Includes bibliographical references (pages 358-359) and index.
Contents:
Continuity and transformation: the National Gallery of Art at seventy-five / Earl A. Powell III. Rooms at the top: the first fifty years : Andrew W. Mellon: founder and benefactor -- A building of admirable grace -- David Finley and his cohort -- First donors: Kress to Dale -- The National Gallery's war record -- Ailsa and Paul: a new Mellon era -- John Walker: last of the Old Guard -- J. Carter Brown launches the East Building. West Building, East Building, Sculpture Garden: Framing the future : The Powell era -- The physical museum -- Mission expanded -- Corcoran connection -- Growing the collection. The collection: selected acquisitions since 1937. Exhibitions: special exhibitions since 1973. A visual timeline -- Benefactors, trustees and directors, trustees' council -- Acknowledgments and selected references -- Index -- Image credits.
Summary:
America's National Gallery of Art, a 75th-anniversary history of the nation's art museum, founded by Andrew W. Mellon and opened to the public on March 17, 1941. Presenting an overview of the Gallery's first fifty years and a thematic look at the transformation the museum has undergone since 1992, the book offers extensive photographic essays that highlight the West Building, newly renovated East Building, and Sculpture Garden as well as the magnificent art collection and selected special exhibitions. The book includes accounts of the founding benefactors and four directors--David Finley, John Walker, J. Carter Brown, and now Earl A. Powell III--and discusses the Gallery's historic 2014 agreement to accept custody of the collections of the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.