SHROUD OF TURIN TO BE DISPLAYED FOR SIX WEEKS

THE LONG LINEN WITH THE FADED IMAGE OF A BEARDED MAN IS THE OBJECT OF CENTURIES-OLD FASCINATION AND WONDERMENT, AND CLOSELY KEPT UNDER WRAP. STARTING 10.APRIL, AND BEING EXHIBITED FOR SIX WEEKS, BOTH THE CURIOUS AND THOSE CONVINCED THE TURIN SHROUD IS THE BURIAL CLOTH OF CHRIST CAN HAVE A BRIEF LOOK. BY LATE FRIDAY, 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE HAD RESERVED THEIR FIVE MINUTE CHANCE TO GAZE AT THE CLOTH, WHICH IS KEPT IN A BULLETPROOF, CLIMATE-CONTROLLED CASE. ORGANIZERS SAID EARLIER THIS YEAR THEY HOPED SOME 2 MILLION PILGRIMS AND TOURISTS WOULD SEE THE LINEN DURING THE SPECIAL VIEWING FROM 19.APRIL TO 23.MAY. THAT NUMBER DOESN'T INCLUDE POPE BENEDICT XVI, WHO WILL FLY TO TURIN ON 2.MAY FOR A DAY TRIP TO PRAY BEFORE THE SHROUD. TRADITIONALLY, THE PUBLIC GETS A PEEK AT THE 14 FOOT LONG, 3.5 FOOT WIDE CLOTH ONLY ONCE EVERY 25 YEARS. BUT RECENT DECADES HAVE SEEN MUCH LONGER INTERVALS. THE SHROUD WENT ON DISPLAY IN 1998 AFTER A 20 YEAR WAIT AND THEN AGAIN IN 2000 DURING THE MILLENNIUM CELEBRATIONS. SINCE THE LINEN'S PREVIOUS SHOWING A DECADE EARLIER, RESTORERS HAVE REMOVED PATCHES SEWN ON BY NUNS IN 1534, TWO YEARS AFTER A FIRE DAMAGED THE CASE THEN HOLDING THE SHROUD, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SHROUD MUSEUM SAID IN A RECENT INTERVIEW. TAKING OFF THE PATCHES ALLOWED THE LINEN TO BE FULLY EXTENDED AND LET RESTORERS SMOOTH OUT CREASES IN WHAT FOR CENTURIES HAD BEEN A ROLLED-UP CLOTH, MAKING FOR WHAT RESTORERS HOPE WILL BE BETTER PRESERVATION.

DISOWNED PICASSO PAINTING TO HAVE US DEBUT

A PAINTING DISOWNED BY PABLO PICASSO IS EXPECTED TO HAVE ITS AMERICAN DEBUT IN A MAJOR EXHIBIT OF HIS WORK AT NEW YORK CITY'S METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, THOUGH IT'S UNLIKELY TO BE A HIGHLIGHT OF THE SHOW. QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE PAINTING, WHICH IS CALLED 'EROTIC SCENE' AND SHOWS A NAKED WOMAN NESTLING HER HEAD IN A MAN'S LAP. BUT THE MET'S CURATOR OF THE 19th CENTURY, MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART SAYS THAT WASN'T THE REASON IT HAD BEEN KEPT IN STORAGE SINCE IT BEING ACQUIRED IN 1982. CURATOR GARY TINTEROW SAYS IT WAS SIMPLY 'NOT VERY GOOD'. HE CALLS IT 'SLAPDASH'. MAYBE THAT'S WHY PICASSO SAID THE PAINTING WAS 'A JOKE BY FRIENDS'. TINTEROW SAYS MET RESEARCHERS CONFIRMED IT WAS BY PICASSO BEFORE INCLUDING IT IN THE SHOW OF 300 WORKS OPENING 17.APRIL.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND QVC ANNOUNCE JOINT VENTURE

THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAS LICENSED ITS RENOWNED GEM AND JEWELRY COLLECTION TO CREATE A LINE OF BRACELETS, BROOCHES AND OTHER JEWELED CREATIONS WITH THE TV SHOPPING NETWORK QVC. THE JEWELRY LINE EXPECTED TO LAUNCH THIS FALL WILL BE BASED ON THE NATIONAL GEM AND MINERAL COLLECTION AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, WHICH INCLUDES THE FAMOUS HOPE DIAMOND AND MARIE ANTOINETTE'S EARRINGS AMONG 375,000 OTHER SPECIMENS. CURATORS WILL HELP OVERSEE CREATION OF THE JEWELRY LINE. CURATORS WILL ALSO RECORD INTERVIEWS FOR QVC TO HELP INTRODUCE THE COLLECTIONS AND OFFER A GLIMPSE BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON DC. THE JEWELRY LINE FOLLOWS LICENSING DEALS FOR SMITHSONIAN-BRANDED FURNITURE, LIGHTING, BOOKS AND HOBBY KITS ON MUSEUM COLLECTIONS. SHOWTIME NETWORKS ALSO LAUNCHED THE SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL ON TELEVISION IN 2006 AS PART OF A LICENSING AGREEMENT TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE MUSEUM COMPLEX. THE QVC LINE WILL BE PRIMARILY COSTUME JEWELRY AND SEMIPRECIOUS STONES, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE MUSEUM SAID IN A PRESS RELEASE STATEMENT. SOME OF THE EARRINGS, BRACELETS, RINGS, PINS, AND BROOCHES WILL BE BASED ON DESIGNS OF PIECES IN THE MUSEUM, WHILE OTHERS WILL SIMPLY BE INSPIRED BY ITS COLLECTION, INCLUDING THE HOPE DIAMOND. THE LINE WON'T INCLUDE REAL DIAMONDS, THOUGH.

MARILYN MONROE - SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE OUTTAKES

9/11 MUSEUM TO SHOW EXHIBITS OF VIGILS AND MEMORIALS

THE SHRINES OF CANDLES AND FLOWERS AND THE BROKEN PIECES OF STEEL STANDING AT GROUND ZERO BECAME ICONIC IMAGES OF POST-SEPT 11 NEW YORK IN THE WEEKS AFTER THE TERRORIST ATTACK. VISITORS TO THE PLANNED MEMORIAL MUSEUM WILL SEE RE-CREATIONS OF THE VIGILS AND MAKESHIFT MEMORIALS THAT SPRANG UP AROUND THE CITY AND THE EIGHT-MONTH CLEANUP OF THE DESTROYED WORLD TRADE CENTER IN EXHIBITS FOCUSING ON NEW YORKERS' POST-9/11 EXPERIENCE. NEW RENDERINGS OBTAINED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RECENTLY SHOW A WOMAN PAYING RESPECTS OVER DOZENS OF CANDLES, FLOWERS, TEDDY BEARS AND A CONSTRUCTION WORKER'S HELMET. THE HOMEMADE SHRINES COVERED THE CITY IN THE WEEKS AFTER THE TRAGIC INDECENT, PARTICULARLY AT MANHATTAN'S UNION SQUARE, WHERE RELATIVES CAME WITH PICTURES OF THEIR MISSING LOVED ONES. AN EXHIBIT FOCUSING ON THE CLEANUP OF THE TRADE CENTER SITE BY THOUSANDS OF GROUND ZERO WORKERS WILL PROJECT IMAGES OF WORKERS AT THE SITE ONTO HUGE REMNANTS OF STEEL FROM THE DESTROYED TWIN TOWERS. VISITORS WILL PASS THROUGH A 'WHERE WERE YOU ON 9/11?' GALLERY, HEARING RECORDED RECOLLECTIONS OF WHAT PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD WERE DOING AND HOW THEY LEARNED OF THE 2001 TERRORIST ATTACK. MUSEUM OFFICIALS PRESENTED THE LATEST EXHIBITS FOR THE MUSEUM, SLATED TO OPEN IN 2012, AT A RECENT MEETING OF THE LOWER MANHATTAN DEVELOPMENT CORP. THE DOWNTOWN REBUILDING AGENCY GAVE $2.2 MILLION TO HELP FUND THE EXHIBITS.

DUCHESS OF CORNWALL BREAKS HER LEG IN SCOTLAND

THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL HAS BROKEN HER LEFT LEG WHILE HILL-WALKING IN SCOTLAND, CLARENCE HOUSE SAID TODAY. THE DUCHESS SUFFERED A TWISTED FRACTURE OF HER LEFT FIBULA WHEN SHE SLIPPED WHILE OUTDOORS ON WEDNESDAY BUT THE BREAK WAS ONLY CONFIRMED BY AN X-RAY TODAY. A CLARENCE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON SAID THAT ALTHOUGH DOCTORS HAVE ADVISED HER NOT TO PUT TO ANY WEIGHT ON HER LEG SHE INTENDS TO CARRY OUT ALL HER OFFICIAL DUTIES AND ENGAGEMENTS, WHICH ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE END OF THE MONTH. THE DUCHESS HAS BEEN STAYING AT BIRKHALL THE PRINCE OF WALES'S PRIVATE HOME ON THE QUEEN'S BALMORAL ESTATE. CLARENCE HOUSE SAID IN A STATEMENT: 'YESTERDAY WHILE HILL WALKING IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS IN SCOTLAND, THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL TOOK A TUMBLE AND HURT HER LEG. TODAY, FOLLOWING DOCTOR'S ADVICE, HER ROYAL HIGHNESS HAD AN X-RAY WHICH SHOWED A TWISTED FRACTURE OF THE FIBULA. CONSEQUENTLY HER ROYAL HIGHNESS IS WEARING A PLASTER CAST AND WILL BE FOR SIX WEEKS.' CAMILLA WAS ON HER TRADITIONAL EASTER BREAK AT BIRKHALL WITH THE PRINCE WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. AFTER THE FALL THE DUCHESS NEEDED SOME HELP GETTING DOWN FROM THE HILL BUT THE INJURY WAS NOT THOUGHT TO BE AS SERIOUS AS A FRACTURE. AFTER RESTING OVERNIGHT SHE HAD THE X-RAY WHICH REVEALED THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. BEFORE THE INJURY CAMILLA HAD BEEN SUFFERING FROM UNRELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS. A TRAPPED NERVE IN HER BACK WHICH HAD BEEN CAUSING HER SOME PAIN FORCED HER TO CANCEL A NUMBER OF ENGAGEMENTS DURING HER RECENT TOUR TO EASTERN EUROPE WITH PRINCE CHARLES.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL EDVARD MUNCH'S FERTILITY

CHRISTIE'S HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IT WILL BE OFFERING EDVARD MUNCH'S 'FERTILITY', WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORKS BY THE ARTIST REMAINING IN PRIVATE HANDS. THE STUNNING PAINTING WHICH IS ESTIMATED AT $25 TO $35 MILLION AND IS THE COVER LOT OF CHRISTIE'S UPCOMING EVENING SALE OF IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART ON 4.MAY. PAINTED IN THE LATE 1890s, FERTILITY WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN 1902 BY DR MAX LINDE, THE GERMAN PATRON RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING MUNCH ESTABLISH HIS CAREER IN GERMANY. SINCE 1918, THE LARGE FORMAT PAINTING HAS REMAINED IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS IN SCANDINAVIA, WITH PERIODIC LOANS TO PRESTIGIOUS MUSEUM AND GALLERY EXHIBITIONS THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES. THE UPCOMING SALE MARKS THE FIRST OCCASION THAT THE WORK HAS EVER BEEN OFFERED AT PUBLIC AUCTION. AT NEARLY 4 FEET HIGH BY 4½ FEET WIDE, FERTILITY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST WORKS OF MUNCH'S EARLY CAREER. RENDERED IN VERDANT GREENS WITH RICH ORANGE, RED AND YELLOW ACCENTS, THE PAINTING'S FOCAL POINT IS A LUSH FRUIT TREE LADEN WITH RIPE RED CHERRIES. A MAN AND WOMAN DRESSED IN RUSTIC WORK CLOTHES STAND FACING EACH OTHER ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TREE, CREATING A TABLEAU REMINISCENT OF ADAM AND EVE BEFORE THE TREE OF LIFE. THOUGH THE WOMAN'S VISIBLE PREGNANCY AND THE SCENE'S LUSH GREENERY SEEM TO COMMUNICATE A THEME OF REGENERATION AND HOPE, A FRESH WOUND, AS FROM A NEWLY CUT BOUGH, MARS THE TREE TRUNK BETWEEN THE TWO FIGURES AND LENDS THE SCENE AN OMINOUS, UNSETTLED ELEMENT. DEMAND AMONGST COLLECTORS FOR WORKS FROM THIS PROFOUND STRETCH OF MUNCH'S CAREER CONTINUES TO GROW GLOBALLY, FUELED BY THE GREAT SCARCITY OF AVAILABLE EXAMPLES. FEW PAINTINGS FROM THE 1890s ERA STILL REMAIN IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS, AND THE WORKS MOST CLOSELY RELATED TO FERTILITY, INCLUDING METABOLISM AND EYE IN EYE, ARE IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE MUNCH MUSEUM IN OSLO. THE LAST SIGNIFICANT WORK FROM THE MID 1890s TO COME TO MARKET, THE DARKLY SEDUCTIVE VAMPIRE, SET A RECORD OF $38.1 MILLION AT AUCTION IN NOVEMBER OF 2008.