Join Jessica Murphy, Manager of Digital Engagement at the Brooklyn Museum, for a closer look at Edward Steichen's mural In Exaltation of Flowers.
Newly conserved and exhibited for the first time in a century, In Exaltation of Flowers gives us an intimate look into a close-knit artistic circle on the eve of World War I. Steichen painted this seven-panel mural for financier Eugene Meyer and his wife, Agnes Ernst Meyer, who planned to install it in their elegant Manhattan townhouse. Its imagery was inspired by Steichen’s beloved garden at his French country home and by the friendships and creative pursuits shared by the artist, his patrons, and his models. Like the flowers that Steichen bred and cultivated in his garden, this project was a “hybrid” work: it combined portraiture with visual elements from Symbolist painting, Pictorialist photography, and fashion illustration. This talk will tell the mural’s story within the context of Steichen’s work and social circle, unfolding some of the details that made it such a personal project for the artist.
Join us for a 6:00 p.m. reception featuring complimentary beer, wine, and small bites inspired by Steichen's murals. Before the talk, enjoy a tour of In Exaltation of Flowers with Dave Forehand, Vice President of Gardens with the Dallas Arboretum. Tour will be limited to the first 40 attendees.