The
Art Behind the Art
Are you an art
fanatic? Or maybe you just like modernism? Possibly, you might just be
passionate about the ancient Egyptians. The Cleveland Museum of Art has all of
those and more. Starting with artifacts created hundreds of years before
Christ, ending with some of the newest sculptures and paintings, you name it, and
it’s there. The Cleveland Museum of Art, located on East Boulevard in
Cleveland, Ohio, has had a rich history, a blossoming future and it provides
many reasons to visit the collections.
The museum was
opened on June 6th, 1916. The original building cost approximately
$1.25 million to build. The money to construct the building, the paintings, the
artifacts, the land and everything else that went into the structure were all
donations (ClevelandArt). The very first director, Frederick Allen Whiting, was
a very strong advocate of education and because of hi
m,
there are art classes that take place at the museum to this day. One of his
greatest accomplishments was the exhibit solely committed to showcasing
Cleveland’s own artists (ClevelandArt). 1958 was a very important year for the
expansion of art for the museum. On March 4th, 1958, a great number
of paintings were donated and they nearly doubled the amount of paintings that
the museum had possession of (Clevelandart). Also in 1958, Leonard Hanna Jr.
donated a grand sum of money that helped the museum put more time into collecting
internationally known paintings (Clevelandart). Finally, in 1958, the museum
received a new director and under his leadership, the museum created one of the
highest ranked collections of Asian artifacts and paintings in the world
(Clevelandart). In the eighties, the museum increased the collections of photo
galleries and modern art.
In current times,
much of the museum is closed down due to renovations.
Although all of the exhibits are
not opened, the museum has over 15 different exhibits.
Some exhibits include African art,
American art and sculpture, Japanese and Korean art, drawings, photography, medieval
art, Contemporary art and European art.
Some famous artists that have
paintings on exhibit at the Cleveland Art Museum are Pablo Picasso, Claude
Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol, James Ezra and George Bellows
(vangoghgallery). The museum is best known for its broad collection of medieval
European, Pre-Columbian, Asian and Indian art. There are presently over 40,000
pieces of art on display and in storage ranging over 5,000 years
(vangoghgallery). Currently, the museum offers a variety of classes and courses
for anyone who wants to study art ranging from children in kindergarten to
adults.
In the near
future, the museum plans to open its atrium and display many paintings that
have been collecting dust in storage. The atrium that has been under
construction for many years and cost many millions should be a sort of revival
for the museum (NYTimes). Located in the middle of the museum, the atrium
creates space and a place to socialize while visiting the museum. It is the
perfect place to catch up with some friends over a cup of coffee or watch a
wedding on a Saturday afternoon. Because of renovations, many paintings and artifacts
that did not have a permanent place in the museum will now be on display. Due
to the makeover, only the 1916 building, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Sub-Saharan African, Byzantine,
and Medieval collections are now on display. With the new space, the museum was able to add a larger café,
more restrooms and eliminate the need to use the basement hallways to enter the
exhibits.
There are many reasons why anyone would
want to visit the Art Museum. Most,
if not all, collections are famous around the world. The paintings come
from around the world so there is a lot of cultural knowledge behind each and
every one of them. Also, one does not even have to know anything about history
since each painting comes with a brief description of the painting and a
background of the artist. If you like art, it is easy to find inspiration from
all the artists who are also visiting the museum. You can always find someone
painting and sketching the paintings. In addition to watching people draw, the
museum provides chairs so that anyone can try doodling and sketching. When I
recently visited the museum, my favorite exhibit was the medieval exhibit and
the 1916 building. The medieval exhibit contains a full suit of armor and even
Napoleon Bonaparte’s hunting rifle!
The Cleveland Art
Museum is a very interesting place to visit. It is located next to many other
museums in Cleveland so one can visit more than one during their time here. The
Natural History Museum and the Botanical Art Garden are some museums that
surround the art museum (ClevelandArt). The Western Reserve Historical Society
is also located in University Circle. All if the museums are off of university
circle in Wade Park, among the cultural gardens. Many nationalities are represented
in the gardens. Some gardens that are portrayed there are the British garden,
the American garden, the Italian garden and the Croatian garden.
It doesn’t matter
if you prefer the Greeks to the Romans or Picasso to van Gogh, the Cleveland
Art Museum has something for everyone. If one visits the museum, he or she is
sure to learn about history, modernism and painting in general. Whether you’re
a visitor or a regular Clevelander, it would be a shame if you have never
visited the world renowned gallery.
"Collection of Cleveland Museum of Art."
Editorial. Vangogh Gallery. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012.
"History and Mission." Cleveland Art Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.clevelandart.org>.
"Internships." Cleveland Art Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.clevelandart.org>.
Kennedy, Randy. "Museum Defends Antiquities
Collecting." Editorial. New York
Times. N.p., 12 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.nytimes.com>.
Litt, Steven. "Cleveland Museum of Art atrium can be
the city's Pantheon." Cleveland.
N.p., 1 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <http://topics.cleveland.com>.
Stepanov, Marianna. Personal interview. 26 Oct. 2012.
