The Colorado Springs Museum has the death mask of Artus Van Briggle. He came to Colorado Springs in 1899 in order to recover from tuberculosis, as did thousands of other TB sufferers. Along with his wife Anne, he founded Van Briggle Pottery. His pottery is known internationally for its matte glaze and is especially popular among collectors of Art Nouveau decorative objects. His pieces won awards at the Paris Salon (1903) and the St. Louis World's Fair (1904). Artus succumbed to TB in 1904. Anne continued to operate the business and a decade later constructed to the Van Briggle Memorial Pottery, on land donated by city founder William Jackson Palmer. This beautiful building still stands, though it is no longer home to the pottery, and Van Briggle tiles and carved figures are an integral part of the building's façade. Though owned by a number of individuals over the years, Van Briggle pottery is still produced today and is housed in the former Colorado Midland Railroad roundhouse. The death mask was molded by Anne. She, like her husband, was an artist and designer. The mask is on display in the Museum's Van Briggle gallery and is one of our most popular exhibits among school children. The Museum has what we believe is the largest public collection of Van Briggle pottery in the world. We are currently in the process of developing a traveling exhibit of about 120 pieces of Van Briggle pottery, in conjunction with the Smith Kramer Traveling Exhibits Service in Kansas City. If any of you would like more information about the exhibit, send me an email. Matt Mayberry Public Programs Coordinator Colorado Springs Museum 719-578-6650 [log in to unmask] ---------- From: Barbara Batson [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, March 09, 1998 8:17 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: death masks >DJF asked: > does anyone know the location of famous death masks? The Valentine Museum (1015 E. Clay St, Richmond, VA 23219-1590, 804/649-0711) has the Frederick A. Volck death mask of General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, which was made while Jackson's body lay in state in the Virginia State Capitol. Edward V. Valentine, the sculptor and brother of the museum's founder, purchased the death mask from Volck in the late 1860s and later made two casts from it. One of the casts in on view at the Stonewall Jackson House in Lexington, Va, and the other is viewable in Valentine's studio, located in the garden of the Valentine Museum. -- Barbara C. Batson Exhibits Coordinator Library of Virginia 804/692-3518 [log in to unmask]