Winter Objects 2025 | Mingei International Museum

Before you visit: Mingei is closed on Thursday, December 25. We will reopen on Friday, December 26. 

For a special winter treat, our Director of Registration and Manager of Exhibitions, Caitlin Podas, took us behind the scenes to pull her top picks of the coziest objects from our permanent collection.

These objects may span continents and centuries, but they all share one thing: that universal winter feeling of comfort, care, and joy

Highlights

Goat, Yule (Julbock), Sweden

Unidentified Maker, 20th Century, Straw. Museum Purchase, 1988-17-001.

Goat, Yule (Julbock), Sweden. Unidentified Maker, 20th Century, Straw. Gift of Martha W. Roth,
1988-34-015

Child's Coat, Europe, Czech Republic or Russia

Unidentified Maker, 20th Century, Fiber. Gift of Ethel Porter Johnson, 1995-03-001.

Snowshoes, Japan

Unidentified Maker, 20th Century, Fiber. Museum Purchase, 1983-16-001A-B.

Prints - Snow Scenes, Set of Five, Japan

Keisuke Serizawa, 20th Century, Handmade paper. Museum Purchase 1979-27-002A-E.

Bed Warming Brick, China

Unidentified Maker, 20th Century, Terracotta. Gift of Ted Cohen, 2020-008-117.

Figure - Horse Pulling Sleigh with Bear, Russia

Unidentified Maker, 1986-1990, Clay. Gift of Hilary Roe Metternich, 2011-19-058.

Vest, Romania, Bukovina, Marginea

Unidentified Maker, 20th Century, Leather, wool, beads, fur. Collection ofKiki Skagen Munshi, 2010-02-001.

Snowflower, California, U.S.A.

Philip Shen, 21st Century, Paper. Gift of the Artist, 2005-48-002, 2005-48-003, 2005-48-004.

Molinillo (Chocolate Beater), Mexico

Unidentified Maker, 20th Century, Wood. Gift of Leanne Hinton in honor of Sam and Leslie Hinton, 2008-27-011.

Lidded Creamer, Mexico. Josefina Arias de Pedretti, c. 1940, Clay. Gift of Ms. Ofelia Armer,
1989-02-004A-B.

Lidded Coffee Pot, Mexico. Josefina Arias de Pedretti, c. 1940, Clay. Gift of Ms. Ofelia Armer, 1989-02-005A-B.

Teacups, Mexico. Josefina Arias de Pedretti, c. 1940, Clay. Gift of Ms. Ofelia Armer, 1989-02-002A-D.