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The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Grand Designs: Neoclassical Taste in the 18th Century

Saturday, Sep. 17, 2016 – Monday, Feb. 20, 2017

Designed by Robert Adam, made by Thomas Chippendale, The Dundas Sofa, 1765, gilt pine, beech, and silk upholstery, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Brown Foundation Accessions Endowment Fund.

Designed by Robert Adam, made by Thomas Chippendale, The Dundas Sofa, 1765, gilt pine, beech, and silk upholstery, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Brown Foundation Accessions Endowment Fund.

Rienzi, the MFAH house museum for European decorative arts, presents special exhibitions twice a year. Grand Designs: Neoclassical Taste in the 18th Century comprises furniture, decor, and prints from the era.

The focus of this exhibition is The Dundas Sofa, a magnificent work commissioned by Sir Lawrence Dundas from architect Robert Adam and furniture maker Thomas Chippendale.

Among the other objects on view are the porcelain sculpture Figure of Hercules and the Nemean Lion, manufactured by Ludwigsburg Porcelain Factory; a ewer by silversmith Paul de Lamerie; and prints illustrating the decorative work of Robert Adam and his brother James.

Related Links

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  • Wednesday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Thursday, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Friday - Saturday, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Sunday , 12:30 pm - 6:00 pm
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  • Rienzi, 1406 Kirby Drive Houston, TX 77019

Special Offers / Dining

Paolo Fronza, from Fellini Caffè, runs this sophisticated dining operation. Enjoy an array of Italian-inspired fare with a Texas flair, a European-style coffee bar, a kids menu, and much more at the MFA Café, located on the lower level of the Beck Building.

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