77°
An outstanding collection of American art, amassed by Alabaman Jonathan Jack Warner and his wife Susan Austin Warner, is on view at New Britain Museum of Art beginning April 1 and running through July 3. The exhibit, "An American Odyssey: The Warner Collection of American Art," includes works by Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), Frederic E. Church (1826-1900), Thomas Cole (1801-1848), Winslow Homer (1836-1910), and James Peale (1749-1831.)
All of the art was discovered and purchased by Jack Warner, now 94, whose family has owned Gulf States Paper Corporation for several generations. The company was founded by Warner's grandfather, Herbert E. Westervelt, inventor of the stand-up brown paper bag.
Warner started collecting art in the 1950s with a first acquisition of prints by John James Audubon (1785-1851.) While for some time the art was displayed at different Alabama locations, in 2003 he converted a former hunting lodge on Tuscaloosa Lake into a top of the line museum intended to house his entire collection. Although his collection once totalled 2,000 pieces, recently, the company, now run by Warner's son, has required the sale of some treasures, including early this year the prized painting, Progress (The Advance of Civilization) by Asher Durand, a blow to Warner. An article about the sale in Crashcollective.com describes Warner's disappointment and quotes him as saying about his art, these are my children. A company spokesman responded that in spite of the sale, a sizeable collection remains.
Part of his motivation to begin collecting was Warner's belief that American art is an important medium for teaching history. That's why he strategically added historical and genre paintings as well as portraits to his collection, and why he often leads tours of school children who come to visit his museum. To learn more about Warner's entire collection, which includes more than paintings, visit the Westervelt Warner Museum of American Art's website. In person, be sure to catch the very special paintings Warner has sent to visit in New Britain. For more information on the exhibit, visit the New Britain Museum's website.
Who are your favorite American painters and artists? Let us know by posting below.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
