Provenance

Trustees of the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Estate

Trustees of the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Estate

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See all 34 works of art
Netherlandish 15th Century, The Raising of Tabitha, c. 1460, tapestry: undyed wool warp, dyed wool and silk weft, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.20.2

The Raising of Tabitha

Netherlandish 15th Century · c. 1460 · tapestry: undyed wool warp, dyed wool and silk weft ·  Accession ID  1970.20.2

The image shows a figure in medieval attire kneeling in prayer within an ornate architectural setting. The figure is richly dressed, kneeling with hands clasped in prayer. The architectural framework is decorated with Gothic elements. An angel hovers above the figure, holding a scroll with text. To the left, there is a small depiction of a man fighting a lion, integrated with the columns. The upper portion of the image contains text in a medieval script and ornate coats of arms. The color palette includes muted reds, blues, golds, and beiges. The intricate designs, heraldic imagery, and symbolic content suggest a narrative or devotional theme common in medieval European art. The style is reminiscent of medieval tapestry art, blending religious and illustrative elements typical of that period.
Netherlandish 15th Century, The Vision of the Centurion Cornelius, c. 1460, tapestry: undyed wool warp, dyed wool and silk weft, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.20.3

The Vision of the Centurion Cornelius

Netherlandish 15th Century · c. 1460 · tapestry: undyed wool warp, dyed wool and silk weft ·  Accession ID  1970.20.3

Shown from the knees up, a pale-skinned woman sits and leans on the arm of a seat in this vertical portrait painting. The woman’s knees and shoulders are angled to our right but she turns her head slightly to our left so she looks out at us from the corners of her green, wide-set eyes. She has an oval face with a short nose, full pink lips, and a cleft in her chin. Her brown hair is set in loose finger waves and is either chin-length or pulled back. Her sleeveless, scoop-necked, ivory-white gown has spaghetti straps edged with gold. A sheen on the fabric suggests that it shimmers between white, mauve pink, and gold, and gold tracery around her hips mimics the look of a drop-waist over a long, flaring skirt. A rose-pink shawl drapes over her left arm, to our right, which rests on the arm of her seat. A long strand of pearls is looped twice around that wrist like a bracelet as the other end is pulled over her fingers, which she holds in front of her chest. Her other arm, to our left, is stretched straight by her side, and she wears a ring on that hand. The seat has an arched back and is painted with streaks of gold and tan. A darkened opening behind her is shaded midnight blue. Gold frames or molding flank the opening along the left and right edges of the canvas. The portrait is loosely painted, especially in her clothing and the background. The artist signed and dated the bottom right corner, “de Lászlo 1626. III.”
Philip Alexius de László, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, 1926, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.20.1

Ailsa Mellon Bruce

Philip Alexius de László · 1926 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1970.20.1

This is a painted folding screen with multiple panels showing numerous people engaged in various activities within a lush green setting. The screen features rich reds, golds, blues, and greens. The people wear draped clothing in bright colors, and they are interacting with each other amidst ornate buildings, bodies of water, rocky hills, and vegetation, with fantastical animals appearing throughout. Each panel contributes to a scene that spans across the entire screen. The background of the panels is a rich reddish-brown.
Chinese Qing Dynasty, Coromandel Screen, Kangxi period, 1690, carved and painted lacquer on wood, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.20.4

Coromandel Screen

Chinese Qing Dynasty · Kangxi period, 1690 · carved and painted lacquer on wood ·  Accession ID  1970.20.4

The image depicts three white orchid flowers with frilled edges and green leaves. The color palette includes rich greens, soft whites, and subtle hints of yellow at the flower centers. The orchids are positioned centrally in the image, with two flowers facing slightly left and one facing slightly right, while the leaves extend outwards and upwards around them.
Gustav Leutzsch, Cattleya Mendelii Quorndon House Var., color lithograph, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.19.23

Cattleya Mendelii Quorndon House Var.

Gustav Leutzsch · · color lithograph ·  Accession ID  1970.19.23

The image shows a large orchid plant with prominent flowers and broad leaves. The color palette consists of soft greens for the leaves, creamy whites, and soft yellows for the petals, with deep purples and hints of red in the centers of the flowers. Orchid stems rise from the lower right of the image, with leaves and flowers extending upwards and towards the left, creating a dynamic diagonal pattern across the image space.
Gustav Leutzsch, Cattleya Rex, lithograph, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.19.24

Cattleya Rex

Gustav Leutzsch · · lithograph ·  Accession ID  1970.19.24

The image shows several large orchid blooms with different colors and patterns. The color palette includes whites, pinks, reds, greens, and a light beige background. The white orchids are in the upper left, and the pink ones are in the middle and lower right sections. Green leaves and unopened buds are also visible, adding depth to the composition.
Joseph Mansell, Laelia Anceps Stella & Barkeriana, lithograph, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.19.19

Laelia Anceps Stella & Barkeriana

Joseph Mansell · · lithograph ·  Accession ID  1970.19.19

This painting shows two large white lotus flowers, one fully bloomed and the other in budding stage, with textured green leaves. The fully bloomed lotus is positioned towards the top-center, a large green leaf underneath it, while the closed bud is lower and slightly to the right, next to a thinner leaf. Green stems originate from the bottom of the painting and connect to the flowers and leaves. The background is beige.
British 19th Century, East Indian Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), late 19th century, opaque watercolor on Xuan paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.19.1

East Indian Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

British 19th Century · late 19th century · opaque watercolor on Xuan paper ·  Accession ID  1970.19.1

In the image, there are three large peaches arranged with one at the top, two below, and a sprig of peach blossoms in the center. The peaches are painted in shades of red, green, and yellow, with the top two showing greenish areas while the bottom left one has a light yellow tint. The blossoms are pink with green and brown accents for the leaves and branches. All objects are placed against a beige background with speckling.
George Brookshaw, Three Peaches, published 1817, line and stipple engraving partially printed in color and finished by hand, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.19.3

Three Peaches

George Brookshaw · published 1817 · line and stipple engraving partially printed in color and finished by hand ·  Accession ID  1970.19.3

The image shows a branch with green leaves and green almond-shaped fruits. It also includes a detailed illustration of almond flowers to the bottom left and a cut section of an almond to the bottom right. The color palette is mainly green with hints of white, pink, and yellow in the flowers against a beige background. The branch with leaves and fruits is central, with the flower cluster at the bottom left and the almond section at the bottom right.
French 19th Century, Amandier pistache, color stipple etching, hand-touched, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.19.15

Amandier pistache

French 19th Century · · color stipple etching, hand-touched ·  Accession ID  1970.19.15