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Wadsworth Atheneum
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The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, with significant holdings of French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School landscapes, modernist masterpieces and contemporary works, as well as extensive holdings in early American furniture and decorative arts. It is located in a distinctive castle-like building in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, the state's capital.
The museum, with , is the largest art museum in the state of Connecticut.
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Encyclopedia
The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, with significant holdings of French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School landscapes, modernist masterpieces and contemporary works, as well as extensive holdings in early American furniture and decorative arts. It is located in a distinctive castle-like building in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, the state's capital.
The museum, with , is the largest art museum in the state of Connecticut. Susan Lubowsky Talbott, previously director of Smithsonian Arts at the Smithsonian Institution, was selected as the museum director in 2008, effective May 1.
Museum history
The Wadsworth, as it is most commonly known, was constructed on the site of the family home of Daniel Wadsworth (1771–1848) in the heart of downtown Hartford. Its architects were Alexander Jackson Davis and Ithiel Town, who designed the "castle" that is the atheneum's oldest building. Construction began in 1842 after the museum was incorporated on June 1 of that year. While "1842" can be seen clearly above the building's name above the front doors, the museum itself did not open until July 31, 1844. It has been operating continuously since then.
The Wadsworth family, being one of the oldest and most affluent in the city, contributed numerous valuable pieces of art to the museum to be displayed at the time the Atheneum opened. The first collection consisted of 78 paintings, two marble busts, one portrait miniature, and one bronze sculpture.
The Wadsworth has also been utilized since its beginning as a place for dramatic and dance performances, exhibits of historical artifacts, social functions, and benefits.
The museum struggled financially in the decade before 2008 and went through five directors and three acting directors in that time. In fiscal year 2006, the museum had a deficit of about $284,000, and in the 2007 fiscal year the deficit was $540,000. In October 2007, the museum abandoned a planned expansion into the former Hartford Times building. The project, originally expected to cost $16 million, was later estimated to cost $19 million, with higher operating costs than originally expected.
On February 14, 2008, the museum's board of trustees voted to hire Susan Lubowsky Talbott as the next director, effective May 1.
Structure and contents
The structure itself consists of the original, castle-like building, plus 4 wings that have been added onto it since it was built. A new addition is being designed currently. The museum is home to approximately 50,000 objects, including ancient Roman, Greek, and Egyptian bronzes; paintings from the Renaissance, Baroque, and French and American Impressionist eras, among others; 18th century French porcelains (including Meissen and Sèvres); Hudson River School landscapes; early American clothing and decorations; early African-American art and historical artifacts; and more. The collections span more than 5,000 years of world history.
Just outside the "castle" is a statue of Nathan Hale, dated 1899, by Enoch S. Woods. A short distance away, within the Connecticut State Capitol is another, better-known sculpture of Hale by Bela Pratt, a copy of his original at Yale University.
Museum firsts
Since its beginning, the Wadsworth has had a long tradition of "firsts".
In 1933, the Wadsworth sponsored George Balanchine's immigration to the United States from the Soviet Union. Shortly after his immigration, Balanchine formed what is now known as the New York City Ballet and chose to have his company's first performance at the Wadsworth in 1934. This is arguably the most important "first" in Wadsworth history.
The museum was the first in America to acquire pieces by Salvador Dalí, Balthus, Frederic Church, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Piet Mondrian, and many other famous artists. Under the directorship of A. Everett 'Chick' Austin, the first American exhibition of surrealism was shown at the Wadsworth in 1931, and the first major U.S. Picasso retrospective was held in 1934. Also in 1934, the world premiere of the opera Four Saints in Three Acts by Gertrude Stein and Virgil Thomson was held at the Atheneum.
Director
Susan Lubowsky Talbott, scheduled to become director on May 1, 2008, said one of her top goals was to attract visitors "who would never have otherwise thought of coming here." She previously had been director of Smithsonian Arts at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. for three years, where she was responsible for budgeting and planning for the nine arts institutions within the Smithsonian. Before that, she was director and CEO of the Des Moines Art Center from 1998 to 2005, where she was given credit for doubling attendance in her first two years. She led that museum into forming partnerships with more than 100 community groups.
Visitor information
The Wadsworth Atheneum is located at 600 Main Street in Hartford, Connecticut. It is easily accessible from I-91 and I-84, as well as by train. Visitor information, including open hours, directions, and cost of admission, can be found on the .
External links
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