HOUSTON, TX.- Rienzi, the MFAH treasure house of European decorative arts, welcomes artists to sketch in the galleries on Friday afternoons in June and July. Draw from 18th century decorative art objects in the baroque, rococo and neoclassical styles. The collection includes a wide range of carved furniture, fine silver, ornate porcelain and paintings by masters of the Royal Academy. Designed by the architect John Staub, the home´s architecture blends the Palladian aesthetic with 1950´s modernism, featuring classical proportions and plate glass windows.

There is something for every artist: space and light, interior design, historical narrative, decorative motifs, reflective surfaces, intriguing shapes and form inspired by function.

Wednesdays in June and July; 1:30 pm — 4:30 pm.

Rienzi is located at 1406 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77019. Parking is available in front of the museum. Please call (713) 639-7800 for additional directions.

Admission: general admission for Rienzi is $6 or $4 with MFAH membership, student ID or seniors age 65+. For Guidelines on materials please call (713) 639-7803.

Opened to the public in 1999, Rienzi is the center for European decorative arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Comprising a remarkable art collection, a house, and gardens, Rienzi was given to the museum by arts patrons Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III.

This handsome residence, named for Rienzi Johnston, Mr. Masterson´s grandfather, is situated on 4.4 acres in Homewood Addition, surrounded by Houston´s River Oaks neighborhood. The structure was designed in 1952 by John F. Staub, the same architect who designed Bayou Bend.