October 7, 2004

Starting Oct. 12, visitors to the Michigan Historical Museum will see the history and artistry that link Michigan and Italy, as the Michigan Historical Museum opens its first international exhibit, Tommaso Juglaris: A Capitol Artist.  As researchers discovered in the 1990s, Juglaris is the noted Italian artist who painted the mystical Greek muses that have adorned the state Capitol dome since 1886.

The 3,000-square-foot exhibition will give Michiganians their first look at the life and collected works of Juglaris, with an exhibition of some 50 paintings, drawings and sketches, including the sketches of four of the Michigan muses.  All of the original items are on loan from Italy.

"Tommaso Juglaris, schooled by some of the most appreciated French artists of the 19th century, was a working artist in every sense," said Sandra Clark, director of the Michigan Historical Center.  "From Christmas cards to stained glass windows, he created art and a livelihood.  His autobiography and his works give us remarkable insights into Italy, Paris, Boston and the life of an immigrant.  To have such a complete record of an artist's life makes this an exceptional exhibit for history and art lovers alike."

Juglaris was born in Moncalieri, Italy, in 1844.  After being taught by and serving as assistant to such 19th-century French artists as Gerome, Cabanel and Couture, he worked as a Boston-based artist and professor at the Rhode Island School of Design during the 1880s.  Juglaris was knighted in 1886 by King Umberto.  He died in Italy in 1925.

"When the Capitol dome murals were being completed, anti-immigrant sentiment was strong, especially when it came to work on federal or state buildings.  That may be why Juglaris received no public credit for the murals in 1886," said Maria Quinlan Leiby, Michigan Historical Museum historian.  "However, recent research by guest curators Geoffrey Drutchas and Kerry Chartkoff shows that Juglaris did indeed create the muses.  It is fitting that in this, the Capitol's 125th year, we recognize his artistry and contributions."

The Michigan Historical Museum has partnered with Famija Moncaleresia, the Friends of the Capitol and the Juglaris Exhibition Commission to create the exhibition and bring it to Lansing.  Famija Moncaleresia is a cultural heritage organization in Moncalieri, a town outside Turin.  It has assembled the Juglaris works and loaned them to Michigan, and will sponsor the exhibition in Moncalieri in 2006 during the Winter Olympics.  It has produced the bilingual catalogue.

The Juglaris Exhibition Commission has been organized under the auspices of the Michigan Capitol Committee to support the exhibition. Major donors include the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Corporation and Magna Entertainment Corporation.

Tommaso Juglaris: A Capitol Artist will appear in the Michigan Historical Museum's first-floor special exhibits gallery from Oct. 12, 2004, through Jan. 9, 2005.  Admission to the exhibit is free.  The Michigan Historical Museum is located inside the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo St., Lansing.  The museum and visitor parking are on the north side of Kalamazoo Street, two blocks east of Martin Luther King Boulevard. 

The Michigan Historical Museum is part of the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).  The department mission is to enrich the quality of life for Michigan residents by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage, and fostering cultural creativity.  The department includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Film Office.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.