She's perhaps one of the country's most beloved cooks, and her cookbooks changed generations of dinner tables. An exhibit exploring the life of Julia Child opens Saturday at the Cincinnati Museum Center.
If mysteries, however, are more your thing, the Taft Museum is offering up a glimpse behind the velvet curtains of the Freemasons and Odd Fellows.
"Julia Child: A Recipe for Life"
"Julia reveled in cooking's joy, not in its perfection," said museum Museum Center CEO Elizabeth Pierce. "Because Julia broke a few eggs, we see a generation of amateur chefs trying, sometimes failing, often succeeding, but always enjoying the community of cooking. We're excited to share Julia's joy and her recipe for life."
A walk through the exhibit is meant to take visitors on a journey through Child's life. It highlights key moments in her career, along with her friends and family members to provide insights into her off-screen life.
There's a full-scale replica of the set and behind-the-scenes workings of The French Chef; photography by Child's husband, Paul; and even a bathtub to climb into and recreate a famous Valentine's Day card the couple sent out.
Pierce notes while The French Chef herself is the focus, part of the exhibit also focuses on French chefs who changed Cincinnati's culinary scene.
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"You'll also see is a nod to The Maisonette, to Pierre Adrian, who was the original French chef who helped Maisonette get its five stars; to Jean-Robert de Cavel, who continued that legacy and then went on to do a number of other things," she explains. "Julia was very much about empowering the home chef, but we have a legacy of French chefs in our community who have continued to inspire and be creative."
The exhibit runs Feb. 1 through May 18.
“Mystery & Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art"
People have long been fascinated by fraternal organizations that cloak themselves in mystery. Beginning Saturday, visitors to the Taft Museum of Art can explore objects, regalia, art, and other symbols of two such organizations.
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"Mystery & Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art" aims to give a peek into the worlds of the Freemasons and the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows, including a look at their histories, codes and beliefs. It includes more than 80 works of art.
"From scythes to skulls and memento mori, 'Mystery & Benevolence' looks at the richness of fraternal culture as well as the exclusivity of 'brotherhood,' " according to associate curator Ann Glasscock. "This special exhibition not only brings to light the positive impacts of the organizations and their local Cincinnati ties but also recognizes the influence of those left out of the historical picture."
She tells WVXU it's a rare chance to see and learn about these groups from the outside. She adds it should be interesting even if you're not really into such mysteries.
"I think people should see it from the folk art angle because these are really stunning works of art that were handcrafted — handmade or made by a number of companies in the 1800s and 1900s. They're very colorful. They're really well carved and painted," she concludes. "I think people will learn about the kind of booming market for fraternal goods that was so prominent during the 19th century that they may not have known about."
The exhibit runs Feb. 1 through May 11.
