Category: Exhibition Spotlight

By Michael Kratochvil

This semester, the McMullen Museum is highlighting Japanese art through the “Eaglemania” exhibit and Spanish art through the “Cuenca: City of Spanish Abstraction” exhibit. Every so often, student ambassadors will select one piece from these collections to highlight in The Terrace.

Somewhat hidden in the right corner of the “Eaglemania” exhibit is a small but captivating crystal ball, purchased by Isabel Anderson. The artifact was acquired by the Andersons during their 1897 honeymoon in Japan. It is loaned to the McMullen Museum by the Society of Cincinnati in Washington, D.C. and will be on display until June 2nd. 

The ball itself is made of a brilliantly clear rock crystal, giving it almost a mystical feel when one is observing it. At the time of the artifact’s creation, crystal ball gazing was quite popular in Europe and America, and Japan was widely recognized as the world leader in the crystal ball manufacturing industry. Thus, in the spirit of the times, its transcendental “aura” appears all the more plausible.

Supporting the crystal is an ivory stand, meticulously crafted into a mesmerizing dragon figure. From its jagged teeth, to its countless scales, to the sharp spikes on its back, the impressively detailed dragon figure perfectly complements the stunningly smooth and simplistic crystal ball.

While the ball and stand is one of our smaller artifacts, it still attracts a large amount of attention, and justifiably so as it was the second most expensive artifact purchased by the Andersons while they were abroad. Its $1500 price tag in 1897 for two crystal balls would be equivalent to a $45,000 purchase today, and given the piece’s brilliance, it seems that it was well worth the money.

Come to the McMullen Museum to see the Crystal Ball and Stand and other great works of art in person!

By Annabel Steele

This semester, the McMullen Museum is highlighting Japanese art through the “Eaglemania” exhibit and Spanish art through the “Cuenca: City of Spanish Abstraction” exhibit. Student ambassadors on the Publication committee will select one piece from these collections to highlight in The Terrace.

We’re a few weeks past Presidents’ Day, but there’s never a bad time to highlight when presidential artifacts make their way to Boston College. And tucked away in the “Eaglemania” exhibit this semester is a Society of the Cincinnati certificate signed by George Washington himself.

The Society of the Cincinnati advertises itself as “the nation’s oldest patriotic organization.” Founded during the Revolutionary War, the Society of the Cincinnati was originally a club for Continental Army officers. Today, it is a nonprofit run out of Anderson House in Washington, D.C.

And that’s fitting indeed, because the Society of the Cincinnati certificate, like so much of the “Eaglemania” exhibit, comes to the McMullen from the Anderson estate. In the eighteenth century, Larz Anderson’s great-grandfather, Richard Clough Anderson, was made a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. Society rules dictate that membership in the organization is passed down to one male descendant, and so in the late nineteenth century Larz became the Anderson representative in the Society.

The certificate itself features an inscription for Richard Clough Anderson and commends the first American Army’s efforts to defeat British forces. The certificate explains that the Society of the Cincinnati is intended to “commemorate the great event which gave independence to North America.” The inscription is signed by none other than George Washington himself.

Below the inscription is an illustration featuring a Roman soldier running into battle with an eagle by his side, representing the American army. The bottom of the certificate shows a great naval battle, with a lion (representing Great Britain) to the side of the warships.

But beyond the eagle flanking the Roman soldier on the certificate itself, there is more eagle imagery surrounding this piece. When Larz became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, he had a custom frame made to house the certificate. This gilded frame features the Society of the Cincinnati insignia towards the top, but above that is perched a large bronze eagle, literally on the top of the frame.

Come to the McMullen to see the Society of the Cincinnati certificate and other great works of art in person!