Gifts That Belong in a Gallery: Holiday Ideas for the Art-Obsessed

This holiday season, the most inspired gifts aren’t sitting under a department store tree, they’re hanging on museum walls. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “Man Ray: When Objects Dream” to the Guggenheim’s “Gabriele Münter: Into Deep Waters,” winter’s buzziest exhibitions offer endless cues for the culturally inclined shopper. Think of this as your museum-to-closet curation: the mood, the palette, the references—translated into gifts that feel interesting, elevated, and entirely original.

The Guggenheim, “Gabriele Münter: Into Deep Waters”

Gabriele Münter, “Snow-Covered Fir Tree” (1933).

One glance at Münter’s “Snow-Covered Fir Tree” (1933), now on view at the Guggenheim, and you can practically feel the crisp Bavarian air. The artist, who settled permanently in the foothills just before completing the piece, captured the quiet serenity of an uninterrupted winter morning. Channel those icy hues and alpine tones with gifts that feel just as transportive: a Van Cleef & Arpels reversible ring, Bella Freud’s cheeky “Ski Baby” sweater, or a Prada lip balm that keeps lips soft in subzero temps. Consider it the chicest kind of winter escapism.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Man Ray: When Objects Dream”

Man Ray, “Rayograph” (1922).

While you explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art, think like Man Ray and shop like a surrealist. His lens often turned the ordinary into the uncanny—an egg beater becomes a sculpture, a violin becomes an impossible object. Practice your discerning eye, and give the gift of an elevated essential. Think Givenchy’s leather twisted sandals, S.T. Dupont’s Slimmy lighter, or Transparent’s museum-worthy speaker. In true Man Ray fashion, sometimes an object is so much more than it seems.

The Whitney Museum, “Sixties Surreal”

Linda Lomahaftewa “Untitled (Woman’s Faces)” (1960s).

If the ’60s taught us anything, it’s that color is a state of mind. The Whitney’s “Sixties Surreal” exhibition celebrates artists who embraced the psychedelic, the playful, and the unapologetically bold. Draw inspiration from Diane Arbus, Yayoi Kusama, and David Hammons, to name a few. Brighten anyone’s day with La DoubleJ’s crystal earrings, Marimekko’s black-and-white polka-dot sheets, or Slip’s Into Soft striped sleep mask.

Belvedere Museum, “Cézanne, Monet, Renoir”

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, “The Boat” (1878).

If winter calls for slowing down, few guides are better than the French masters. The Belvedere’s exhibition brings together landscapes that capture softness, light, and rhythm in a way only Cézanne, Monet, and Renoir can. Gift items that echo their whimsical expressions: a fresh pair of shears from Verve Culture, Toteme’s barn jacket, or Saint Laurent’s glimmering strawberry earrings.

Barnes Foundation, “Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets”

Henri Rousseau, “The Snake Charmer” (1907).

If you prefer more of a warm-weather holiday getaway, head south (mentally, at least) and soak in the sun with Henri Rousseau’s “The Snake Charmer” (1907), on display at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. An ardent admirer of the natural world, Rousseau appreciated the subtle complexity of the jungle he envisioned. Dive into the animal kingdom with Khaite’s ultrachic spotted mules, Ferm Living’s Pebble & Cairn Grinder set, or Wempe’s 18-karat rose-gold snakehead ring.