Decorative Arts
This section features historical and contemporary objects designed for both aesthetic appeal and functional utility.
Geometry and Ornament in Design
From the intricate weave of a silk scarf to the structural ambition of a palace gate, the decorative arts reveal how utility is transformed by the persistent human impulse to embellish.
Patterns of Possession
From the intricate weave of a silk scarf to the complex veneers of a master-crafted commode, the decorative arts reveal a history of global trade, social performance, and technical ambition.
Ornamental Meanings in Material Objects
From the intimacy of an opera glass to the grand reach of a palace gate, the objects we surround ourselves with reveal a persistent human impulse to encode meaning into the material world.
Domestic Objects and Curated Spaces
From the iron gates of palaces to the mother-of-pearl inlay of a private chest, the decorative arts reveal how we curate the spaces we inhabit.
Ornamental Grammar and Domestic Design
From the intricate ironwork of royal estates to the quiet geometry of a household chest, the objects we live among act as a silent language of status, utility, and cultural memory.
Domestic Objects as Cultural Narrative
From the intimate scale of an opera glass to the grand reach of a palace gate, the decorative arts transform the functional into a display of status, narrative, and cultural ambition.
Decorative Arts and Domestic Identity
From the iron gates of palaces to the silk of a handheld fan, the history of the decorative arts is a record of how we choose to live among our possessions.
Decorative Arts and Human Narrative Spaces
From the intimate scale of a handheld fan to the grand artifice of the drawing room, decorative arts reveal the persistent human urge to frame our surroundings with narrative.