More New York Historical

We got to the New York Historical [sic] too late to see much more than the Tiffany lamps, but we did peek into a variety of both temporary and permanent exhibits. Next time....

Design by political fashionista Kelly Jacobs

Ubiqitous Swifties

Among the special exhibits

We did visit the Smith College exhibit on women's 
everyday wear over the decades

Refreshing to see said garments and not the usual

inauguration or Academy Award gowns

Quite a bit of deja vu, especially for Vicki

Quite a bit of social history too

Moving right along, Albert Bierstadt, The Last of the Buffalo, 1891

Bernard Buffet, Park Avenue..., 1989

Vicki inspects Picasso's Curtain for the ballet Le Tricorne, 1919

Interior of the great library

Ditto...another place where the architecture rivals the collection...
we'll be back

New York Historical: Tiffany Lamps

We got to the New York Historical [formerly, New York Historical Society] late in our NYC campaign but were mightily impressed, and resolved it would be our first museum stop next time we are in town. The Tiffany lamp collection is most impressive and was what originally drew us to this museum. 

NYC's oldest museum, dating from 1804, on the upper west side...

The Tiffany lamp collection was on two floors

Great interpretive information

Love the wisterias

The Met: The Aquamaniles

Well-traveled as we are in Europe, we had never heard of aquamaniles, or if we had, it did not quite register. Perhaps understandably. In any case, an aquamanile (water + hand) was a Medieval table piece, used chiefly to pass around and wash one's hands. Mostly in German lands. Mostly the nobility. The Met has a number of these items, both at Fifth Ave and at the Cloisters. We were impressed, and I count the discovery of aquamaniles to be among my most important take-aways from the great museum.

The Met: Arms And Armor

Yet another day we wandered into the Met's arms and armor department. Not our cup of tea, but impressive nonetheless. 

Portrait of Philip IV in battle dress

Well-dressed knight

Skirt for combat a cheval

Well-rounded set

Rifles

Charge of the heavy brigade...this stuff always reminds me of Agincourt

Cross bows and arrows

Variety of points to suit the occasion

Pistols

Carbines

Gentlemen's set

One of many halls of arms and armor

Henry VIII's field armor...surely he had more than one set,
especially as he grew...wait a second...why isn't this at Hampton
Court or the British Museum? Maybe the BM would be willing
to trade an Elgin Marble or two to get Henry's armor back...

Chain mail shirt

"Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!"

Ancient specimens...more in the ancient Greek and Roman
departments

Really ancient specimen...said to be one of the largest
and most perfectly knapped flint axe heads yet found...not
known whether it was for actual use or merely "ceremonial"