The Archive
Art
Paintings, sculpture, and the galleries that Frasier frequented with breathless enthusiasm.
114 references
97 unique references (114 total appearances)
16th-century giltwood fainting couch
A reference to ornate Renaissance-era furniture, specifically a gilded wooden chaise longue used decoratively in wealthy households.
“Substitute a 16th-century giltwood fainting couch for hay and watch me roll!”— Niles
18th Century English salt server
An ornate antique salt cellar from 18th century England, a decorative tableware item used to hold salt, featuring gilding and scrollwork.
“my 18th Century English salt server”— Frasier
18th-century antiques
Reference to 18th-century period furniture and decorative arts, suggesting Maris's home is decorated in this historical style.
“I'm sure it would fit right in with all of Maris's 18th-century antiques.”— Frasier
African art
Art originating from the African continent, encompassing sculpture, masks, textiles, and other forms, widely collected.
“Cast her eye over my African art collection.”— Frasier
African erotic art
A reference to African art with erotic themes, suggesting Frasier has such artwork displayed in his apartment.
“I'll just pop back in here and enjoy some more of your African erotic art.”— Daphne
André Krogyn
A fictional Russian craftsman said to have worked for Tsar Alexander II, creating bear clocks for the Romanov family.
“It was made by André Krogyn, who worked for Tsar Alexander II.”— Appraiser
Andy Warhol
American artist and leading figure of the pop art movement, famous for his quote about everyone having fifteen minutes of fame.
“Come on, tell us. What do you think of Warhol? Martin: Crap.”— Thad
Art Deco
An influential visual arts design style that originated in the 1920s and 1930s, characterized by rich colors, bold geometry, and lavish ornamentation.
“But the real masterwork is the unique art deco headboard.”— Sara Briggs
Ashanti statues
Sculptures and statuary from the Ashanti (Asante) people of Ghana, often carved in wood and associated with spiritual and ceremonial purposes.
“Oh, that's because while most Ashanti statues are intended to ward off evil spirits, this one was designed to distract me while my pockets were picked at the Ki…”— Frasier
Baroque
Baroque is a European artistic style from the late 16th to early 18th century, characterized by ornate detail and grandeur. Used here as wordplay describing the brothers' gift-giving excess.
“Obscene. / Baroque.”— Niles
Benjamin Locklear
A fictional artist in the Frasier universe whose exhibit Frasier attends and whose work he purchases.
“I'm previewing a new Benjamin Locklear exhibit and then I'm having dinner with the artist afterward.”— Frasier
Biddlesbock Palace
An apparently fictional palace referenced in connection with the Nazarene painters; no real palace by this name is associated with the movement.
“the Nazarene painters of Biddlesbock Palace”— Niles
Biedermeier
A style of furniture and interior design originating in Central Europe in the early 19th century (1815-1848), known for clean lines and elegant simplicity.
“Niles, if that is a picture of your new Biedermeier loveseat, you've already shown it to me.”— Frasier
Black velvet Elvis
A painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet, widely considered the epitome of kitsch art.
“Of course I would compliment a black velvet Elvis right now if Chef Wakim's lobster comfit were at stake!”— Frasier
Boudoir painting
Boudoir paintings are intimate, often erotic portraits traditionally commissioned for private display in a bedroom or dressing room.
“Well, this is my chance to seize and destroy my boudoir painting.”— Niles
Brassaï
Hungarian-French photographer (1899-1984), born Gyula Halász, famous for his photographs of Paris nightlife and street scenes.
“Oh, you know, there is a wonderful Brassai exhibit in town. What do you say we stop over there after lunch?”— Frasier
Burnt Sienna
A warm brown pigment color derived from Siena, Italy, used in art and color nomenclature. Named after the earth pigment from the Siena region.
“It's in my briefcase; in the "Burnt Sienna" colored folder.”— Niles
Byzantine
An art and architectural style associated with the Byzantine Empire (c. 330–1453 AD), characterized by rich colors, gold backgrounds, and religious iconography.
“I even had early Byzantine mingling with mid-century Danish!”— Frasier
Central African fertility god
A carved sculpture representing a fertility deity from Central Africa, part of traditional African art.
“Actually, that's a fertility god from Central Africa, it's quite rare.”— Frasier
Charles Eames
Charles Eames was an American designer and architect, best known for his groundbreaking contributions to modern furniture design, particularly the Eames Lounge Chair.
“the chair by Eames”— Frasier
Chihuly
Dale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor known for his elaborate blown glass installations and sculptures, with works valued at tens of thousands of dollars or more.
“she puts the éclair into the Chihuly sculpture by the hallway, pretending to dust it with her towel”— Daphne
Constantin Brancusi
Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) was a Romanian-French sculptor and a pioneer of modernism, known for elegant, abstract sculptures and furniture designs.
“We're simply admiring a very rare Brancusi armchair, not a naked woman.”— Frasier
Cordoba
A fictional artist whose garish bullfighting paintings are displayed at the restaurant and gifted to Frasier.
“He's my own discovery. His name is Cordoba!”— Francois
Craftsman (architectural style)
The Craftsman style, also known as the American Craftsman movement, was an American domestic architectural style inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, popular from approximately 1905 to 1930.
“Can you believe he used the word "craftsman," and he meant the architectural style, and not the rotary sander?”— Niles
Cubism
An early 20th-century avant-garde art movement pioneered by Picasso and Braque, characterized by geometric forms and fragmented subjects.
“I'm a big fan of his Cubist period.”— Niles
Dada
An avant-garde art movement of the early 20th century that rejected logic and reason, embracing nonsense and irrationality.
“Lunch with a Dada master!”— Frasier
David Hockney
British artist known for his paintings, drawings, and photography, particularly his iconic swimming pool paintings and portraits.
“it's hardly as impressive as that portrait Hockney did of your wife.”— Frasier
Découpage
Découpage is a decorative art technique of cutting and pasting paper cutouts onto surfaces, then coating with layers of varnish or lacquer.
“I had to buy two Balinese lutes, two découpage kits, two pairs of lederhosen.”— Martin
Double-handled amphora
An ancient type of pottery vessel with two handles, commonly associated with Greek and Roman antiquity, used to store and transport goods.
“My double-handled amphora! All right, no one leaves!”— Frasier
Dresden Shepherdess
A porcelain figurine from Dresden, Germany, known for its fine decorative ceramic tradition associated with the Meissen porcelain manufactory.
“This Dresden Shepherdess? A peace offering I made to Maris when I was foolish enough to point out an extra syllable in a Haiku she'd written.”— Niles
Eames chair
The Eames Lounge Chair, designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1956, is an iconic piece of mid-century modern furniture design.
“We see that Frasier is sitting cross-legged on the Eames chair, which he has moved between the couch and Martin's chair”— Frasier
Eames Lounge Chair
The Eames Lounge Chair is a famous piece of modern furniture designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1956, widely considered one of the most significant designs in 20th-century furniture.
“You think I don't want to pick you up right now, carry you over to that Eames classic and show you why it's the best-engineered chair in the world?!”— Frasier
Edgar Degas
French Impressionist artist (1834–1917) known for his paintings of ballet dancers. The restaurant name evokes the artist.
“Degas is the pinnacle of French country dining.”— Frasier
Edward Kienholz
American installation artist (1927-1994) known for large-scale tableau sculptures that were often controversial and critical of modern life.
“Kienholz? Martin: Crap.”— Thad
Eighteenth century Portuguese bud vases
Decorative porcelain bud vases from 18th-century Portugal, representing a niche area of antique porcelain collecting.
“I even showed her my rarely-seen collection of eighteenth century Portuguese bud vases.”— Niles
Fertility god statue
A type of ancient sculptural artifact representing a deity associated with fertility, commonly collected as antiquities.
“Take a look at that fertility god statue over there. It used to be a lot more fertile, if you know what I mean.”— Martin
Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry (b. 1929), Canadian-American architect known for postmodern designs including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Spelled 'Geary' in the transcript but clearly referencing the famous architect.
“At Frank Geary's birthday party.”— Niles
Fresco
Fresco is a technique of mural painting on freshly laid wet plaster, associated with Italian Renaissance art.
“None of them! I just had that room frescoed!”— Niles
Frye Art Museum
The Frye Art Museum is a free art museum in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1952 from the collection of Charles and Emma Frye.
“I bumped into her at the Frye museum.”— Niles
Gargoyle
A carved grotesque figure, typically found on Gothic architecture, serving as a waterspout projecting from a building's roof.
“one night back at Oxford, he crawled out onto a ledge to rescue what turned out to be a gargoyle.”— Avery
George Washington crossing the Delaware
A reference to the famous 1851 painting by Emanuel Leutze depicting George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River during the American Revolutionary War on December 25, 1776.
“One minute, they'd be staging a living tableaux of George Washington crossing the Delaware”— Niles
Georges Seurat
French Post-Impressionist painter (1859-1891) known for developing pointillism, famous for works like 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.'
“I still have to call my friend at the museum to get tickets for that Seurat exhibit.”— Faye
Ghanaian fertility symbol
Referenced as an African art piece from Ghana; Frasier describes it as an exceedingly rare fertility symbol from a small nomadic tribe.
“that's an exceedingly rare fertility symbol from a small nomadic tribe in Ghana.”— Frasier
Goya
Francisco Goya (1746-1828), Spanish painter and printmaker, one of the most important artists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
“Anyway, I thought after lunch we might stop by the museum for the Goya exhibit.”— Frasier
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
A museum of modern and contemporary art designed by architect Frank Gehry, opened in 1997 in Bilbao, Spain, known for its striking deconstructivist architecture.
“she detests the design of the Bilbao art museum as much as I do”— Frasier
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
French artist (1864-1901) known for his paintings of Parisian nightlife and Moulin Rouge. He had a genetic condition that stunted his leg growth, resulting in a very short stature.
“Oh, I know, Toulouse Lautrec. Although he was rather a little person. Still, he did rather well with the ladies. Of course, they were all prostitutes.”— Daphne
Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, is one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great.
“all of Krogyn's known bear clocks were done exclusively for the Romanov family and are now in the Hermitage Museum.”— Appraiser
Jackson Pollock
American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement, known for his drip painting technique.
“How he could notice a fleck of foie gras on a Jackson Pollock is beyond me.”— Niles
Jean-François Blon
A fictional designer referenced as having created the chess set. No historical record of this person exists.
“Designed by Jean-Francois Blon, while attending L'Ecole des Beaux Arts!”— Frasier
Joel Otterson
American contemporary artist known for works that blend functional objects with fine art.
“You and I seem to have the same taste in art. Rauschenberg, Otterson, African statuary and sculpture.”— Leland
Kilim rug
A flat-woven tapestry-style rug produced in various regions including Turkey, the Balkans, and Central Asia, prized as decorative items.
“Although it might complement that Killin rug I was telling you about. What do you think?”— Niles
Kusami lamp
Likely a reference to a designer lamp, possibly inspired by or named after Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, though this specific lamp may be fictional within the show.
“My leather wing chair? My Kusami lamp?”— Frasier
L'École des Beaux-Arts
The prestigious fine arts school in Paris, France, historically one of the most important art schools in the world.
“Designed by Jean-Francois Blon, while attending L'Ecole des Beaux Arts!”— Frasier
Lalique
René Lalique was a French glass designer known for creating exquisite decorative glass objects, including vases, perfume bottles, and ornaments.
“I am not a piece of Lalique. I can handle criticism.”— Frasier
Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret) was a Swiss-French architect and designer, pioneer of modern architecture and furniture design.
“we're looking for something with the presence of a Mies van der Rohe and the playful insouciance of an early Le Corbusier”— Niles
Le Nain Brothers
The Le Nain brothers (Antoine, Louis, and Mathieu) were French painters of the 17th century known for their genre paintings. Niles incorrectly refers to them as 'Sisters.'
“From Romulus and Remus to the Le Nain Sisters, sibling relationships have sparked psychological debate throughout the world.”— Niles
Limoges
Limoges is a city in France renowned for its fine porcelain and china, produced since the 18th century.
“Gives me a chance to debut my Limoges coffee set — a series of six unique cups, each one representing a different wife of Henry VIII.”— Frasier
Louis Quatorze
Louis XIV style, referring to the ornate decorative arts style from the reign of French King Louis XIV (1643-1715). Here referring to a candelabra in that style.
“Louis Quatorze! What better way to apologise for the time I attempted to grow a moustache?”— Niles
Love Is... cartoons
"Love Is..." is a comic strip created by Kim Casali, featuring simple drawings of a nude couple with romantic captions, widely syndicated in newspapers.
“I appreciate everything you're doing, the flowers, the carriage ride, the "Love Is..." cartoons from the newspaper...”— Monica
Michelangelo
Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, and poet (1475–1564), famous for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and sculpting David.
“I'm sure Pope Julius had to jump through similar hoops to get Michelangelo to paint his ceiling.”— Frasier
Mid-century Danish
A design movement from the mid-20th century originating in Denmark, characterized by clean lines, organic forms, and functional simplicity.
“I even had early Byzantine mingling with mid-century Danish!”— Frasier
Mies van der Rohe
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) was a German-American architect and furniture designer, a pioneer of modernist architecture and design.
“we're looking for something with the presence of a Mies van der Rohe and the playful insouciance of an early Le Corbusier”— Niles
Mike Shaw
A fictional artist invented for this episode of Frasier, whose painting Niles is donating to a museum.
“You know the Mike Shaw painting that I'm donating to the museum?”— Niles
Ming vase
Porcelain vases produced during China's Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), highly prized and extremely valuable as collectible art objects.
“Gunnar makes a sudden slash, shattering a Ming vase.”— Niles
Modigliani
Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920), an Italian artist known for his elongated portraits and nudes, associated with the School of Paris.
“your elongated figures are actually reminiscent of Modigliani.”— Frasier
Monet
Claude Monet (1840–1926) was a French Impressionist painter, one of the founders of the Impressionist movement.
“I distinctly remember. It was after that shouting match at the Monet exhibit.”— Niles
Monochrome still-life
A reference to a still-life painting done in a single color, which Niles and Frasier viewed at an art exhibit.
“The artist's choice to make that still-life a monochrome was a stroke of genius. Conveyed such despair.”— Niles
Nazarene painters
The Nazarenes were a group of early 19th-century German Romantic painters who sought to revive honesty and spirituality in Christian art, inspired by medieval and early Renaissance styles.
“talk of the Rhône inevitably led to that wonderful anecdote about the Nazarene painters of Biddlesbock Palace”— Niles
Netsuke figurines
Miniature sculptures from Japan, often intricately carved, that were used as toggles for containers hanging from kimono sashes. Fourteenth-century examples would be extremely rare and valuable.
“I just heard tickets go on sale today for the exhibit of fourteenth century Japanese netsuki figurines.”— Niles
Paris Museum of Modern Art
The Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, a major museum of modern and contemporary art located in the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.
“Today he sits on the board of the Paris Museum of Modern Art.”— Frasier
Paul Gauguin
French Post-Impressionist artist (1848-1903) known for his paintings of Tahitian life, having famously moved to Tahiti.
“And you look like someone who doesn't want his Paul Gauguin souvenir oven mitt.”— Niles
Persian rug
Hand-knotted carpets from Iran (Persia), considered among the finest and most valuable decorative textiles in the world.
“there's been a bit of an hors d'oeuvre mishap on your Persian rug”— Gil
Picasso
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Spanish painter and sculptor, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, co-founder of Cubism.
“I particularly like the Picasso. I'm a big fan of his Cubist period.”— Niles
Pointillism
A technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image, associated with Neo-Impressionism and Georges Seurat.
“when I made a rather emphatic point about pointillism, when I lost the grip on my canapé”— Niles
Regency period furniture
The Regency era (1811-1820) in England produced distinctive furniture styles, including mirrors made from fruitwood. Pieces with original glass are especially valuable to collectors.
“Well, it's-it's a late Regency fruitwood mirror. Very valuable if it has the original glass, which mine does.”— Frasier
Robert Rauschenberg
American artist (1925-2008) known for his combines and works bridging Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.
“You and I seem to have the same taste in art. Rauschenberg, Otterson, African statuary and sculpture.”— Leland
Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) was an American pop artist known for his comic-strip-inspired paintings using Ben-Day dots.
“Saved my life last year when Eddie licked my Liechtenstein!”— Frasier
Sandro Botticelli
Italian Renaissance painter (1445-1510) known for masterpieces such as The Birth of Venus and Primavera, famous for his depictions of idealized beauty and angels.
“Botticelli himself couldn't have painted a more perfect angel.”— Niles
Sheridan
Thomas Sheraton (likely referenced as 'Sheridan') was an 18th-century English furniture designer known for his elegant neoclassical style.
“That's a lovely piece. I'd say it's Sheridan.”— Frasier
Sistine Chapel ceiling
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, one of the most famous works of art in the world.
“I'm sure Pope Julius had to jump through similar hoops to get Michelangelo to paint his ceiling.”— Frasier
Spy vs. Spy
A comic strip by Antonio Prohías that appeared in Mad magazine starting in 1961, featuring two identical spies in black and white engaged in ongoing espionage against each other.
“SPY VS. SPY”— Frasier
Steuben Glass
American luxury glass company known for its high-quality decorative crystal and glass art pieces.
“This dish a Lalique or a Steuben?”— Frank
Tableau vivant
A tableau vivant ('living picture') is a static scene containing one or more actors or models, used as a form of artistic presentation, popular since the 18th century.
“I have come up with the perfect entertainment for our little art crowd. It's a radical tableau vivant troupe.”— Frasier
Tate Gallery
A network of art galleries in England, including Tate Modern which opened in 2000 on London's Bankside.
“I've been trying to convince someone to go to London with me and see the new Tate Gallery”— Claire
The Martyrdom of St. Ursula
A painting depicting the martyrdom of Saint Ursula, attributed here to a painter named Schmitt. While several artists have depicted this subject (e.g., Caravaggio, Hans Memling), the specific 'Schmitt' version appears to be fictional.
“They're going to be re-enacting Schmitt's painting of 'The Martyrdom of St. Ursula by Atila the Hun.'”— Niles
The Prado
The Museo del Prado is Spain's national art museum in Madrid, housing one of the world's finest collections of European art. Kate says 'The Prada' which is likely a mispronunciation of 'The Prado.'
“The Prada! Musical?”— Kate
The Wheat Field (jigsaw puzzle)
Likely a reference to a painting of a wheat field, possibly by Van Gogh or another artist, here used as the image on a jigsaw puzzle. The episode title card reads 'It was either "The Wheat Field" or "Sandstorm."'
“I got us a new jigsaw puzzle. Ten thousand pieces. It's called "The Wheat Field."”— Martin
Toby jugs
A type of English pottery jug in the form of a seated person, typically a jolly man holding a mug of beer, dating from the 18th century.
“a pair of Toby jugs”— Frasier
Travertine marble
A form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, widely used in classical and Renaissance architecture and sculpture.
“the inlay was made from the same Travertine marble they used at the Emperor Hadrian's palace outside Tivoli!”— Frasier
Turkish prayer rug (18th century)
An ornamental rug from the Ottoman Empire tradition, used for Islamic prayer, often featuring a mihrab design pointing toward Mecca.
“this is a photo of my latest purchase: an exquisite, eighteenth-century Turkish prayer rug.”— Niles
Udo Fritzenheim
A fictional Dada artist invented for the show.
“I have two tickets to the Udo Fritzenheim show at the museum tomorrow, not to mention an invitation for lunch with the artist afterwards.”— Niles
Umber
A natural brown earth pigment used in painting, darker and more muted than sienna. Named after Umbria, Italy.
“which, by the way, is clearly umber and not "Burnt Sienna!"”— Niles
Uncle Sam recruiting poster
Iconic American recruiting poster featuring Uncle Sam pointing at the viewer with the text 'I Want YOU for U.S. Army,' created by James Montgomery Flagg.
“Frasier sighs and points his finger like the old World War II recruiting poster. Frasier: I WANT YOU — to wear those headphones!”— Frasier
Venetian umbrella stand
A decorative umbrella stand stained by Italian artisans, reflecting Venetian craftsmanship traditions from Venice, Italy.
“it took Italian artisans three weeks to stain my Venetian umbrella stand and it took Eddie about twenty seconds!”— Niles
Vincent van Gogh (ear reference)
Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh famously cut off part of his own ear in 1888 and reportedly sent it to a woman. Frasier alludes to this incident.
“I might as well just lop off my ear and mail it to her.”— Frasier
Wassily Chair
The Wassily Chair (also known as the Model B3 chair) was designed by Marcel Breuer in 1925-1926 at the Bauhaus, one of the most iconic pieces of modern furniture design.
“He walks to the dining table, running his hand along HIS chair (the Wassily) on the way”— Frasier
Whistler's Mother (James Abbott McNeill Whistler)
James McNeill Whistler was an American artist best known for 'Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1' (commonly called 'Whistler's Mother'). The museum exhibit and the joke about 'mothers' references this famous painting.
“Well, it was a Whistler exhibit.”— Marie