The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Presents '85 Years of Art'

  • May 15, 2017
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Presents '85 Years of Art'
Guests are invited to view this one-of-a-kind exhibit on display in the Art Exhibit Space at the oceanfront resort through September 5, 2017.

“2017 marks the 85th Anniversary for the Festival of Arts. This year’s exhibit, Celebrating 85 Years of Art, will focus on a range of Permanent Art Collection artworks from 1913 to 2015, historic Pageant photographs, vintage news articles, and early Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters advertising materials,” said Exhibit Curator Pat Sparkuhl.

The 15 paintings on display include:

  • On the Road to Laguna, Oil on Canvas by Thomas Nash, 1913

  • A Street in Laguna, Oil on Canvas by Clarence Hinkle, 1920

  • Untitled (Aliso Canyon), Oil on Canvas by William Griffith, 1933

  • Festival in Laguna, Oil on Canvas by Joane Cromwell, 1935

  • Nature’s Symphony, Oil on Canvas by Joane Cromwell, 1935

  • Newport Fish Harbor, Oil on Canvas by Roy Ropp, 1949

  • Capistrano Pastures, Oil on Canvas by Louise Leyden, c.1950

  • Laguna North Coast, Oil on Canvas by Ken Knutson, c.1968

  • English Landscape, Acrylic on Canvas by Armen Gasparian, 1983

  • The Captain’s House, Oil on Canvas by Roger Kuntz, 1983

  • Laguna, Oil on Canvas by Ken Auster, 1990

  • Festival of Arts, Oil on Canvas by Michael Obermeyer, 2002

  • Cold Front, Watercolor by Scott Albert, 2010

  • Afternoon Shadows, Oil on Canvas by Gerald Schwartz, 2010

  • Under Construction, Charcoal on Panel by Stefan Cummings, 2015



Additional pieces include Advertisement Posters from 1941, 1958 and 1966, as well as photographs of three Pageant of the Masters Tableaus – The Laughing Cavalier by Franz Hals in 1940, The Gleaners by Jean Francois Millet from 1940, and The Rehearsal by Norman Rockwell from 1958.

In celebration of its 85th anniversary, this year’s Pageant of the Masters theme is THE GRAND TOUR, showcasing people’s desire in the 17th and 18th centuries to experience the world’s great art firsthand. Inspired by the European tradition of continental travel on “the grand tour,” early travelers would set out on pilgrimages by land and sea to the great cultural centers of Europe, and eventually the globe, often risking life and limb to stand in the presence of masterpieces. A ticket to the Pageant’s THE GRAND TOUR becomes a passport to experience spectacle, music, stories and grand illusions as masterpieces come to life. Guests this year will also enjoy the redesigned grounds that will offer a new layout for the gallery spaces, art workshops, and the lawn where patrons can picnic and listen to concert presentations. The extensive overhaul will wrap up just in time for the Festival of Arts opening in July.

For a more comprehensive art experience, guests can book one of two Pageant of the Masters overnight experiences that feature incredible seats and exclusive offerings. The Behind the Velvet Rope Experience features ocean view accommodations on The Ritz-Carlton Club Level, two premium seat tickets to the Pageant, a guided docent tour of the Festival, and a backstage tour of the Pageant for $1,999 per night. The Pageant of the Masters – THE GRAND TOUR Experience includes overnight accommodations and two premium seat tickets to the Pageant with rates starting at $849 per night.