Rose Parade a boon for Pasadena museum

The most viewed fixture during the televised Rose Parade isn’t any float or personality. It’s that dark-tiled building on Colorado Boulevard that houses the Norton Simon Museum.

In its lower floor gallery the museum’s mounted nearly 200 woodblock prints that depict 19th century Japanese landscapes and everyday life. They’re by the artist Utagawa Hiroshige and architect Frank Lloyd Wright used to own them, says chief curator Carol Togneri.

"He tended to deal in these prints, would buy whole portions of them on his various trips, when he was working on buildings in Japan, and bought and sold these things throughout his career," she said.

Upstairs there’s a special gift for art lovers - a significant work by Renaissance painter Raphael on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. The oil on panel depicts the Virgin Mary, or Madonna, holding the infant Jesus.

Togneri says it demonstrates that the not-yet 21-year-old Raphael was brimming with ideas after he left his small hometown and visited the most exciting art capital of the early 16th century.

"He’s traveled to Florence and this young 20-year-old artist is exposed to the work of Fra Bartolomeo, but also most importantly to him Leonardo Da Vinci and he’s even seen works by Michaelangelo," Togneri says.

To underline the artistic growth of this young man, the museum’s placed its own Madonna and child that Raphael had completed about two years before, next to the one on loan. Togneri says it’s one of only two Raphaels on display on the West Coast.

Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game visitors make this a big week at the Norton Simon Museum. Compared to an average week, its attendance nearly doubles at this time of year.

"We often take those special loans this time of year so that we have something extra to offer to our lovely visitors," says Togneri.

The Norton Simon Museum is open from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and noon to 4 p.m. Friday. It’s closed on New Year’s Day.