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Winslow Homer: An American Genius at the Parthenon

June 3, 2000 - September 24, 2000

 

The Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, presents an exhibit of over 60 works by renowned 19h century American artist, Winslow Homer. "Winslow Homer: An American Genius at the Parthenon" will continue through September 24, 2000.

"Winslow Homer: An American Genius at the Parthenon" showcases watercolors, oils, engravings, and etchings from institutions around the country, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the National Academy in New York, the Farnsworth Art Museum in Maine, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in California. Special pieces from three private collections will give visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see unique examples of Homer's work. The Parthenon's own "Rab and the Girls," painted by Homer in 1875, will also be featured. (left: Rab and the Girls, 1875, oil on canvas, 20 x 36 inches, The Parthenon, Nashville, Tennessee, The James M. Cowan Collection, photo: © 1999 Metro Govt. Gary Layda; right: Bermuda, 1901, watercolor and graphite on paper, 14 x 21 inches, Ellen Battell Stoeckel Trust, Norfolk, Connecticut)

"This exhibit will appeal to people on so many different levels," notes Susan Shockley, the exhibit's curator. "The 19h century landscapes, people, and places Homer captured in his art tell us about the world he lived in. But, he also experimented with colors and patterns in a way that was very bold and ahead of his time. This move towards abstraction will be a central theme throughout the exhibit." (left: Banana Tree-Nassau, 1885, watercolor on paper, 14 3/8 x 13 3/8 inches, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, Iowa, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bohen in Memory of E.T. Meredith, Jr.)

"Winslow Homer: An American Genius at the Parthenon" marks an important new chapter in the Parthenon's history. It is the first in a series of exhibits that focus on American art and artists, presented by the Parthenon at three-year intervals. "The Parthenon is more than a replica of an ancient Greek temple," says Wesley Paine, Parthenon Director. "it's an institution dedicated to art and culture in a city that's been called the 'Athens of the South.' It is fitting, therefore, that we inaugurate this ongoing series with the work of a self-taught American genius like Homer. (right: The Dinner Horn, 13 3/4 x 9 inches, Harper's Weekly, June 11, 1870, Private Collection, Nashville, Tennessee)

Extended afternoon/evening hours are planned for the Homer exhibit.

Please see an essay from the exhibition catalogue titled "Rab and the Girls: A Riddle in Paint," by Dr. Sarah Burns.

Readers may also enjoy our articles: Winslow Homer Facing Nature (2/20/00), Winslow Homer (1836-1910) (10/7/99) and "A Fair Wind" - Maritime Paintings by Winslow Homer (4/15/00)

rev. 5/30/01

Read more articles and essays concerning this institutional source by visiting the sub-index page for The Parthenon in Resource Library Magazine.

Please click on thumbnail images bordered by a red line to see enlargements.

For further biographical information on selected artists cited above please see America's Distinguished Artists, a national registry of historic artists.

This page was originally published in Resource Library Magazine. Please see Resource Library's Overview section for more information. rev. 3/18/11

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