The Kirkland Museum

For my birthday yesterday my mom and I went downtown to check out the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art. I have always loved visiting the Denver Art Museum which is just down the road from this smaller more intimate museum. The Kirkland Museum was established around the studio and works of the late Colorado artist Vance Kirkland who's bright and fluid paintings color the walls of the museum. I think his artworks are really beautiful and that is a lot coming from me as I don't usually like modern paintings. I am usually devoted to the baroque and rococo arts but my love of vintage 20's-60's fashion has spread to include those eras decorative arts as well.

The collection is full of beautiful decorative arts from 1880 to now. I particularly loved seeing all of the art nouveau ceramics and glass works including some works from Rene Lalique (I am a Lalique fan girl) and Rookwood pottery.

This Emile Galle table was beautiful but the lamp on top was gorgeous!

more art nouveau pottery

This art nouveau dinnerware would be great to have for elegant dinner parties

Aesthetic movement and 'oriental' inspired pieces, I rather liked the gold on dark blue!

They had a really spectacular collection, one of the largest I have ever seen of decorative arts near in scale and quality to the V&A. The V&A's collection goes back to the eras before the Edwardian obviously, but as far as art nouveau is concerned I would even wager to say the Kirkland museum has more than the V&A even! All eras from the turn of the century to the 1980's were represented. As much as I adored the art nouveau and art deco pieces there were some gorgeous mid-century modern pieces that I would love to decorate my house with someday!

I would highly recommend visiting the Kirkland museum if you live near Denver or are passing through! It was a wonderful place to spend my birthday browsing priceless antiques. I am certainly more inspired to find some art deco glass and Bakelite radios to decorate my home someday!