All stories
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Giving Marie Antoinette’s Canapé a Makeover
How our conservation team made this sofa fit for a queen.
By Magnolia Molcan, interim associate director of digital content
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Drag Art History: Spilling the Tea on the Tudor Dynasty
Hear about the drama behind the Tudor dynasty.
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Views of Naples: Thematic Decoration of an Eighteenth Century Porcelain Dinner Service
Read about four porcelain pieces in the Museums’ collection that exemplify the imaginatively themed porcelain services produced during the eighteenth century and that offer little windows onto the Bay of Naples.
By Thomas Wu
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East Asian Influences at the Legion of Honor
Objects in the European Decorative Arts and Sculpture collection at the Legion of Honor reflect the distinct history of how East Asian art has influenced European decorative arts and interiors.
By Thomas Wu
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Bloody Murder: A Medieval Conflict Between Church and State
A reliquary casket tells the story of a bloody murder that shook the medieval world.
By Martin Chapman
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The Talleyrand Bed: A State Bed Commissioned in Times of Conflict
This magnificent bed was made for a prominent figure of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
By Martin Chapman
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A Panoramic Wallpaper of the Peoples of the Pacific
The wallpaper’s subject imagined a perceived idyllic way of life in the South Pacific.
By Martin Chapman and Eve Rosekind
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Jewelry and Gender
Rulers across India and Europe used jewelry to underscore their status.
By Martin Chapman
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The Exchange of Diamonds
Until the 1730s, most of the world’s diamonds were sourced from India.
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Turban Ornaments
Mughal emperors and later Indian rulers wore turban ornaments as a sign of their rank.
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Cartier and India
Jacques Cartier was impressed with the splendor of jewels adorning Indian royalty.
