Behind the Seen

Music Cabinet by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
Title: Music Cabinet, ca. 1885
Artist: Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (English, 1836-1912)
Medium: Rosewood, Cedar, Boxwood, Ivory, Ebony, and Mother-of-Pearl
Dimensions: 79 x 92 ½ x 18 inches
Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

The Chrysler's Hidden Museum
October 21-February 19, 2006

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the the Walter Chrysler Collection in Norfolk an innovative themed exhibition will open at the Chrysler Museum on October 21st. Most art galleries and museums display only a portion of their collection at any one time for several reasons. Conservation, research, special exhibitions and limited gallery space to name a few.

American Beauty by Walt Kuhn
Title: American Beauty, 1934
Artist: Walt Kuhn (American, 1877-1949)
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 33 x 65 inches
Bequest of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Though the Chrysler’s collection of European and American art is nationally renowned, only seventy percent of its holdings in those areas can be exhibited at any given time. The rest, which encompasses thousands of works, is kept in the museum's vaults

The Large Changing Gallery will display over 150 of the finest works from Museum storage. It is an extraordinary array of European and American paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings dating from the seventeenth century to the present day. Behind the Seen tells the story of the Museum’s dramatic growth over the past seventy years.

Four key facets of the museum form the theme of the exhibit: permanent collection; donors; research; and conservation.

Permanent Collection

Pull for the Shore by John George Brown
Title: Pull for the Shore, 1878
Artist: John George Brown (American, 1831-1913)
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 34 1/8 x 56 1/8 inches
Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

The Chrysler Museum of Art's permanent collection includes over 30,000 pieces that span over 5,000 years of art history.

The Letter by Samuel S Carr
Title: The Letter, 1887
Artist: Samuel S. Carr (American, 1837-1908)
Medium: Oil on Canvas,
Dimensions: 24 x 18 ¼ inches
Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Donors

In the Hills by Leon Krall
Title: In the Hills, 1920-21
Artist: Leon Kroll (American, 1884-1974)
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 51 3/8 x 74 5/8 inches
Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Noted collectors beginning with Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., and continuing with Goldsborough Serpell, James Ricau and the Mowbray Arch Society are among those that helped shape the Museum's permanent collection.

Research

Title: Portrait of a Woman, ca. 1610
Unknown Dutch, 17th Century
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 42 ½ x 33 ¼ inches
Gift of Mr. Emile E. Wolf, A Friend of Norfolk
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

If it isn't signed or has a written provenance then who created the masterpiece? Is it a masterpiece? Dutch? English? Other?

Will the artist be recognized tomorrow?

Title: Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1610
Unknown Dutch, 17th Century
Medium: Oil on Panel,
Dimensions: 42 ¼ x 33 1/8 inches
Gift of Mr. Emile E. Wolf, A Friend of Norfolk
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Conservation

Title: Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), 1992
Artist: Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Native American, b. 1940)
Medium: Oil and Mixed Media
Dimensions; 60 x 170 inches
Museum Purchase
© Jaune Quick-to-See Smith
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Do not harm is not only applied to the delicate work of surgeons and doctors. Conservators are given the task to ensure the various artistic media aren't in any way harmed as they are preserved to be put on display or to be used for research purposes. Modern atmosphere and lights can be both helpful and harmful and it is a task that must be undertaken with an expectation of complete success.

The Artists

The Virgin and Child with Monkey by Albrect Durer
Title: The Virgin and Child with the Monkey, ca. 1498
Artist: Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528)
Medium: Engraving on paper
Dimensions: 7 x 4 13/16 inches
Gift of the Mowbray Arch Society, 1996
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Renoir, Dürer, Rubens are just a few of the famous artists that form both the Chrysler collection and Behind the Seen

American and European masters are included in the works on display.

Ariadne by Chauncey Bradley Ives
Title: Ariadne, 1853
Artist: Chauncey Bradley Ives (American, 1810-1894)
Medium: Marble
Dimensions: 25 5/8 x 19 x 12 3/8 inches
Gift of James H. Ricau and Museum Purchase
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Study of a Child by Pierre Auguste Renoir
Title: Study of a Child, 1905
Artist: Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919)
Medium: Chalk on Paper
Dimensions; 9 ¾ x 7 5/8 inches
Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Behind the Seen stands at the very heart of the Chrysler’s mission “to bring art and people together to enrich and transform lives.”

Lillies Lanterns and Sunshine by Helen M Turner
Title: Lillies, Lanterns and Sunshine, 1923
Artist: Helen M. Turner (American, 1858-1958)
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 36 x 44 inches
Gift of W. B. S. Grandy
Image Courtesy: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Chrysler Museum of Art

www.chrysler.org