Museum of Art in the U.S.

[LCR]

Since yesterday a lot has been written about museums in America, I prepared a little so the material. I tried to briefly describe the system operation of museums, to present the history of their creation and focus on the major museums.
NADECO that someone this text will be useful.

Museum of Art in America: A Cultural Industry

When Alexis de Tocqueville preldprinyal his journey to America, which lasted from April 1831 to February 1832, that he was there uviidel, prompted him to speak negatively about the role of art in this society. One hundred years later, Europeans still cling to that opinion. But Willem de Kooning, who visited New York in 1926, saw a lot of museums, galleries and artists with whom chereschz 10 years, he created the first American school - abstract expressionism.

[SPOILER] If Tocqueville could visit the United States in our time, it would be very surprised to see an unusual accumulation of art treasures stored in the museums of America. In one only Chicago Institute of Art kept 90 paintings by Renoir, and Metropolitan Museum of Art New York could put - if the museum had enough space - 5000 of paintings and 1 million drawings and engravings.

He would have been surprised by the fact that some 1500 art museums, located in fifty U.S. states, and all the art treasures that make up their collections, owe their existence not purposeful cultural policy pursued by the President of the State, or financial support pravilstv states, and participation metsenov rich and modest donors and volunteers, bringing its share of public-spirited, to enrich their city, and sometimes in search of personal glory. Indeed, all these museums are nonprofit organizations. And such philanthropic activities are continuing in our time. Museum peyzvzh shows unusual dynamics of development - about 50%of American museums were founded 30 years ago.

Unusually, and that 170 of the largest art museums in the United States work with bodzhetom, do not reach $ 1 billion, ie 1%of the budget of higher education - less than the amount spent by Americans annually on the purchase of golf equipment. 3%of this modest budget consists of federal or local grants, and 97%- private resources are being mainly gifts and membership dues.

Obviously, the Americans created their own specific museum system. They were able to develop an exemplary model, which can only envy. However, this model is similar to two-faced Janus - a smiling face, showing the richness of the collections, the other crying, because such a device is the museum's system entails a constant search for resources are being threatened staff reductions and closure of many rooms - the only visible effects of the financial difficulties of the museums.

The system operates at a constant conflict of a museum conservator, designed to develop the culture of the museum project and wants to show how you can put more items, increase assembly - all entail costs - and the manager, which should provide sufficient funding RESOURCES for museum work, and also to find balance between RESOURCES and expenditures.

Americans have always rejected the idea of creating the Ministry of Culture and of the centralized policies of museums. This explains the fact that museums are the result of private initiative, they were created nouveau riche industrialists, acting as metsenov. Most museums were created because of the rivalry between the cities, they were symbols of success - and the personal and collective. Until now, managing museums carried out by professional managers.
As a result, were discovered hundreds of museums throughout the United States, although the history of this nation does not exceed 200 years.

One of the negative consequences of such a desire independence and autonomy is a constant shortage of financial RESOURCES and, accordingly, the instability thus created institutions. Virtually all the museums in the beginning of his suschestvovavniya experienced an acute shortage of money. For example, Corcoran Gallery in Washington (DC), founded in 1869, over 10 years could not open their doors to visitors.

At the same time, voluntary and free participation of thousands of people who are not spared neither his time nor his competence, allows museums to operate with a very modest budget. These volunteers meet and inform visitors, lead teams carrying out the work guides.
Such associations of volunteers, who share common interests, are a social constant U.S. society.
But what are these common interests?
The museum's mission is defined in their charters:

• to collect works of art, constantly acquire new exhibits;
• to provide optimal conditions for storage of these products with a view to transferring them to future generations;
• exhibit works of art, that is to be open to the public, explain the art;
• to educate the public, instill her love of art.

However, in American museums, there is no consensus on priority. Their history shows that at different periods in the foreground or the educational function of the museum, or its role of collector and conservator hudozhestvvennyh values.

A bit of history

Rapid industrial development in the U.S. begins immediately after the war and the secession movement in the west. In 1870 Chicago is located in the center of this movement. Part of the new money invested in the culture. This time a major museums (the Metropolitan in New York was opened in 1866, a little later - Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia). They exhibited works brought from Europe and then around the world. Gradually, they gain and local products.
At the end of XIX century in the United States were organized by several universal exhibition that showed the private collections of masterpieces of the United States.

The period of economic recovery, 1890-1910, stimulated the market of art, despite the heavy taxation (since 1883 33,3%). In 1880 Monet painting worth about $ 500, to 1894 price it already is 10000. Between 1886 and 1890 Durand-Ruel, who settled in the U.S., has sold many lots of modern paintings, Ms. Hevmayer, the wife of King of sugar (50 Courbet, 25 Mane, 70 bronze sculptures by Degas). In 1890 he sells WH Crocker of San Francisco, a large collection of French painting for 100,000 dollars. Collectors Potter-Palmer, accompanied by the art historian Sarah Helouel visited Paris, where they bought 70 modern paintings, later transferred them to the Chicago Art Institute.
New York Dyuvin J. Marchand, who has worked professionals such as Berenson and Mac Kall, is the collection, and then offers them the wealthiest people of America (Morgan, Van der Bilt, Hearst, Mellon, Pitney, Dzheyu Gould, Frick, Guggenheim etc.), playing on their rivalry. A little later, in 1900, Leo and Gertrude Stein are buying works of the Parisian avant-garde artists (Matisse, Picasso). Since 1902 the steel tycoon J. Pierpont Morgan, has agreed to become president of the Metropolitan Museum, which he drove as if it were a commercial enterprise - a decade before that, he asked: "Who is Vermeer?" Before you buy small picture of himself Vermeer for 100000 dollars - it was the beginning of his passion for collecting the most prestigious works of art, and after him to collect steel and other manufacturers-millionaires, kings of crude oil, steel and coal bought up all that used to be brought from Europe to decorate their luxury residences, collecting became fashionable!

At the end of the century antitrust law sposobstvvuet investment in culture. Between 1915 and 1918. Americans have used the fact that the European owners of the massive works of art were sold, the more that the tax on imports was abolished. Newly acquired a wealthy respectability by becoming owners of art collections, especially contemporary art, but to show them they built fashionable buildings (Frick in New York, the Walters in Baltimore, Corcoran and Phillips in Washington). In all these activities, women played a leading role in organizing the relationship between art, philanthropy and educational work. All this has led to the creation of the largest chastnyzh museums, augmented with a gift (which avoid nalogooblozhdeniya inheritance), and these museums demonstrate the generosity of donors, providing them at the same time, posthumous fame.

Staffing of the first fund O. Hevmayera (who was married to Louise Elder, friend Mary Kesset) engaged Durand-Ruel. Thanks M. Kesset and Degas, the assembly has reached the incredible wealth. In 1931, descendants passed the overwhelming part of the Met (the gift was valued at 3.5 million dollars).

Andrew Mellon, the former finance minister, bought the treasures of the Hermitage, sold in urgent need of money, the Soviet government for a pittance. In 1937, he offered to give his collection for 19 million dollars, provided that it will be on display in Washington in a giant building. May 24, 1937 predlodzhenie it was taken, the construction of the future of the National Gallery of Art. In 1941 the collection was placed in a luxurious room Russell Pope, she already had 5000 products received from various donors. Later, in 1978, the Mellon Foundation funded part of the giant East Building, posvschennuyu contemporary art, designed by architect M. Pei.

In 1912, the Philadelphia industrialist-millionaire Dr. Barnes met in Paris CO Stein, Vollarom, Bernheim and Doucet and formed a collection of modern paintings (Renoir and Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso later). He established a fund in Merion, which was to "promote education and understanding izobrazitelnyzh arts. In 1930, Barnes commissioned Matisse three large panels for the entrance hall.

In November 1895 A. Carnegie, the steel king, solemnly opened his museum in Pittsburgh, which is intended to become "the epicenter of the artistic life of the nation. Fund was established, which New York has been "watered" the whole country (libraries, museums, exhibitions). In 1913, the cost of the fund in culture exceeded federal subsidies. Carnegie, the Scottish Calvinist origin, described his belief in "The Gospel of Wealth": "Misfortune to those who die rich" ...
You can draw a parallel between the Puritans of capitalists and Christians of the Middle Ages who built and decorated the chapel, to show their virtue - sweep narcissism and generosity. However, donations to the culture still were not very significant part of our noble metsenov - 0,5%for Morgan, 6%for Rockefeller.

In 1895 Durand-Ruel notifies all that much of the most innovative proizvedenits century crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Between 1895 and 1916. from New York to California took place on the set of exhibitions, which in turn motivated the establishment of funds that have acquired first-class works of art.

In 1906 he founded the American Association for the Arts (American Art Association, AAA), which won the specialized sponsoring: between 1900 and 1940. She helped to create 110 muzzev. In the United States hold more works of Italian and French isksstva than in any other country in the world.


Since 1910, representatives of the AAA travel regularly to Paris to buy works of contemporary art. In 1913 they organized a prestigious exhibition of avant-garde in the premises of an arms factory in Lexington ( «Armory Show». One-third of the exhibited works were brought from Europe. The exhibition was a great success with the public. For the young artists of this event was a breath of oxygen, but there were people , where the exhibition has angered: Among the exhibited works of Bill "Nude descending the stairs" and Duchamp's "Nude" by Matisse, deemed indecent. In any case, it sold 174 works. European artists began to enjoy resounding success in the west, and this phenomenon has intensified in During the Second World War.

Some of the most important museums in the U.S.

Met, New York. The museum was founded by a group of collectors in 1866 Up to how in 1904 he became president R. Morgan, the museum's collection was modest. But Morgan, who established cooperation with a group of professors from Harvard, managed to attract metsenov, who filled the 236 rooms of the museum, divided into 26 divisions (3 million exhibits on 45 acres), the magnificent exhibits. The European and American paintings, exhibited at three levels, is sufficient to illustrate the history of Western Art (5000 pieces, a quarter of which are in the permanent exhibition - the same as exhibited in all the museums of Paris, taken together).

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. After the death of metsena John Quinn in 1924. his widow, Mary Quinn-Sellivan and her friend Lizzie Bliss and Mary Rockefeller decided to complement and exhibit his collection. They appealed to other metsenam, as well as to specialists and art. Paul Sachsen created the Harvard School of museology. Gradually, the idea of a museum devoted to modern art with a new approach to the museum's hanging.
In 1929 a temporary building was arranged the first exhibition, showing the work of Post-Impressionists, and held with great success (540,000 visitors in 4 weeks). In 1939, Lily Bliss gave the museum a gift of 235 works. The museum is distinguished by its attention to the pedagogy of art and education of the public.

Guggenheim Museum, New York. Copper King Salomon Guggenheim carried away by modern art, in 1937 he founded his fund, and ordered Frank Lloyd Wright designed building for the museum, which opened in 1959, the Museum, its collection has expanded by gift, Peggy Guggenheim, has exhibits of 6000.
The specificity of this museum - a very ambitious policy of acquisitions (the sale of classic works in order to purchase works of modern art), as well as selling stamps.

Getty Foundation in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Oil tycoon Paul Getty established a fund in 1953, in 1974 opened the museum. In 1982 the Getty Trust has been established (under upralveniem H. Williams), who by metsena 1.3 billion dollars. The museum organizes exhibitions, which are spoken in the world.

Finally, here is the address where there is an alphabetical list of all museums in the U.S. (although I have not checked whether he really full), study on health!
http://www.museumca.org/usa/

Here is the link would be better, there is an opportunity to watch museums by name, by mestonahlzhdeniyu, by type.

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от LCR

In November 1895 A. Carnegie, the steel king, solemnly opened his museum in Pittsburgh, which is intended to become "the epicenter of the artistic life of the nation».

He is also a concert hall opened in NY, Carnegie Hall. Tchaikovsky conducted the May 5, 1891 at a concert dedicated to his discovery. He knew whom to invite.

[Tana]

In America at the beginning of last century had a lot of money and a lot of newly emerged millionaires (at a time when many in Europe have lost money and status, it was good time for shopping, just as we have lately.
  Features & us in future there will be private museums (already appeared), garages, under the exhibition also opened up interesting quotes from the article, if you read them separately, try to guess which country in question:

- "organized a very prestigious exhibition of avant-garde in the premises of an arms factory ..."
- Newly acquired a rich respectability by becoming owners of the art collections ... "
-"... and after him to collect steel and other manufacturers-millionaires, kings of oil, steel and coal bought up all that used to be brought from Europe to decorate their luxury residences, collecting became fashionable! "
- "In all these activities, women played a leading role in organizing the relationship between art, philanthropy and educational work"

now, about the list of American museums, I am sorry that we have such a list, no one was, I think, despite all the difficulties there will be no less

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от Tana

that's about the list of American museums, I am sorry that we have such a list, no one was, I think, despite all the difficulties there will be no less than

Something similar is.
http://www.museum.ru/

[IrinaC]

Сообщение от Tana

In America, at the beginning of last century had a lot of money and a lot of newly emerged millionaires (at a time when many in Europe have lost money and status, it was good time for shopping, just as we have lately.

The day when Durand-Ruel joined the American Association of Arts was turning day history. And for him the most important day. Durand-Ruel was up to his neck in debt, partly from the fact that two decades of support artists financially.
He chose the American Association for the Arts on the grounds that the association paid for his transportation of cargo
In our time of the Impressionists are millions, but at that time to Durand-Ruel was the risk of such undertaking, the game of roulette. But he was in the right place at the right time, the U.S. market was ready and Durand-Ruel won this game.

One of the facts. as were customs painting "Nude" by Renoir.
Durand-Ruel went to church with the chief nyuerkskoy customs and left a large charitable bribe this coming

of the book Sue Roe "The private lives of the impressionists"

[Tana]

Сообщение от Cyril Syzransky

Something like this is.
http://www.museum.ru/

Kirill, sorry this list is far from complete, because in the U.S. list of "all the fleas counted," and have "walked on top!
I sincerely hope that the main, largest and the best part of Russian paintings is in their historic homeland.
Yes, that's still not quite understood this phrase on the Guggenheim Museum:
"The specificity of this museum - a very ambitious policy of acquisitions (the sale of classic works in order to purchase works of modern art), as well as brand sales ." (Especially in the sale of stamps is that, like McDonald's?)

[LCR]

Сообщение от Tana

[B]
Yes, that's still not quite understood this phrase on the Guggenheim Museum:
"The specificity of this museum - a very ambitious policy of acquisitions (the sale of classic works in order to purchase works of modern art), as well as brand sales ." (Especially in the sale of stamps is that, like McDonald's?)

Well, in general, yes, McDonald's

Guggenheim sell your name, skill and concept of the museum, and then developed more or less a joint strategy, and the Guggenheim receives royalties.

The first took place in the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain, remarkably beautiful building (designed by Frank Gerry).
There Guggenheim Berlin and the Peggy Guggenheim museum in Venice, together with the Hermitage Museum in Las Vegas (but it was closed) and in 2011 plans to open a museum in Abu Dhabi - as the draft Gerry.

I forgot to mention sales: museums usually buy, but never sold. Isolated cases of sale of museum pieces from his collection are widely discussed, for example, about 15 years ago orndonskaya National Gallery has decided to sell some items, to be able to buy a unique Greek Cilicia. This required the consent of Parliament and all other procedures, I do not remember. A Guggenheim sells works from their collections on a regular basis - this is justified by the fact that the museum is devoted to contemporary art.

[Кирилл Сызранский]

By the way, more interesting to look at the number of visits per year. The same figure.
For example, the Guggenheim, H-J in the year-3 000 000 visits. "Currently, the Guggenheim Museum are approximately three million visitors a year."
In GTG-1 200 000.