Following the Arlington Museum of Art’s Disney’s private collection exhibit, the museum will go medieval with a “Knight’s Tale” armory exhibition from Italy. The fall-winter exhibition will run from October 22 to February 12, 2023.
The museum will display over 130 rare objects within the exhibit, which promises to be “a stunning homage to the world of the Medieval and Renaissance knight.” The pieces come from the Museo Stibbert (Stibbert Museum) in Florence, Italy, and will feature full suits of armor, mounted equestrian figures, helmets, swords, shields, and other weaponry.
“A Knight’s Tale brings to life the art and customs of tournaments and jousting, the codes of chivalry, and the knight’s iconic sword and armor,” said Chris Hightower, president and CEO of the Arlington Museum of Art. The museum is partnering with the Stibbert Museum and Contemporanea Progetti to bring the unique exhibition to North Texas.
The Arlington Museum of Art acquired the relics comprising the exhibit from the private collection of Frederick Stibbert (1838–1906), a financier who devoted his life to collecting art, particularly European armor and weapons. It is widely believed that the Stibbert Museum holds the best private collection of armories in Europe.
“The craftsmanship in A Knight’s Tale showcases the skills of the great metalsmiths of the Middle Ages, who brought functionality and beauty to their craft,” said Hightower. “Knights as icons have stood the test of time because great art stands the test of time.”
Currently, the Arlington Museum of Art is displaying “Disney Art from Private Collections,” which consists of 250 original animation sketches, storyboards, character studies, and concept drawings by longtime Walt Disney Animation Studios artists.
The collection includes works from Disney classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Frog, The Lion King, Alice in Wonderland, 101 Dalmatians, Bambi, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Aladdin, and more. “Disney Art from Private Collections” runs until September 4.
