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Release Date: December 7, 2001

Visit the Holiday Shop at The National Gallery of Art

Washington, DC -- This holiday season the National Gallery of Art Shops offer a large selection of traditional and contemporary cards, ornaments, calendars, books, and compact disks in its annual Holiday Shop. The shop is located on the ground floor of the West Building adjacent to the Sixth Street entrance at Constitution Avenue, NW.

Traditional and Contemporary Cards
The Holiday Shop features a wide variety of both traditional and contemporary cards, highlighting works from the Gallery's collection as well as works from other internationally renowned art institutions. Traditional card subjects showcasing the Gallery's Italian Renaissance paintings include Raphael's The Small Cowper Madonna (20 card set) and The Adoration of the Magi (12 card set) by Fra Angelico and Filippo Lippi. Ted Naos' 16-Point Ornament Star, which doubles as an ornament, typifies the originality of the contemporary card collection.

Ornaments
A selection of ornaments utilizing designs and patterns found in both decorative and fine arts is available in gold, silver, and porcelain reproductions. The Owen Jones Ornament, made of 24 kt gold electroplate, was inspired by a design found in Jones' Grammar of Ornament, from the National Gallery's collection of illustrated rare books. Several porcelain ornaments, including Heart Ornament, Snowflake Ornament, and Star Ornament, are available for the first time. They are derived from arabesque patterned designs by Swiss goldsmith Peter Flötner during the 16th century.

2002 Calendars, Holiday Books, Music, and More
Also available in this year's Holiday Shop are wall, engagement, and desk calendars; family-oriented activity kits; an Advent Calendar; Christmas and Hanukkah books; and festive gift wrap. The National Gallery of Art 2002 Engagement Calendar, a favorite among Gallery visitors, includes reproductions of some of the Gallery's most celebrated works. Among the Christmas activity kits available are Ornaments Inspired by Medieval Stained Glass, which includes a book about stained-glass and a set of six ornaments to paint, and Best-Loved Christmas Carols&--The Millennia Collection, a book/audio set including sheet music for carols. Holiday books include Robert Sabuda's The Christmas Alphabet and To Life! L'Chaim!: Prayers and Blessings for the Jewish Home by Rabbi Michael Shire.

How to Purchase
Items can be purchased in the Holiday Shop in the West Building, ground floor. A limited number of items can be purchased through mail order at (800) 697-9350 or (202) 842-6002, by fax at (202) 789-3047, or via e-mail at mailorder@nga.gov.

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