library, Denver Museum and the de Young Museum in San Francisco.

This lovely watercolor can currently be viewed at Arader Galleries. If you have any additional questions about this piece, please call Arader Galleries at 415.788.5115.

Views and Maps of San Francisco and Northern California

We are pleased to share with you our latest catalogue celebrating the rich history of Northern California and the artists who illustrated its transformation. Of particular note are two paintings by Albert Bierstadt, who captured the untamed expanses of the American landscape, elevating native landscape painting to the height of popularity during the late 19^th century. His work, among others in this collection, helped to contribute to the idea of the mythic West and the sense of adventure and discovery it represented.

This catalogue also features many important views and maps of San Francisco and the Bay Area. The gold rush of 1848 propelled San Francisco, and the surrounding cities, into a period of unparalleled growth and prosperity. The banking and railroad industries capitalized on this era of immeasurable success, contributing to the construction of impressive buildings and avenues. Publishers such as Currier and Ives recorded this sense of optimism in such illustrations as The City of San Francisco and California Scenery, which highlight important landmarks of the “modern imperial city” of San Francisco. Views such as these are important historical documents considering most of San Francisco would later be rebuilt following the devastating earthquake and fire in
1906.

To read a review of the catalogue by America Exhange, please visit: http://www.americanaexchange.com/NewAE/aemonthly/printarticle.asp?from=r&id=504#

If you would like to receive a catalogue, please call Arader Galleries at 415.788.5115

John James Audubon: Drawn from Nature on KQED Wednesday night

John James Audubon: Drawn from Nature (#2004) Duration: 56:16 CC Stereo TVPG
A profile of a man who is synonymous with the American wilderness and conservation movement. Audubon was self-taught and self-made, the illegitimate son of a French sea captain and Haitian servant girl. From the Caribbean and the French countryside, he eventually settled in the American south at age 19 and, after failed business efforts and bankruptcy, pursued his true passion - finding, shooting and drawing birds, and ultimately realizing his dream of publishing "The Birds of America," the monumental collection of 435 life-size prints.

KQED Channel 9
Wed, Jul 25, 2007 -- 10:00 pm

For more information and other show times visit http://www.kqed.org/programs/tv/program-landing.jsp?progID=136

Arader Galleries at Redondo Beach Antiques Fair this weekend

Arader Galleries will be an exhibitor at the upcoming Redondo Beach Antiques Fair. Hope you will stop by to see our outstanding collection of antique prints, maps and original paintings.

The 9th Annual Redondo Beach International Antiques Fair
Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
Aviation & Manhattan Beach Blvds. (1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd.)
Los Angeles, CA
July 27, 28, 29, 2007

COLLECTORS' PREVIEW
Friday 10 AM Admission
30.00 AT DOOR $25.00 ADVANCE TICKET Valid for Entire Weekend

FAIR HOURS: Friday 1 PM - 7 PM Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM Sunday 11 AM - 6 PM

GENERAL ADMISSION
$10.00

For more information about the antiques fair, please visit http://www.theosatco.com/jul.htm.