Adventures in Modern Art: The Charles K. Williams II Collection

Description: Item DetailADVENTURES IN MODERN ART THE CHARLES K. WILLIAMS II COLLECTION Published on the occasion of the exhibition Adventures in Modern Art: The Charles K. Williams I/ Collection, Philadelphia Museum of Art, July 12-September 13, 2009 The exhibition was generously supported by The Kathleen C. and John J. F. Sherrerd Fund for Exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The cataloque was made possible by The Andrew W Mellon Fund for Scholarly Publications. Front cover/jacket: Joseph Stella, Tropical Floral, detail, c. 1928 (pl. 91) Back cover/jacket: Thomas Hart Benton, The Apple of Discord, 1949 (pl. 12) Frontispiece: Charles Williams's living room, Philadelphia, 2006 Produced by the Publishing Department Philadelphia Museum of Art Editorial coordination by Sarah Noreika Edited by Fronia Simpson Production by Richard Bonk Item ConditionSuperb condition. Unblemished. Pristine pages. SummaryThe renowned holdings of the Philadelphia Museum of Art have been described as "a collection of collections." Indeed it is impossible to imagine the Museum without the glorious Italian and Northern European Renaissance paintings in the John G. Johnson Collection, the spectacular collection of arms and armor given by Carl Otto Kretzschmar on Kienbusch, the sculptures of Auguste Rodin bequeathed by Jules E. Mastbaum, or the Indian sculptures and folk art collected by Stella Kramrisch, to name just a few of the benefactors whose passion for art has made this Museum one of the world's greatest. In the field of modern art, Charles K. Williams II is joined by a number of venerable collectors without whose generosity this Museum's astonishing holdings would have been markedly diminished. Our unparalleled collections of works by Marcel Duchamp and Constantin Brancusi, as well as masterpieces by other giants of modernism, were the magnificent gift of Louise and Walter Arensberg. Pablo Picasso's Three Musicians and Fernand Léger's The City were among the iconic treasures that came to the Museum as part of the A. E. Gallatin Collection, and wonderful works by such American masters as John Marin, Marsden Hartley, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Arthur Dove were given by O'Keeffe in her capacity as executor of the great collection amassed by her husband, Alfred Stieglitz. While museums continue to build and refine their collections by making strategic purchases here and there, they must increasingly rely on gifts from generous collectors to make major inroads. So, above all else, we wish to express here our deepest gratitude to Charles for carrying on the grand tradition of wanting to share with others the remarkable collection that he has assembled with such enthusiasm and intelligence. The wisest collectors, Charles included, have sought the advice of knowledgeable dealers and museum professionals in their pursuit of the finest, all the while making their own decisions and marking their collections as their own. Innis Howe Shoemaker, The Audrey and William H. Helfand Senior Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, has delighted in her association with Charles and in their continuing conversations about art. To her, we owe this wonderful narrative documenting the origins, evolution, and character of the Williams collection. That narrative has been informed by Innis's breadth of knowledge, her consummate connoisseurship, and the same astute observations that Charles must have appreciated when he consulted her about a potential purchase. We also want to acknowledge here the scores of Museum staff in all departments who helped make possible this exhibition and catalogue. Their singular commitment to excellence, whether they are engaged in scholarly pursuits or making visitors feel welcome in our galleries, underlies everything we do. We are also exceedingly grateful to have received funding for the exhibition from The Kathleen C. and John J. F. Sherrerd Fund for Exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Pew Charitable Trusts, and for this catalogue from The Andrew W. Mellon Fund for Scholarly Publications. Purchase information**When you purchase this item, Phoenix Forward Furnishings will donate 10% of the final purchase price to the American National Red Cross charity. Thank you for your help in making the world a better place! Please visit our store to view all of our items at: https://www.ebay.com/str/phoenixforwardfurnishings

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End Time: 2024-12-26T02:06:14.000Z

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