The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C. will loan masterpieces from its collection to various museums across the country. This initiative, “Across the Nation,” is part of the NGA’s programming to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States next year. Major works will be loaned to 10 partner institutions in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Utah, and Washington.
Each institution has selected between one and ten works to borrow for display. NGA director Kaywin Feldman said, “This is the manifestation of the National Gallery’s vision as the nation’s art museum, and we are so thrilled to bring some of the most beloved works from the nation’s collection of art directly into communities across the country.” The NGA will cover expenses for the travel and installation of the works and will also support marketing efforts to inform local communities. Four museums have already opened their exhibits featuring the NGA loans.
The Anchorage Museum in Alaska has on view paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, Mark Rothko, and Nancy Graves. The Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Washington, is showcasing Impressionist works, including pieces by Henri Matisse, Auguste Renoir, and Paul Cezanne. Rembrandt’s “A Woman Holding a Pink” (1656) and a portrait of the artist by his studio are on view in the Denver Art Museum’s 17th-century art galleries.
The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art in Salt Lake City has received a large-scale wall drawing by Sol LeWitt.
Nationwide loan of timeless masterpieces
Later this month, Boise Art Museum will display works by Rothko, Berthe Morisot, and Thomas Eakins.
The Flint Institute of Arts in Michigan will exhibit holdings by Sandro Botticelli, Hans Memling, and Andy Warhol, spanning nearly five centuries. The Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina will feature artworks by O’Keeffe, Alma Thomas, and Edgar Degas. In April, the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno will host the NGA’s traveling exhibition, “Dorothea Lange: Seeing People,” which debuted in 2023.
The final two sets of loans will be on view in May. The Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, will present 10 historical works from Northern Europe, including pieces by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Anthony van Dyck, and Frans Hals. The New Britain Museum of Art in Connecticut will showcase paintings by Robert Duncanson and Winslow Homer.
The NGA’s “Across the Nation” initiative comes amidst increased scrutiny due to the museum’s position in the nation’s capital and its status as a federal agency. Despite various executive orders affecting other federal institutions, the NGA has not yet been directly targeted. Through this initiative, the National Gallery of Art reinforces its commitment to bringing art to diverse audiences across the United States, ensuring that its collection is accessible to all.
