KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Works of art that have never before been on display or that have not seen the light of day in decades are set to shine at the center of a new exhibition at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has announced that a new installation celebrates the enduring art form of glass with works from its collection of European decorative arts. On view between Nov. 2, 2024, and Aug. 9, 2026, Glorius Glass: Selections from the Collections is set to showcase nearly four dozen examples.
“Glorious Glass is part of an ongoing series of collection-based, multi-year focus exhibitions that take a new look at the museum’s extraordinary collection of decorative arts,” said Julián Zugazagoitia, Director & CEO of the Nelson-Atkins. “This sparkling exhibition also highlights five recent acquisitions illustrating the combination of beauty and utility that marks this art form.”
Museum officials noted that for the first time, the Bacchus Goblet, one of the largest and most celebrated examples of 18th-century English lead glass drinking glasses, will be on view. This ceremonial glass graced some of the most significant collections in Great Britain, including that of William Randolph Hearst who owned it for two decades.
The Museum also indicated that the installation will contain objects from its glass holdings that have not been seen in years – including rare examples of ancient glass acquired in its early years. Selected examples from the Wallenstein Collection will also be on view.
Officials said Marcel Wallenstein was the London correspondent for the Kansas City Star during the World War II era. His wife, Marcelle, was an early motion picture and theatrical costume designer. While in Europe, they fell in love with English lead glass. In the years before the war, they built an important collection.
“We have amazing stories to tell about material culture, thanks to generous donors who gave works of art as well as created specific funds to acquire decorative arts now and in the future,” said Dr. William Keyse Rudolph, Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs, Chief Curator and Head, Architecture, Design and Decorative Arts. “While we show fine and decorative arts together in the permanent collection galleries, as people had lived with them, we also like to feature deep dives into specific types of decorative arts to remind our visitors that the objects we use in our daily lives can tell us a great deal about how we live and who we are.”
Museum officials noted that Glorious Glass is free to the public and supported by a grant from the Kress Foundation.
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