Spain

This is a brilliant example of an early 17th-century Spanish petition relating to nobility, similar in style to examples from Granada. The rank of Baron is signified by the five helmet bars in the crest on the coat of arms full-page miniature. To the left is another full-page miniature, likely of the Coronation of the Virgin with King Philip III in attendance. The use of bright red, blue, green, and gold demonstrates the wealth and power that stood behind the petition.

One of the best-known artists of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, stage designer, poet, and playwright who spent most of his adult life in France. Picasso is often remembered for his cubist paintings, but he continued to experiment with new styles and materials throughout his life. During the 1950s and 1960s, Picasso commissioned Francois Hugo, great-grandson of French writer Victor Hugo, to execute a series of plates, dishes, and medallions in gold and silver. The plates were modeled after Picasso’s original ceramics designs.