‛The Lamentation of Christ’ is finally restored at the Cummer

Bank of America and the Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens has announced the restoration of The Lamentation of Christ by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) is complete, following the museum’s selection as a Bank of America Art Conservation Project grant recipient in 2019. The entire restoration process was documented and photographed for educational purposes, including sharing restoration techniques and the importance of the art restoration process.

This delicate work is the centerpiece of the Museum’s Baroque collection and the only painting by Rubens on display. The Lamentation of Christ is believed to have been painted during Rubens’ first trip to Italy and is an original work of art on copper. Radiographs and infra-red technology were used to reveal Rubens’ original intent for the painting and restorers went millimeter by millimeter to ensure no part of the original painting was damaged. The extra paint and varnish from past restoration attempts were removed and retouched, and the frame underwent restoration to repair the gold leaf and wooden structure.

“Support from Bank of America was vital for the completion of this project. Its generosity and commitment to conserving important works of art such as this one will ensure their survival for generations to come,” said Holly Keris, the Museum’s J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Chief Curator. “Restoration of this 400-year-old painting was extensive as there were structural problems with the frame as well as aesthetic problems from previous restoration attempts that led to surface discoloration. As this painting was part of the original bequest from Mrs. Cummer that created the Cummer Museum 60 years ago, its restoration in preparation for this important anniversary is all the more timely.”

The restoration process, led by ArtCare Conservation in Miami, began in January 2020. Now that restoration is complete, the work has returned to the Cummer Museum Art & Gardens’ permanent collection galleries, and the restoration video is a main feature in Art Connections, the Museum’s education center. The art work’s return to the Museum will be popular as The Lamentation of Christ was voted one of the Museum’s “50 Favorites” by museum goers in 2011, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration.

"Institutions like the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens have the power to help their local economies by providing pathways to greater cultural understanding, as well as education," said Mark Bennett, President of Bank of America Jacksonville. "Providing the Museum with art conservation funding allowed the right experts and partners to breathe new life into The Lamentation of Christ, making it accessible for generations to come."

The restoration of The Lamentation of Christ by Peter Paul Rubens is one of 22 Art Conservation Recipients in 10 countries and 11 U.S. cities, which are receiving grant funding through the 2019 Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

The Lamentation of Christ by Peter Paul Rubens is in select company as a 2019 recipient. The  selection of works being recognized as 2019 ACP recipients includes: The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh and The Bather by Paul Cezanne – The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Spring by Georgia O’Keeffe – Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe; and 10 large-scale assemblage paintings by Thornton Dial, Sr. – High Museum of Art, Atlanta.

The Bank of America Art Conservation Project provides grant funding to nonprofit cultural institutions throughout the world to conserve historically or culturally significant works of art that are in danger of deterioration. Since the Art Conservation Project began in 2010, Bank of America has provided grants for more than 170 projects in 33 countries on six continents to conserve paintings, sculptures, and archaeological and architectural pieces that are critically important to cultural heritage and the history of art.

The Art Conservation Project is a key element of Bank of America’s program of arts support worldwide, and part of the company’s environmental, social and governance program. Bank of America believes in the power of the arts to help economies thrive, educate and enrich societies, and create greater cultural understanding. The program includes loans of its private art collection to museums at no cost, sponsorships, and grants to arts organizations for arts education, as well as the preservation of cultural treasures. For more information, please visit the Art Conservation Project website.

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
   829 Riverside Avenue
   Jacksonville, Florida 32204
   (904) 356-6857
   Hours of Operation & Admission

The Cummer Museum is having March Madness

Even if you’re not a basketball enthusiast, you will have a great time picking some of your favorite activities at the Cummer.  There are events for your family and it’s a great place to break the ice with a new person of interest.  Why not explore the many aspects of the Cummer Museum this month?  Here is a list of activities:

Florida Blue Free Tuesday – Each Tues. Evening from 4 to 9 p.m. | Free.  No registration required.  Every Tuesday, enjoy free admission to the Cummer Museum and its historic Gardens, thanks to the generous support of Florida Blue. Guests can enjoy free admission to the Galleries and Gardens. Each Tuesday evening, the Cummer Café is open for Tapas Tuesday sponsored by VyStar Credit Union.

Tapas Tuesday – Each Tues. Evening from 5 to 7:30 p.m. | The Cummer Café Reservations recommended.  Tap into Tapas Tuesday sponsored by VyStar Credit Union at the Cummer Café.  Every Tuesday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on the Cummer Café patio, take in the sunset while listening to local musicians as you also enjoy some beer, wine, or artfully inspired tapas for sale at the Café.  Reserve your table by calling (904) 899-6022.

Public Garden Tours – Tues. and Thur. from 11 a.m. | Free with Paid Admission.  No registration required.  Join the Museum every Tuesday and Thursday for a guided tour of the historic Cummer Gardens, beginning in the Museum lobby.

Art Fundamentals: Acrylic Painting – Wed., Mar. 1 through April 5 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. | Members $170, Non-Members $190. Registration required.  Instructor Allison Watson introduces painting to beginning students and strengthens the skills of intermediate painters.  Learn composition for landscape and still life, color theory, and techniques in acrylic.  Participants may sign up for multiple sessions.  Supplies are not included.  Suggested ages 16 and up.  For further information, please email or call (904) 355-0630.

Garden Month Kickoff & Plant Sale – Sat., Mar. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Free Admission.  No registration required.  Kick off a month-long celebration of the gardens with a free family day and plant sale!  Celebrate the coming of spring by purchasing new plants from local vendors on the front lawn of the Museum.  Enjoy “plein air” painting, live music, a family art activity, and garden tours throughout the day!

Bank Of America and Merrill Lynch Museums On Us – Sun., Mar. 5 from Noon to 4 p.m. | Free to Cardholders.  No registration required.  The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens offers free admission on the first Sunday of the first full weekend of the month to all Bank of America or Merrill Lynch cardholders through the Museums on Us program.  Each cardholder receives one free general admission to the Museum.  For more information on the Museum's programming and events, please call (904) 899-6038.

Floral Arranging with Laura Haley – Thurs., Mar. 9 from1 to 2:30 p.m. | Members $40, Non-Members $50.  Registration required.  Join Laura Haley, a passionate flower show exhibitor and judge, as well as a teacher of techniques and styles throughout the country, for a unique floral design class using materials you can find at your local grocery store. For further information or to register, please call (904) 899-6038.

Garden Month Concert: The Chris Thomas Band – Fri., Mar. 10th.  Doors Open at 6 p.m., Concert from 7 to 9 p.m. | Members $25, Non-Members $35, Table $500.  Registration required.  Relax under the stars with The Chris Thomas Band!  Guests are invited to bring chairs, picnics, and beverages to enjoy an evening in the Cummer Gardens.  Don’t feel like packing a picnic?  Let the Cummer Café handle your food and beverages by placing an order for pick-up at the Concert.  To pre-order, call (904) 899-6022 or email.  For further information or to register, please call (904) 899-6038.

Talks & Tea with Constance Spry: The Woman Who Made Flower Arranging an Art – Wed., Mar. 15 from 1:30 p.m. | Members Free, Non-Members $6.  Registration required.  Constance Spry was a social reformer, whose driving zeal for empowering women to find beauty in the world around them took her from humble origins to household name in Britain.  Using kale and weeds as design materials, she made gravy boats, bird cages, and baking sheets into plant containers.  Royal weddings were her specialty, and with her friend Syrie Maugham, she was an arbiter of mid-20th-century interior decoration.  Today, she is the style icon on contemporary London blogs.  Enjoy a talk by Director of Education Lynn Norris over a cup of tea and a sweet treat.  For further information or to register, please call (904) 899-6038.

Plein Air Painting

Art Adventures: Garden Month! – Sat., Mar. 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Members $10, Non-Members $15.  Ages 6 through 12.  Registration required.  Join the Cummer on the third Saturday of each month for studio classes.  This class will focus on the natural beauty of the Cummer Museum’s historic gardens. Students will visit the galleries to view works inspired by nature.  Then they will learn about “plein air” painting as they work from direct observation in the gardens.  Projects will be completed within one class period.  For further information, please email or call (904) 355-0630.

History of Western American Art – Tues., Mar. 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Members Free, Non-Members $10.  Registration required.  Explore art history through this monthly series of lectures that includes time in the galleries.  Although Europe still thinks American Art begins with Abstract Expressionism, America has a rich art tradition.  This talk by Director of Education Lynn Norris covers early American Art to John Singer Sargent.  For further information, please email or call (904) 355-0630.

Distinguished Lecture Series: P. Allen Smith Naturally: The Love of Gardening – Wed., Mar. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Members $45, Non-Members $55.  Registration required.  P. Allen Smith has a passion for American style. Inspired by the ‘ferme ornée’ concept for Monticello, Smith created his own Moss Mountain Farm as a demonstration ground for principles of good design, conservation, and stewardship.  Take a virtual tour of Moss Mountain and see how Smith is creating a new chapter in the evolution of the classic American farm.  Lunch in the Olmsted Garden will follow the lecture.  For further information or to register, please call (904) 899-6038.

Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program – Sat., Mar. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Members and Non-Members $30.  Registration required.  Join the Museum as part of the Open Days Program.  Make the Cummer Gardens the first stop on your tour of a number of private gardens in the Riverside neighborhood.  Knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand in each garden throughout the day to answer your questions.  The Cummer Gardens will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and all private gardens will be open from 12 to 4 p.m. For further information or to register, please call (904) 899-6038.

The Search for Paradise: A History of Western Gardens 19th And Early 20th Century English Gardens – Tues., Mar. 28 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. | Members Free, Non-Members $10.  Explore garden history through this four-part lecture series.  In the late Victorian and Edwardian garden, flowers came to the forefront as the English landscape garden gave way to the cottage garden.  Join Director of Education Lynn Norris to explore the era of country house gardens, designed by J.C. Loudon, William Robinson, Gertrude Jekyll, and Vita Sackville-West, followed by a walk in the Cummer Gardens.  For further information, please email or call (904) 355-0630.

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
   829 Riverside Avenue
   Jacksonville, Florida 32204
   (904) 356-6857
   Hours of Operation & Admission

'Museums On Us' offers cultural activities for December

Bank of America and Merrill Lynch’s “Museums On Us” offers free access to Jacksonville cardholders.  Bank of America has strong long-term relationships with an array of institutions including museums, science centers, botanical gardens and aquariums in the United States and created Museums On Us^® to provide a free cultural benefit to Bank of American and Merrill Lynch customers.  The program’s mobile site gives customers access to the full list of markets and museums on-the-go.

Bank of America is offering its customers a way to celebrate the holiday season with free admission to local museums with Museums on Us.  The program is giving bank credit and debit cardholders free general admission to some of America’s favorite museums and cultural institutions, including: Chabot Space & Science Center in San Francisco, CA, Denver Zoo in Denver, CO, Atlanta History Center in Atlanta, GA and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, NC.  Museums On Us is a national program that also includes some of the country’s best cultural institutions like: The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami, FL and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, CA.

Photo ID and a valid Bank of America/Merrill Lynch credit or debit card must be presented.  One free general admission limited to cardholder at participating institution, excluding fundraising events, special exhibitions and ticketed shows the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of each month.  This special is not to be combined with any other offer.  For a list of museums near you (click here).

Bank of America’s Museums on Us^®
Dates: Sat., Dec. 3rd and Sun., Dec. 4th, 2016
Times: Check participating museums’ days and hours of operation

Locations: Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA)
     333 North Laura Street
     Jacksonville, FL 32202
     (904) 366-6911
       AND

     The Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
     1025 Museum Circle
     Jacksonville, FL 32207
     (904) 396-MOSH (6674)
       AND
     Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
     829 Riverside Avenue
     Jacksonville, Florida 32204
     (904) 356-6857