Personal favorites from the Cleveland Museum of Art

Imperial Red Cross Easter Egg, Faberge, 1915; Faberge created this egg for Tsar Nicholas to present to his wife, Alexandra, following the Russian Orthodox custom of giving decorated eggs at Easter

Hunting near Hartenfels Castle, Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1540; admission to the museum was free but you did need a timed reservation ticket while parking was $7

Table Fountain, French, 1320; this exquisite piece of Gothic architecture in miniature is the most complete example of its type known to have survived from the Middle Ages

Vase, Tiffany Studios, 1914; Louis Tiffany's Favrile glass became America's greatest contribution to the Art Nouveau movement

The museum had an extensive armor collection such as these pieces for both man and horse from Italy of the 1500s; I just have very little interest in anything to do with violence or fighting (I'm too much a pacifist!)

Piazza San Marco, Venice, attributed to Bernardo Bellotto, 1740; although similar in style to his contemporary, Canaletto, what struck me about this painting is there is not a single pigeon in St. Mark's Square!

Jack Ruby Shoots Lee Harvey Oswald, Dallas, Bob Jackson, 1963; it amazes me that a photographer was able to capture this scene with such perfect clarity but I guess that's why this is such an iconic image

Vase, Emile Galle, 1900; I've always been attracted to the gorgeous pieces of the Art Nouveau movement and this glass artist is one of my favorites

The Apple Seller, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1890; in 2008, the USPS selected the Cleveland Museum's famed Botticelli painting entitled Virgin and Child with the Young John the Baptist as the Christmas stamp for that year

Sirens and Frogs Carafe, Rene Lalique, 1917; the artist became noted for his work in the Art Deco style before starting his own company whose name is now synonymous with exquisitely crafted glass art

Flying Hanuman, Cambodia, 900s; featuring hallmarks of Khmer art of the 10th century, this character from an Indian epic dramatically demonstrates his ability to fly

Vase with Peaches, China, 1736; this spectacular vase depicts flowering and fruiting peach trees (who knew they existed in China?) to convey an auspicious message of affluence and long life

Spring Flowers, Claude Monet, 1864; even though the museum had a large canvas of water lilies, I thought this piece from Monet's early years demonstrated how he later evolved as an artist

Console Table and Mirror, Rose Iron Works, Cleveland, 1930; the top prize winner in the museum's 1931 May Show, it remained unsold as the Great Depression took hold (part of exhibit with art made in Cleveland)

Basin with Inscribed Figures and Calligraphy, Korea, 1300s; the museum is Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art

Gray and Gold, John Rogers Cox, 1942; this stunning work is full of symbolism as the artist paints amber waves of grain beneath gathering storm clouds at a time when the US was entering WW2

Tomb Guardian with Human Face, China, early 700s; designed to ward off evil spirits as well as to keep the soul of the deceased from wandering, it's incredible to think this piece is 1300+ years old!

Filtered Yellow, Julian Stanczak, 1968; this piece is constructed of hundreds of alternating red and green razor sharp bands that demonstrated a technical mastery matched by few

The Annunciation, Johann Michael Duchert, 1750s; individual pieces of ivory were carved or cut to shape for this unique piece and affixed to an ebony plaque (the elegantly carved frame is original to the work)

Tea and Coffee Service, Faberge, 1895; the museum was huge but lacked the masterpieces of its peers in Chicago, Detroit and Kansas City

Marilyn Monroe, Philippe Halsman, 1952; this photo was used on the cover of the April 7, 1952 Life magazine and was part of a special photography exhibition

Louis XV Savonnerie Carpet with Royal Arms, French, 1740; this spectacular carpet was originally designed for Louis XV's dining room at chateau La Muette

The Artist's Studio, Johann Georg Platzer, 1740s; I loved this work for the precision and meticulous detail crafted by the artist who specialized in this type of painting

The Atalanta Lekythos, attributed to Douris, 500-490 BC; the extraordinarily intact condition and the spirited, yet delicate drawing make this vase one of the finest of its type