Handbook of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Handbook of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts - With 143 Illustrations

When the Institute was first opened, little more than two and one half years ago, the permanent collection occupied but a small part of the exhibition space. Since then the collection has increased in size and importance to an extent that warrants us, we feel, in publishing this illustrated handbook, which, although intended primarily for the use and convenience of visitors, at the same time may not be without interest as a record of accomplishment within so brief a period. This rapid development of our collection has been made possible, first of all, by the great liberality of numerous friends, but it has been facilitated by firm adherence to a well defined policy in respect to acquisitions. This policy is based on two cardinal beliefs. The first is that an art museum is of the greatest value to a community when its collections embrace both the major and minor arts of all countries and all times. The second is that the standard must be high. It would be idle to pretend that every object in our collection is a masterpiece of the highest order, but it is better to have an ideal, which may not be wholly realized, than to have none. Through the munificent bequest of William Hood Dunwoody, the Institute has had for its purchases the income of one million dollars. Several important paintings have come to the Institute through the bequest of Mrs. W. H. Dunwoody (Child with Cherries, Landscape with Cattle, Fording the River). In memory of their mother the late Mrs. Thomas Lowry, Mrs. Gustav Schwyzer, Mrs. Percy Hagerman and Horace Lowry have made a welcome gift of paintings and other works of art (Tapestry, Hunting Scenes, Large Embroidered Hanging, The Conversion, The Scouts). Among the numerous gifts must be instanced the Ladd Collection of Prints, the gift of an anonymous donor (see the Print Department chapter); the Charles Jairus Martin Memorial Collection of Tapestries, the gift of Mrs. C. J. Martin (Hunting Party with Falcons, Two Scenes from the Story of Esther, Joseph, Ruler over Egypt, Virgil Appearing to Dante); the Martin B. Koon Memorial Collection of Contemporary American Paintings, the gift of Mrs. C. C. Bovey and Mrs. C. D. Velie (Luxembourg Gardens at Twilight, The White Bridge, River in Winter, Garden in June, The Open Sea, The Yellow Flower, Night's Overture); the Bradstreet Memorial Collection of Japanese Art, the gift of Mrs. Elizabeth B. Carleton and Mrs. Margaret Kimball (The Bradstreet Room, Color Print by Yeizan, Carved Panel); and the Cast Collection, the gift of Russell M. Bennett (see the Cast Collection chapter). The Oriental collection has been enriched by a gift of Chinese porcelain from Mrs. E. C. Gale (Chinese Porcelain), and by a collection of Japanese paintings and other material from Charles L. Freer (Tiger). Valuable paintings and other works of art have been given by James J. Hill (Landscape, The Storming of Tel El Kebir, Napoleon's Retreat from Russia, The Roe Covert), Mrs. Frederick B. Wells (The Bath, Woodland Scene, River Scene, Mother and Children), James Ford Bell (Madonna with Saints), T. B. Walker, and others to whose generosity the Society of Fine Arts is greatly indebted. In the preparation of this handbook, I have been aided by Mr. Harry B. Wehle, Assistant to the Institute Staff, who is responsible for the notes on XIX Century and modern art. My part of the work, except for general supervision, has been confined to the earlier periods. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 35269
Author: Breck, Joseph
Release Date: Feb 13, 2011
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Contributor (Author): Wehle, Harry B. (Harry Brandeis), 1887-1969