We're thrilled to welcome you back safely to the Gardiner with new artworks and exhibitions, hands-on activities, studio classes, dining, shopping, and more. Plan your visit today!
We've reopened our doors with a series of new artworks and exhibitions on display, including Garniture Remix, an installation of vases and vessels from all areas of the collection. There's so much to discover this season!
Explore the potential of working with clay (without the commitment) in one of our weekly drop in classes, currently running on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with online registration opening at 10 am on the morning of the class.
Every object in our permanent collection can be accessed through our eMuseum portal. Learn about individual collecting areas, like Italian Maiolica or Modern and Contemporary Ceramics, or search the full collection by keyword. You'll be amazed by what you discover!
We need your support to continue to offer innovative and engaging exhibitions, programs, and community projects online, as well as plan for the future. Please consider making a donation to help us build community with clay.
Lobby Display
Richly furnished and infused with exotic scents, the lady’s boudoir held one of the rituals that most eloquently typified eighteenth-century refinement: the toilette. The toilette involved the dressing and accessorizing of hair and wigs, the application of make-up and patches, and the final stages of dressing, all in the company of friends, family members, and servants. Punctuated with light meals, conversation, and other activities, the toilette unfolded over several hours every morning. The lady of fashion rarely appeared in public before noon.
This display visualizes the refined atmosphere of the boudoir along with the beauty and social rituals of the toilette. Objects are both functional and decorative, and highlight the importance of porcelain in the consumption of some of the most fashionable and luxurious products of the time, including cosmetics, perfume, and snuff.