2.4.11

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL RARE GALCONDA DIAMOND EAR-PENDANTS


A PAIR OF SPECTACULAR EAR-PENDANTS FEATURING THE WORLD'S RAREST DIAMONDS FROM THE LEGENDARY GOLCONDA MINES WILL BE OFFERED AT CHRISTIE'S HONG KONG MAGNIFICENT JEWELS SALE, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON 31.MAY AT THE HONG KONG CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE. THE IMPERIAL CUSHIONS, A PAIR OF D POTENTIALLY FLAWLESS GOLCONDA TYPE IIa DIAMONDS EAR-PENDANTS, IS ESTIMATED AT $7-$10 MILLION. THE OCCURRENCE OF SUCH A PAIR OF GALCONDA GEMSTONES, WITH A LIMPIDITY THAT IS PARTICULAR TO THE WORLD'S FINEST TYPE IIa DIAMONDS, IA A NATURAL MARVEL. AT 23.49 AND 23.11 CARATS EACH, THE PAIR IS OF EXCEPTIONAL CALIBER PROPORTIONS. WITH TYPE IIa DIAMONDS BEING LESS THAN 2% OF THE WORLD'S PRODUCTION, THE SUPERBLY MATCHED PAIR OF THE IMPERIAL CUSHIONS IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF MAGNIFICENCE AND RARITY. WHILE THE PRESENT DIAMONDS DO NOT ACTUALLY COME WITH AN IMPERIAL PROVENANCE, THE QUALITY, WORKMANSHIP, SIZE, AND RARITY ARE CERTAINLY OF A CALIBER WORTHY OF A ROYAL COLLECTION.

1.4.11

PUBLIC ART FUND PRESENTS ROB PRUITT'S THE ANDY MONUMENT


PUBLIC ART FUND PRESENTS ROB PRUITT'S THE ANDY MONUMENT, 30.MARCH-2.OCTOBER, AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF UNION SQUARE. THE MONUMENT TO ANDY WARHOL, THE FATHER OF POP ART AND ONE OF NEW YORK'S ENDURING CULTURAL ICONS IS INSTALLED JUST OUTSIDE THE BUILDING THAT HOUSED WARHOL'S 'FACTORY' FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS IN THE 1970s AND EARLY 1980s, AND JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM AN EARLIER 'FACTORY' SITE. 'WE ARE THRILLED TO BE COLLABORATING WITH ROB, WHOSE WORK HAS EXACTLY THE SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY AND ENGAGEMENT THAT LENDS ITSELF SO WELL TO PUBLIC ART', SAID NICKOLAS BAUME, PUBLIC ART FUND DIRECTOR AND CHIEF CURATOR. 'INSPIRED BY WARHOL AND HIS STORY, ROB MOVED TO NEW YORK AS A YOUNG MAN AND EVEN MET WARHOL WHEN HE VISITED THE 'FACTORY' TO INTERVIEW FOR A JOB. ROB'S MEMORY OF THE ARTIST THAT DAY FORMED THE VISION FOR THIS SCULPTURE, AND I THINK THAT PERSONAL CONNECTION WILL RESONATE WITH MANY WHO COME TO VISIT, JUST AS IT DOES WITH ME.' PRUITT ENVISIONS THE MONUMENT AS A PILGRIMAGE SITE THAT EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF WARHOL AND THE DOWNTOWN CULTURAL MOVEMENT. 'EVERY DAY A THOUSAND MORE KIDS COME TO NEW YORK PROPELLED BY HIS LEGACY. AND EVEN IF THE DECADES PASS AND WARHOL'S LEGACY BECOMES FURTHER DISTANT, THERE IS A DIRECT LINK TO HIM, LIKE THIS PILGRIMAGE, COMING HERE TO MAKE IT BIG, TO BE AN ARTIST', SAID PRUITT. 'LIKE OSCAR WILDE'S GRAVE AT PERE LACHAISE, THERE SHOULD BE A DESTINATION IN NEW YORK TO MARK THE JOURNEY. I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, SOMETHING YOU COULD VISIT AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING.' ADAPTING THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF FORMAL STATUARY, LIKE THE NEARBY MONUMENTS TO GANDHI, LINCOLN AND WASHINGTON, THE SEVEN FOOT TALL FIGURE STANDS ATOP A CONCRETE PEDESTAL, ITS CHROMED SURFACE REFLECTING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WARHOL WORKED FOR MUCH OF HIS LIFE: MAX's KANSAS CITY, A FAVORITE WARHOL HANGOUT, ONCE STOOD NEARBY, INTERVIEW MAGAZINE WAS LAUNCHED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND VALERIE SOLANAS ATTEMPTED HER ASSASSINATION OF WARHOL HERE.

31.3.11

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL WORLD'S LARGEST PEARL


AUCTION HOUSE CHRISTIE'S WILL PUT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PEARLS ON THE BLOCK AT ITS DUBAI SPRING JEWELRY SALE ON 19.APRIL IN A NOSTALGIC REMINDER OF THE EMIRATE'S PEARL DIVING PAST. THE AUCTION HOUSE IS SHOWCASING AN ARRAY OF PEARLS, DIAMONDS, FINE GEMS AND GOLD JEWELRY AHEAD OF THE SALE. PEARLS ARE ESPECIALLY UNIQUE TO DUBAI, AS PEARL HUNTING WAS A MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME A CENTURY AGO IN THE PORT CITY. CHRISTIE'S, WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDING REGULAR AUCTIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST SINCE 2006, SAW REGIONAL SALES REACH $51 MILLION LAST YEAR, UP FROM RECESSION LOWS OF $18-20 MILLION IN 2009. THE STUNNING PEARL IS DROP-SHAPED IN A SILVER AND GRAY SHADE AT ALMOST 60 CARATS. ONE OF TEH LARGEST NATURAL SALTWATER PEARLS RECORDED TO DATE, IT IS MOUNTED AS A PENDENT ON A DIAMOND-STUDDED CHAIN NECKLACE. CHRISTIE'S HAS ESTIMATED IT AT UP TO $250,000. 'THIS PART OF THE WORLD LIKES THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE AND RARE', SAID DAVID WARREN, HEAD OF CHRISTIE'S MIDDLE EAST JEWELRY DEPARTMENT. CLOSE TO ONE HUNDRED JEWELRY LOTS, ESTIMATED AT A TOTAL $5-$6.5 MILLION, WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE AUCTION NEXT MONTH. ITEMS RANGE FROM AN ELEPHANT-SHAPED GEM RING WORTH $4,000-$6,000 TO A DIAMOND FLOWER NECKLACE WHICH CONVERTS INTO A TIARA WITH MATCHING EARRINGS WORTH $450,000-$550,000.

LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING ACQUIRED FOR $10 EXPECTED TO SELL FOR $1 MILLION


THE INVITATION TO A 1960s 'HAPPENING' WAS INTRIGUING: PAY $10 TO ENTER A LOTTERY FOR THE CHANCE TO GET A KEY TO A PENN STATION LOCKER CONTAINING AN ORIGINAL ARTWORK. FOR ONE NEW YORKER WHO ATTENDED THE 1965 EVENT, THE KEY REVEALED A ROY LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING THAT CHRISTIE'S AUCTION HOUSE ESTIMATES WILL FETCH AROUND $1 MILLION AT ITS 11.MAY AUCTION. 'KISS V' IS A STUDY FOR ONE OF LICHTENSTEIN'S MAJOR PAINTINGS OF THE SAME NAME, WHICH IS IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION AND BELONGS TO HIS DREAM-GIRL SERIES CREATED BETWEEN 1961 AND 1965. MEASURING 6 INCHES BY 6 INCHES, THE STUDY IS A COMIC BOOK-INSPIRED CLOSE-UP OF A MAN AND WOMAN, EXECUTED IN GRAPHITE AND WAX CRAYON. THE ARTIST, WHO DIED IN 1997, WAS FAMOUS FOR HIS CARTOON-INSPIRED STYLE THAT HELPED LAUNCH, ALONG WITH ANDY WARHOL, JASPER JOHN AND OTHERS, THE POP ART MOVEMENT. 'HAPPENINGS', SPONTANEOUS AND FUN ARTS AND PERFORMANCE EVENTS, SPRUNG UP ALL AROUND THE CITY DURING THE HEADY DAYS OF THE 1960s. THE MARCH 1965 ONE WAS ORGANIZED BY A GROUP OF EMERGING POP ARTISTS. IT INVITED PARTICIPANTS TO COME TO THE HOTEL CHELSEA, HOME TO NUMEROUS LEGENDARY WRITERS AND ARTISTS, TO ENTER INTO THE $10 LOTTERY FOR A KEY TO ABOUT 20 LOCKERS AT THE OLD PENN STATION, WHICH WAS THEN BEING TORN DOWN. THIRTEEN ARTISTS PARTICIPATED IN THE ARTIST'S KEY CLUB EVENT. BESIDES LICHTENSTEIN, THEY INCLUDED WARHOL, CHRISTO AND ARMAN. 'IT WAS A LARGE PARTY FOR ARTIST AND PEOPLE WHO WERE PART OF THE HIP DOWNTOWN GROUP HAVING FUN', SAID CHRISTIE'S POSTWAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART EXPERT BRETT GORVY. LATER, HE SAID, THE GROUP PARTIED AT A RESTAURANT ON THE PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT. PARTICIPANTS DID NOT KNOWN WHICH KEY OPENED WHICH LOCKER. AND NOT EVERYONE WAS AS LUCKY AS THE WOMAN WHO CLAIMED THE LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING. 'ONE ARTIST PUT UP A GROUP OF VERY PUNGENT CHEESES' FOR HIS CONCEPTIONAL PIECE AND ANOTHER 'HAD SPICES AND HERBS AS HIS ART WORK' SAID GORVY. IN 1965, THE LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN VALUED AT ABOUT $50. THE CURRENT OWNER, WHO DECLINED TO BE IDENTIFIED, DECIDED TO SELL IT BECAUSE SHE HAD IT RECENTLY APPRAISED AND WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT WAS WORTH. GORVY SAID LICHTENSTEIN'S 'CRYING GIRL', A DRAWING OF SIMILAR SIZE AND FROM THE SAME SERIES, SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S ON 2007 FOR $1.7 MILLION. HE SAID HE EXPECTED 'KISS V' TO SURPASS ITS PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $800,000 TO $1.2 MILLION BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE PROVENANCE. THE AUCTION RECORD OF LICHTENSTEIN IS $42.6 MILLION FOR HIS 'OH...ALRIGHT', A COMIC BOOK IMAGE OF A FORLORN WOMAN CLUTCHING A TELEPHONE. IT SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S IN NOVEMBER.

30.3.11

GETTY MUSEUM RETURNS WORLD WAR II LOOTED PAINTING


THE J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM HAS AGREED TO RETURN A 370 YEAR OLD PAINTING THAT ONCE BELONGED TO AN ART DEALER WHO FLED HOLLAND WHEN THE NAZIS INVADED IN 1940. JACQUES GOUDSTIKKER WAS THE NETHERLANDS' BIGGEST ART DEALER IN THE 1930s. HE WAS FLEEING THE NAZIS WITH HIS WIFE AND YOUNG SON AT THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR II WHEN HE FELL THROUGH A TRAP DOOR ON AN OUTBOUND SHIP AND DIED. HIS COLLECTION WAS LOOTED, WITH SOME WORKS CLAIMED BY HITLER CHIEF DEPUTY HERMANN GOERING. GOUDSTIKKER'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, MAREI VON SAHER, HAS SPENT YEARS TRYING TO TRACK DOWN THE WORKS. HER SUCCESSES HAVE BEEN ON TOUR AROUND THE COUNTRY IN AN EXHIBITION THAT ENDS TUESDAY IN SAN FRANSISCO AND FEATURED 45 RECOVERED PIECES FROM THE COLLECTION. THE GETTY BOUGHT THE 1640 PIETER MOLIJN PAINTING TITLED 'LANDSCAPE WITH COTTAGE AND FIGURES' IN GOOD FAITH AT A 1972 AUCTION, THE MUSEUM SAID. THE MUSEUM DID NOT DISCLOSE THE PURCHASE PRICE AND HAS NEVER DISPLAYED THE PAINTING. 'WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOUDSTIKKER HEIRS, THE GETTY'S RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THE PAINTING WAS IN GOUDSTIKKER'S INVENTORY AT THE TIME OF THE INVASION IN 1940, AND THAT IT WAS NEVER RESTITUTED AFTER WORLD WAR II', ACCORDING TO A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM THE MUSEUM. 'BASED ON IT'S FINDINGS, THE GETTY CONCLUDED THAT THE PAINTING SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE HEIRS.' AT LEAST FOUR OTHER MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA HAVE WORKS FROM THE COLLECTION, AND FAMILY ATTORNEY LAWRENCE KAYE SAID HE HOPES THEY WILL FOLLOW GETTY'S LEAD. ABOUT 1,000 OF GOUDSTIKKER'S 1,400 PAINTINGS REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR, HE SAID. 'IT IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING TO SEE AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL INSTITUTION LIKE THE GETTY MUSEUM DECIDE TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR HOLOCAUST VICTIMS AND THEIR HEIRS', VON SAHER, OF GREENWICH, CONN, SAID IN A STATEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES TIMES.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL GAUGUIN CARVED SCULPTURE 'JEUNE TAHITIENNE'


AN INTRICATE WOODEN BUST CARVED BY PAUL GAUGUIN IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR AS MUCH AS $15 MILLION WHEN IT IS AUCTIONED ON 3.MAY, ACCORDING TO SOTHEBY'S. 'JEUNE TAHITIENNE', WHICH WAS CARVED BY GAUGUIN DURING HIS FIRST TRIP TO TAHITI BETWEEN 1891 AND 1893, DEPICTS A YOUNG, UNIDENTIFIED TAHITIAN WOMAN AND INCLUDES JEWELRY WHICH GAUGUIN MADE HIMSELF USING SEASHELLS AND PIECES OF RED CORAL. A PIECING LEFT ON THE EAR IS BELIEVED BY EXPERTS TO HAVE ONCE HELD A FLOWER, AND TWO FOXES CARVED IN THE BACK OF THE NECK REPRESENT A SORT OF SIGNATURE GAUGUIN OFTEN USED, WITH THE FOXES BEING REPRESENTATIVE OF SEXUALITY. 'IT'S RARE TO SEE A PIECE OF ART OF SUCH GREAT QUALITY AND WITH SUCH A GREAT STORY', SAID SIMON SHAW, SOTHEBY'S HEAD OF IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART. 'IT'S TRULY UNIQUE.' THE 9.5 INCH HIGH CARVING, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC SINCE 1961, WAS GIVEN AS A GIFT TO THEN 10 YEAR OLD JEANNE FOURNIER, THE DAUGHTER OF FRENCH ART CRITIC AND COLLECTOR JEAN DOLENT. 'HIS SCULPTURES WEREN'T VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE FRENCH AVANT-GARDE ART WORLD AT THE TIME, EVEN THOUGH HE CONSIDERED THEM HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS', SHAW SAID. 'FOURNIER PROBABLY RESPONDED IN A MUCH MORE POSITIVE AND VISCERAL WAY.' FOURNIER LATER GAVE THE SCULPTURE TO FATHER CELAS RZEWUSKI, A DOMINICAN PRIEST, WHO IN TURN HANDED IT OVER TO SOTHEBY'S, WHO SOLD IT TO ITS CURRENT OWNER. THE SCULPTURE IS THE ONLY FULLY-WORKED BUST GAUGUIN IS KNOWN TO HAVE MADE. HE IS BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS POST-IMPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS, MANY OF WHICH DEPICT SCENES FROM THE YEARS HE SPENT LIVING IN THE ISLANDS OF FRENCH POLYNESIA. AFTER AN INITIAL VOYAGE FROM 1891 TO 1893, GAUGUIN EVENTUALLY MOVED THERE PERMANENTLY AND IT IS WHERE HE LATER DIED. SHAW SAID THAT GAUGUIN'S FASCINATION WITH FRENCH POLYNESIA STEMMED FROM HIS DESIRE TO ESCAPE MODERN LIFE AND HIS FORMER CAREER AS A STOCKBROKER IN FRANCE, SOMETHING THAT RESONATES WITH MANY OF HIS MODERN-DAY ENTHUSIASTS. 'AFTER HE LEFT THE BANKING INDUSTRY, HE BECAME A REAL ESCAPIST', SHAW SAID. 'HE WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM CROWDS AND MODERNITY. HE WENT LOOKING FOR ANOTHER WORLD BEYOND THE MODERN WORLD', HE ADDED. 'SOMETHING ABOUT THIS DESIRE FOR ESCAPE AND FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE REALITY REALLY HAS GREAT RESONANCE FOR TODAY.'

29.3.11

ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S LOVE LETTERS TO BE AUCTIONED


BEFORE BECOMING A BRIDE EIGHT TIMES OVER, ELIZABETH TAYLOR WAS A 17 YEAR OLD STARLET SCRIBBLING LETTERS TO HER FIRST FIANCE, CHARTING ON PALE PINK STATIONARY HIS PROGRESSION FROM HER ONE AND ONLY TO THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY. 'I'VE NEVER KNOWN THIS KIND OF LOVE BEFORE - IT'S SO PERFECT AND COMPLETE - AND MATURE', TAYLOR WROTE TO WILLIAM PAWLEY ON 6.MAY.1949. 'I'VE NEVER LOVED ANYONE IN MY LIFE BEFORE ONE THIRD AS MUCH AS I LOVE YOU - AND I NEVER WILL (WELL, AS FAR AS THAT GORES - I'LL NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE - PERIOD!) TAYLOR, WHO DIED LAST WEEK AT AGE 79, WAS ENGAGED TO PAWLEY IN 1949, JUST BEFORE HER FIRST MARRIAGE. MORE THAN 60 OF THE LETTERS SHE WROTE HIM BETWEEN MARCH AND OCTOBER OF THAT YEAR WILL BE AUCTIONED IN MAY BY RR AUCTIONS OF AMHERST, N.H. IT BOUGHT THE LETTERS TWO YEARS AGO FROM PAWLEY, WHO LIVES IN FLORIDA. THE UNPUBLISHED LETTERS - SOME WRITTEN IN PURPLE FOUNTAIN INK ON PINK PAPER - PROVIDE A GLIMPSE OF A TEENAGER'S TRANSITION TO ADULT STAR. SHE FRETS ABOUT HER WEIGHT ('AS I'M SITTING HERE - WRITING TO YOU, I'M JUST STUFFING MYSELF ON A BOX OF CANDY - HONESTLY I'VE GOT TO STOP EATING SO MUCH') AND PASSING HER HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS. AND SHE CONTRASTS TWO MOVIES SHE WAS DOING AT THE TIME, 'A PLACE IN THE SUN' AND 'THE BIG HANGOVER', PRAISING THE DIRECTOR OF THE FORMER AND COMPLAINING ABOUT HER ROLE IN THE LATTER. BUT MOSTLY, SHE GUSHES ABOUT PAWLEY, THE 22 YEAR OLD SON OF A FORMER AMBASSADOR TO BRAZIL, REASSURING HIM OVER AND OVER THAT HER LOVE IS TRUE. 'MY HEART ACHES & MAKES ME WANT TO CRY WHEN I THINK OF YOU, AND HOW MUCH I WANT TO BE WITH YOU AND TO LOOK INTO YOUR BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES, AND KISS YOUR SWEET LIPS AND HAVE YOUR STRONG ARMS HOLD ME, OH SO TIGHT, & CLOSE TO YOU ... I WANT US TO BE 'LOVERS' ALWAYS ... EVEN AFTER WE'VE BEEN MARRIED SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AND HAVE AT LEAST A DOZEN GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN', SHE WROTE ON 28.MARCH. AT THE TIME, TAYLOR WAS PUBLICLY DATING FOOTBALL PLAYER GLENN DAVIS, BUT IN SEVERAL OF THE LETTERS, SHE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE RUSE PROMOTED BY HER MOTHER AND THE STUDIO TO MAINTAIN HER GIRL NEXT DOOR IMAGE. IN A 10 PAGE LETTER DATED 1.APRIL, SHE DESCRIBES HER REACTION TO DAVIS ACCIDENTALLY BREAKING A PAIR OF EARRINGS PAWLEY HAD GIVEN HER. 'I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A STRONG DESIRE TO HIT ANYONE WITH ALL MY MIGHT IN ALL MY LIFE', SHE WROTE. 'I GAVE HIM BACK HIS 'A' PIN, THE FOOTBALL AND HIS ALL-AMERICAN SWEATER ... I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY ANYMORE ... FROM NOW ON I', GOING TO LIVE MY LIFE THE WAY I WANT TO.' IN MAY, SHE TOLD PAWLEY SHE WAS READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO HER CAREER AND EVERYTHING CONNECTED WITH IT, 'FOR I WON'T BE GIVING ANYTHING UP - BUT I WILL BE GAINING THE GREATEST GIFT THAT GOD BESTOWS ON MAN - LOVE, MARRIAGE, A FAMILY - AND YOU MY DARLING.' BY SEPTEMBER, HOWEVER, TAYLOR WAS WRITING ABOUT RETURNING HER ENGAGEMENT RING AT PAWLEY'S REQUEST. 'I KNOW WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL THAT THIS IS NOT THE END FOR US - IT COULDN'T BE - WE LOVE EACH OTHER TOO MUCH', SHE WROTE. LESS THAN EIGHT MONTHS LATER, SHE MARRIED HOTEL HEIR CONRAD 'NICKY' HILTON. THE ONLINE AUCTION, SET FOR 19-26.MAY, WILL ALSO FEATURE LETTERS TAYLOR'S MOTHER WROTE TO PAWLEY AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT ENDED, INCLUDING ONE IN WHICH SHE WROTE, 'YOU HAVE A NERVOUS CONDITION AND A PROBLEM WITH JEALOUSY, AS SUCH YOU AND ELIZABETH CAN NEVER BE TOGETHER.' BOBBY LIVINGSTON, SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUCTION HOUSE, SAID THE LETTERS WERE ESTIMATED AT $25,000 TO $35,000 BEFORE TAYLOR'S DEATH, AND HE EXPECTS THEY COULD FETCH TWO OR THREE TIMES THAT AMOUNT.

28.3.11

MUSEUM OF LONDON PRESENTS VISION OF THE POOR


A DISPLAY OF SIGNIFICANT PAINTINGS, PRINTS AND DRAWINGS ARE ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF LONDON FROM 23.MARCH. THE IMAGES BY ARTISTS INCLUDING GUSTAVE DORE, THEODORE GERICAULT, THOMAS ROWLANDSON AND PAUL SANDBY, CONSIDER HOW THE URBAN POOR WERE DEPICTED FROM THE 17th TO THE 19th CENTURY. THE PRINTS AND DRAWINGS ILLUSTRATE STREET VENDORS AND LONDON'S URBAN POOR, INCLUDING TRAVELING CARPENTERS AND CANE-WEAVERS, PROSTITUTES AND CRIMINALS. SOME OF THE IMAGES PRESENT AND IDEALIZED VISION OF THE POOR; OTHERS ARE AMONGST THE FIRST WORKS OF ART TO ATTEMPT A MORE REALISTIC VIEW OF LONDON'S POOREST INHABITANTS. THE COLLECTION POSES INTERESTING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SOCIETY IN THE PERIODS WAS ORGANIZED, THE MOTIVES OF THOSE MAKING, SELLING AND BUYING PRINTS, AND THE STATUS AND IDENTITY OF THE PEOPLE PORTRAYED. THE STREET CRIES EXHIBITION EXPLORES THESE ISSUES AND SHOWCASES SOME OF THE MUSEUM'S MOST IMPORTANT 18th AND 19th CENTURY PRINTS AND DRAWINGS. EXHIBITION CURATOR, FRANCIS MARSHALL, SAID: 'THE MUSEUM OF LONDON'S EXTENSIVE ART COLLECTION CONTAINS MANY ITEMS WHICH ARE RARELY DISPLAYED FOR CONSERVATION REASONS. THIS SHOW OFFERS THE CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF OUR GEMS: DELICATE WATERCOLOURS AND PRINTS DEPICTING GRITTY LONDON SUBJECT MATTER.'