Morgan: Mind of the Collector

J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913) spent over twenty years travelling the globe to amass the largest collection of art and cultural artifacts of his time. Estimated to have exceeded 20,000 works of art, Morgan’s collections represent a broad historical and geographic range of art and cultural artifacts. Acting on his father’s wishes, J.P. Morgan’s son, Jack, donated more than 1,350 works collected by his father to the Wadsworth Atheneum in his native Hartford. In fall 2017, the Wadsworth Atheneum will mark the centennial anniversary of Morgan’s gift and its historical impact with an exhibition, Morgan: Mind of the Collector. The Wadsworth Atheneum will host an international symposium in conjunction with the exhibition to reexamine and showcase the latest research about Morgan’s collection and how he shaped the identity of the collector in the modern age.

PROGRAM

Friday, November 10, 2017

12:00–1:15: Welcome and Registration

1:15–1:45: Introduction: Neil Harris, University of Chicago
Morgan the Collector

Session 1: Morgan and the Biblical Lands (chair, Steven Tinney, University of Pennsylvania)

1:45–2:15: Yelena Rakic, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Discovering the Ancient Near East

2:15–2:45: Lyle Humphrey, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh
Morgan in Egypt

2:45–3:15: John Bidwell, Morgan Library & Museum, New York
Morgan’s Bibles

3:15–3:30: Discussion

3:30–3:45: Break

Session 2: The Romance of History (chair, Christine Brennan, Metropolitan Museum of Art)

3:45–4:15: Christine Brennan, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Morgan and Medieval Art

4:15–4:45: Roger Wieck, Morgan Library & Museum, New York
Morgan and Manuscripts

4:45–5:15: Discussion

5:15: Exhibition Viewing and Reception

6:30: Speakers Dinner


Saturday, November 11

Session 3: Building a Beautiful Life (chair, Colin Bailey, Director, Morgan Library & Museum)

10:00–10:30: Wolfram Koeppe, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Gold and Garnets: A Love of Precious Objects

10:30–11:00: Linda Roth, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford
Prince’s Gate, London

11:00–11:30: Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
From Gilded Age Interior to Renaissance Palazzo: Morgan’s New York House

11:30–11:50: Discussion

12:00–1:00 Lunch

Session 4: The Politics of Collecting: The Global Network (chair, Inge Reist, Center for the History of Collecting at the Frick)

1:00–1:30: Catherine Scallen, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland
Turning to the Experts

1:30–2:00: Jennifer Tonkovich, Morgan Library & Museum, New York
Morgan’s experts and dealers in London and Europe

2:00–2:30: Barbara Pezzini, National Gallery, London
Collecting British Paintings

2:30–3:00 Discussion

3:00–3:15 Break

3:15: Session 5: Crafting a Legacy (chair, Jennifer Tonkovich, Morgan Library & Museum, New York)

3:15–3:45: Charlotte Vignon, Frick Collection, New York
Morgan and Duveen: The Formation and Dispersal of a Collection

3:45–4:15: Jo Briggs, Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore
Morgan and His Fellow American Collectors

4:15–5:00: Discussion and Concluding Remarks

5:00–7:00: Reception and Exhibition Viewing

To register, contact facultywadsworthatheneum.org or call +1 860.838.4046

For more information, contact facultywadsworthatheneum.org or call +1 860.838.4060

Hotel Discounts are available for the attendees of the conference at the Hartford Marriott Downtown, 200 Columbus Blvd.
Hartford, CT 06103; tel: +1 860.249.8000