The Palmer Museum of Art, now located within the Arboretum at Pennsylvania State University, has a lot to celebrate with the opening of a new 73,000-square foot facility. In tandem with the opening, and honoring the building’s nature-inspired design elements, are three exciting exhibitions. Made in PA on Paper is one such exhibition that features prints, drawings and watercolors.
Charles Demuth (1883–1935), Eggplant and Tomatoes, ca.1927. Watercolor on paper, 24¾ x 305/8 in. Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, Bequest of James R. and Barbara R. Palmer, 2019.55.
“In this inaugural presentation of the new building, we are so pleased to share with the public these 27 works by both artists of renown and artists deserving greater attention and study,” says Adam Thomas, curator of American art. “The history of art in Pennsylvania—much like the history of the state generally—is complicated and fascinating. Several of the works in the show have not been on view for quite some time or are new additions to the museum’s collection, including a drawing by Mary Cassatt, an etching by Allan Freelon and an oil sketch by Russell Smith.”
Artists like Raymond Steth, Charles Demuth, William Trost Richards and Morton Schamberg—known for their work in the state of Pennsylvania—will also be represented. “The show explores Penn State’s legacy as a land-grant institution and features works that celebrate the commonwealth’s beauty, natural resources and urban centers from the 18th to the 20th centuries,” explains a museum representative.
William Trost Richards (1833–1905), Landscape, ca.1865. Graphite and gouache on paper, 32½ x 38¾ in. Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, The John Driscoll American Drawings Collection, 2018.189.
The exhibition is organized into four sections: “Picturesque PA highlights Pennsylvania’s scenic beauty, while The City and its People reflects the growth of key urban areas and the richness of human activity within. The place of Pennsylvania in the nation’s development is depicted in the section titled Wealth of Industry. Closer to home, Land Grants and Their Legacies documents the Keystone State’s response to the Morrill Act of 1862, as well as its emergence in relationship to the much earlier grant of land by Charles II of England to William Penn.”
Made in PA on Paper remains on view through September 8. Additional information can be found on the museum website, along with details on the accompanying exhibitions.
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