by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
The Cummer Museum continues to emphasize the importance of American art with their latest exhibit “Oh Say, Can You See: American Art from the West Foundation Collection.”
The exhibit is at the museum through January 2008.
“The Cummer Museum has a strategic focus on American art and it allows us to advance our commitment to that,” said Jeanette Toohey, chief curator at the Cummer Museum. “We are very grateful to have this long term exhibit. It allows us to maintain that focus.”
The collection of 50 oil paintings is from the Atlanta-based West Foundation. What makes this particular collection of American art interesting is that many of the artists were well-known in their day, but the names may not be too recognizable today.
“We are showing artists who were well-known in their day, but their reputation has been eclipsed,” said Toohey. “That is one of the greatest assets of this collection, because it has given us a chance to show some unusual works of art.”
The paintings are from the 19th century, 1830-1909. Many of the paintings in this exhibit are of American landscapes. Although there are some portraits, most of the paintings are of America’s untouched land in the 19th century. One of the most recognizable landscapes is the painting of Niagra Falls.
Even though the paintings are of landcapes, they still show a lot of movement, said Toohey — whether it be a long windy road that urges one to follow it or of a ship at sea in the middle of a storm — the person viewing the painting feels like they are there.
“It was a tremendous move for American artists to create what they saw,” she said. “The paintings of the American landscape showed the premortal landscape and they were able to capture it as it was.”
Many American artists sketched or painted small scale paintings at a certain site and afterwards they would paint the scene larger by looking at their smaller painting.
“These sketches became prized in their own right, not just the paintings,” she said. “They were the artist’s first impression.”
Not all of the landscapes include places in the U.S. It was very popular for American artists to travel to Europe to better themsevles, she said.
“It gave artists a deeper understanding of art and history of the past,” she added.
Some paintings including the “Via Appia” by American artist John Linton Chapman was of the ancient section of Roman road that led to southern Italy.
“Many artists were committed to capturing a landscape for not only their detail, but their mood, too,” said Toohey.
Even though the Cummer Museum only has one portion of the West Foundation’s collection, it shows the achievements by American artists through landscapes, marine life and still lifes. Some of the American artists whose art is in this exhibit include Albert Bierstadt, Jasper Cropsey, William Bradford and Benjamin West.
“This exhibit helps maintain the vibrant programming that helps us reach different audiences,” said Toohey.
Special programs and events for visitors throughout the show include exhibition tours, Family Day, Especially for Seniors Talks & Tea and Art Adventures on Saturdays. For more information on these programs call 356-6857.