Beyond the Medici: The Haukohl Family Collection at the RMA

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

If I had to limit myself to two words to describe this exhibition, those two words would be sumptuous and decadent.

The team at the Rollins Museum of Art in Winter Park, FL has done it yet again with Beyond the Medici: The Haukohl Family Collection, a superb exhibition that showcases all the richness and drama inherent to the art of the Florentine Baroque period. Not only are the works on display exceptional, but the curatorial staff has outdone themselves by choosing a bold red for the walls and absolutely angelic lighting.

None of these images do the artworks justice, so go and see for yourself the passionate reds, the striking, divine blues and the deep, dark blacks that emphasize the theatricality of the Baroque period.

This exhibition is also the perfect opportunity to refresh your art historical detective skills! Pay close attention to the use of color, the fervent symbolism and the oft-repeated religious and mythological stories. This exhibition features Saint Mark with his lion, Juno with her peacock, Queen Esther fainting before the king, an Annunciation and good ol’ Judith determinedly chopping off the head of Holofernes.

Lastly, I would be utterly remiss if I didn’t draw your attention to the incredibly ornate frames that accompany each painting. Seriously, they are the epitome of drama and each one seems more elaborate than the last! In fact, some of the frames are so deep that they thrust the painting out from the wall and into the visitor’s personal space.

The most surprising thing about this exhibition is that it is FREE to the public. That’s right – no admission fee for an art exhibition of this caliber. And the day I visited, small mini-catalogs (complete with full-color reproductions) of the exhibition were available for FREE as well!

Beyond the Medici: The Haukohl Family Collection is on view at the Rollins Museum of Art through January 7, 2024.

For more on this exhibition, please visit…

https://www.rollins.edu/rma/exhibitions/2023/beyond-the-medici-the-haukohl-family-collection.html

Leave a comment

The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.