The Golden Years of Goldscheider

Goldscheider production was interrupted during World War One but the roaring twenties saw a glittering revival thanks mainly to Marcel Goldscheider who became technical and artistic director having studied ceramic art in Vienna, France and England. A new decorative technique for Viennese Faience was patented in 1923 which combined underglaze

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Goldscheider’s Golden Debut

Goldscheider of Vienna now has a greater prominence at WMODA museum thanks to the generosity of Arthur Wiener and other keen collectors. The Goldscheider family first became involved in the ceramics business in the 1870s.  One of their ancestors was the foremost gold refiner and alchemist in Prague during the

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Adam and Eve

By Louise Irvine Adam and Eve were the first man and woman according to the creation theory. In the Bible, God formed Adam from dust and placed him in the Garden of Eden where he is told he can eat freely except from the tree of the knowledge of good

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Masquerade Parties

Masques became popular in Tudor Times at the court of King Henry VIII. These lavish, dramatic entertainments were performed by masked players representing mythological or allegorical figures. Renaissance masques were commissioned from famous dramatists of the era and fused music, dance, poetry, lavish costumes and spectacular sets into one splendid

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The Magic of Murano

Our pop-up exhibit of Venetian glass opens on February 8th and highlights masterpieces from the WMODA collection by Lino Tagliapietra and the late Pino Signoretto, as well as selected work by earlier 20th century maestros. The exhibit is curated by Sergio Gnesin, who wrote the reference book about Ermanno Nason,

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A Porcelain Performance

Many of the exhibits in Carnival & Cabaret come from the magnificent collection of David Farin, and his late wife Esther.  Their passion for European porcelain was inspired by their travels around the world and they acquired more than two thousand pieces. Their vast collection from factories such as Meissen,

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Fashion Butterflies

Fashion students from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale have been studying the ceramic art at WMODA to seek inspiration for their new swim wear collections. Their teacher Chelsea Rousso worked together with Louise Irvine to introduce the young designers to historical styles of the early 20th century, such as

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Candlemas Day

The festival of Candlemas on February 2nd is a blend of pagan rites, Christian ceremonial, and popular customs. Candlemas Day marks the end of the mid-winter Christmas celebrations and was strikingly portrayed  in Wedgwood’s Fairyland Lustre collection by Daisy Makeig Jones. The Candlemas festival is derived from an ancient Roman ceremony

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Wiener Museum Margaret Thompson Fairy Bluebells

Emblems of the Soul

The butterfly has been a source of wonder and a metaphor for spiritual beliefs since ancient times. It has been a symbol of love, death, rebirth, and transformation in many cultures and religions. In Greek myth Psyche, the goddess of the soul, was depicted with butterfly wings. The butterfly also symbolizes

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Wiener Museum Bees Tray Victor

Biophilia – The Buzz

There’s a buzz about Ardmore at WMODA. Their artist Fiso Radebe demonstrated his painting skills at the November’s WMODA Wednesday. Now some unusual Ardmore pieces are featured in the exhibit Christopher Marley ǀ Biophilia. Marley’s dialogue with art, nature and science is presented in the style of a Cabinet of

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