Virtual Talk: “Stitching up History – Clothing in NGA Portraiture with Ninya Mikhaila" at the Figge Art Museum -- October 16.
Thursday, October 16, 6 p.m.
Figge Art Museum, 225 West Second Street, Davenport IA
On October 16, guests of Davenport's Figge Art Museum are invited to watch a recorded fashion program in the second-floor John Deere Auditorium, with historical costumier Ninya Mikhaila's fascinating program Stitching up History - Clothing in NGA Portraiture being held in conjunction with the current exhibition The Golden Age: Featuring Northern European Works from the National Gallery of Art.
Ninya Mikhaila is a historical costumier who established her business making reconstructions of historic dress for museums and heritage sites in 1994 after gaining a Higher National Diploma in Costume Interpretation at the London College of Fashion. Her clients include Historic Royal Palaces, The Royal Armouries, The National Trust, English Heritage, The National Archives and Gainsborough’s House. Mikhaila is featured in 2018's six-part BBC television series A Stitch in Time, which demonstrated what reconstructing historical clothing can tell us about people in the past. She also made the clothing worn by Harry Lloyd as Richard III in 2022's The Lost King. In addition, Mikhaila is one half of The Tudor Tailor, a company specializing in reconstructing and publishing material on 16th-century dress.
A rare chance to experience Renaissance and Baroque art up close, the gorgeous and captivating exhibition The Golden Age: Featuring Northern European Works from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art will be on display at the Figge through April 4, 2027. Its loaned works date from 1537 to 1700, and include examples by leading artists Lucas Cranach the Elder, Anthony van Dyck, Frans Hals, and Louis Vallée. The Figge's own Northern European paintings will be paired with National Gallery works in four thematic sections: Portraiture, History, Still Life, and Genre Scenes. The Figge’s partnership with the National Gallery of Art makes it possible to share extraordinary works – typically seen only in major metropolitan centers like Chicago, New York, or Washington, D.C.
“We’re thrilled to bring these masterworks to the Quad Cities as part of the National Gallery of Art’s ‘Across the Nation’ initiative,” said Melissa Mohr, Executive Director & CEO of the Figge Art Museum. “It’s not every day that paintings by Van Dyck or Cranach make their way to our community, and for many here, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience them in person. This exhibition is a powerful reflection of the Figge’s mission to bring world-class art to our community and deepen the cultural life of the Quad Cities.”
‘Across the Nation’ is the manifestation of the National Gallery’s vision as the Nation’s art museum. We are so thrilled to bring some of the most excellent and beloved works from the Nation’s collection directly into communities across the country as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of America,” said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art.
The National Gallery of Art worked with all partner institutions – specially selected to broaden access to the national collection in as many regions of the United States as possible – to curate a unique selection of artworks for each “Across the Nation” presentation. The selections introduce artists and perspectives new to these communities while complementing each museum’s own collections and programming.
Through this initiative, works of art by renowned artists from the National Gallery’s collection will be on loan at 10 partner museums in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Utah, and Washington, creating unprecedented accessibility to the Nation’s masterworks by placing them directly in communities across the country. “Across the Nation” is part of the National Gallery’s programming commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, taking place in 2026, which also includes a series of special installations and exhibitions, on-site programs, and digital content.
The virtual presentation Stitching up History – Clothing in NGA Portraiture with Ninya Mikhaila will be held in the John Deere Auditorium on October 16, with the Figge bar open and food available (cards only) at 5 p.m. and the program beginning at 6 p.m. Participation in the event is free, and more information is available by calling (563)326-7804 and visiting FiggeArtMuseum.org.
