SUMMER TIME IS FUN TIME AT RIENZI.
Get out of the heat and into culture at Rienzi this month! Each Wednesday in July from 10-11am, Rienzi offers “Storytime Tours” for kids. Children will be introduced to the magic of art and literature in an intimate house museum setting during this fun and interactive activity featuring stories related to themes highlighted in the Rienzi collection.
Families are also welcomed at Rienzi on Sundays – July 10, 17, and 24 – from 1-4pm. Their special “Family Art Workshops” encourage families to come together to create art, write stories and poems, and watch performances inspired by Rienzi’s collection. Join them for one or all three:
-
“Cinderella Stories from Around the World”
Sunday, July 10, 1-4pm
Instructors from the Rice Literacy and Culture Project will explore the many Cinderella stories written from the point of view of different cultures and countries - The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo, Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson, Cinderella by Max Eilenberg and Niamh Sharkey, Yeh-Shen, A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie, Cindy Ellen, A Wild Western Cinderella by Susan Lowell and Cendrillon, A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci. Families will enjoy hearing these international tales, write their own Cinderella story, and have the opportunity to make puppets for an impromptu performance.
-
“Portrait Miniatures; Love Tokens before the Digital Age”
Sunday, July 17, 1-4pm
Discover what was used before photography to represent portraits. Learn about Rienzi’s Caroline A. Ross Collection, which includes portrait miniatures by European and American artists between c. 1710 and 1900. Families will explore this unique artistic tradition and create their own version for family and friends.
-
“The Fantastic Fables of La Fontaine”
Sunday, July 24, 1-4pm
Early Music Southwest presents “The Fantastic Fables of La Fontaine,” a musical tale of wise and foolish animals from 17th century France. The narration with accompanying chamber ensemble will delight kids of all ages. The musical recital will be followed by fable themed crafts and a cookies and lemonade reception. The recital will begin promptly at 1:15pm. Early Music Southwest, an international collaboration of baroque music professionals specializing in the performance of chamber music of the 17th and 18th centuries on original instruments, perfectly complement the unique historical environment of Rienzi´s collection.
Both programs are free but reservations are recommended as space are limited. The Storytime Tours are recommended for kids 3+ and the Family Art Workshops are recommended for kids 4+. Rienzi is located at 1406 Kirby Drive and is the center for European decorative arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Comprising a remarkable art collection, and a house and gardens, Rienzi was given to the museum by arts patrons Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III. This handsome residence is named for Mr. Masterson's grandfather, Rienzi Johnston, and is situated on 4.4 acres in Houston's River Oaks neighborhood. The structure was designed in 1952 by John F. Staub, the same architect who designed Bayou Bend.
Free parking is available at Rienzi and on Lazy Lane in River Oaks.
|
