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Freer Gallery of Art

The Freer Gallery of Art is an art museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. focusing on Asian art. The Freer and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery together form the National Museum of Asian Art in the United States.[2] The Freer and Sackler galleries house the largest Asian art research library in the country and contain art from East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Islamic world, the ancient Near East, and ancient Egypt, as well as a significant collection of American art.

Freer Gallery of Art
Interactive fullscreen map
Established1923
Location1050 Independence Avenue
Washington, D.C.
Coordinates38°53′17.2″N 77°1′38.6″W / 38.888111°N 77.027389°W / 38.888111; -77.027389
DirectorChase F. Robinson
Public transit access Smithsonian
Websitewww.asia.si.edu
Freer Gallery Of Art
Front entrance to the Freer Gallery of Art
Built1923
ArchitectPlatt, Charles A.
Architectural styleLate 19th and 20th century revivals, Florentine Renaissance
NRHP reference No.69000295[1]
Added to NRHPJune 23, 1969

The gallery is located on the south side of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., contiguous with the Sackler Gallery. The museum is open 364 days a year (being closed on Christmas), and is administered by a single staff with the Sackler Gallery. The galleries were among the most visited art museums in the world.

The Freer houses over 26,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of history from the Neolithic to modern eras. The collections include ancient Egyptian stone sculpture and wooden objects, ancient Near Eastern ceramics and metalware, Chinese paintings and ceramics, Korean pottery and porcelain, Japanese folding screens, Persian manuscripts, and Buddhist sculpture. In addition to Asian art, the Freer also contains the famous Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (better known as The Peacock Room) by American artist James McNeill Whistler which serves as the centerpiece to the Freer's American art collection.

The museum offers free tours to the public and presents a full schedule events for the public including films, lectures, symposia, concerts, performances, and discussions. Over 11,000 objects from the Freer|Sackler collections are fully searchable and available online.[3] The Freer was also featured in the Google Art Project, which offers online viewers close-up views of selected items from the Freer.[4]

History Edit

 
Entrance to the Freer Gallery of Art

Founding Edit

The gallery was founded by Detroit railroad-car manufacturer and self-taught connoisseur Charles Lang Freer. He owned the largest collection of works by American artist James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) and became a patron and friend of the famously irascible artist. Whistler made it very clear to Freer that if he helped him to build the premier Whistler collection, then that collection would have to be displayed in a city where tourists went.[5]

In 1908, Charles Moore, a former aide to Michigan United States Senator, James McMillin and the chairman of the United States Commission of Fine Arts, moved from Washington, D.C., to Detroit. Moore became friends with Freer, who was director of the Michigan Car Company, and persuaded Freer to permanently exhibit his 8,000-piece collection of Oriental art in Washington, D.C. Before then, Freer informally proposed to President Theodore Roosevelt that he give to the nation his art collection, funds to construct a building, and an endowment fund to provide for the study and acquisition of "very fine examples of Oriental, Egyptian, and Near Eastern fine arts."[6]

The Freer gift was accepted on behalf of the government by the Smithsonian Board of Regents in 1906. Freer's will, however, contained certain requirements that only objects from the permanent collection could be exhibited in the gallery, and that none of the art could be exhibited elsewhere. Freer felt strongly that all of the museum's holding should be readily accessible to scholars at all times. In addition, Freer's bequest to the Smithsonian came with the proviso that he would execute full curatorial control over the collection until his death. The Smithsonian initially hesitated at the requirements but the intercession of President Theodore Roosevelt allowed for the project to proceed. The Freer Gallery possesses an autographed letter from Roosevelt inviting Freer to visit him at the White House, reflecting the personal interest Roosevelt showed in the development of the museum. Freer died before the art gallery was completed.[citation needed]

Construction and architecture Edit

 
Drawing of the North Elevation

Construction of the gallery began in 1916 and was completed in 1921, after a delay due to World War I.[7] On May 9, 1923, the Freer Gallery of Art was opened to the public. Designed by American architect and landscape planner Charles A. Platt, the Freer is an Italian Renaissance-style building inspired by Freer's visits to palazzos in Italy.[8] It is reported that in a meeting with architect Charles Platt at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, Freer jotted down his ideas for a classical, well-proportioned building on a napkin.[9] The gallery is constructed primarily of granite: the exterior of the Freer is pink granite quarried in Milford, Massachusetts, the courtyard has a carnelian granite fountain and walls of unpolished Tennessee white marble. The gallery's interior walls are Indiana limestone, and the floors are polished Tennessee marble.[citation needed]

A major renovation of the building, which culminated in a grand reopening in 1993, greatly expanded storage and exhibition space by connecting the Freer and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. With the addition of the connecting gallery, the Freer has 39,039 square feet (3,626.8 m2) of public space. The original structure designed by Platt remains intact, including the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Auditorium which serves as the venue for many public programs.[citation needed]

Current Edit

After opening in 1923, the Freer served as the Smithsonian's first museum dedicated to the fine arts.[10] The Freer was also the first Smithsonian museum created from a private collector's bequest. Through the years, the collections have grown through gifts and purchases to nearly triple the size of Freer's original donation: nearly 18,000 works of Asian art have been added since Freer's death in 1919.[citation needed]

The Freer is now connected by an underground exhibition space to the neighboring Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Although their collections are stored and exhibited separately, the two museums share a director, administration, and staff. The Freer closed for extensive renovations in January 2016 and reopened in October 2017.[11]

Exhibitions Edit

 

Because one of the main conditions of Charles Lang Freer donation stated that only items from his collection may be exhibited at the gallery, the Freer does not borrow from or lend out items to other institutions. However, due to the 26,000 objects in the gallery's collections, they are still able to present exhibitions internationally recognized for both depth and quality.

The Freer also has a number of rotating/temporary exhibits.

American art at the Freer Edit

 
The Peacock Room by Whistler

Freer began collecting American art in the 1880s.[9] In 1890, after meeting James Abbott McNeill Whistler, an American artist influenced by Japanese prints and Chinese ceramics, Freer began to expand his collections to include Asian art. He maintained his interest in American art, however, amassing a collection of over 1,300 works by Whistler, which is considered the world's finest.[citation needed]

One of the most well-known exhibits at the Freer is The Peacock Room, an opulent London dining room painted by Whistler in 1876–77. The room was designed for British shipping magnate F. R. Leyland[12] and is lavishly decorated with green and gold peacock motifs. Purchased by Freer in 1904 and installed in the Freer Gallery after his death, The Peacock Room is on permanent display.[13] During its time in the Freer Gallery, the Peacock Room underwent large-scale conservation projects in the 1940s and the early 1990s, and a major restoration in the summer of 2022.[14]

The Freer also has works by Thomas Dewing (1851–1938), Dwight Tryon (1849–1925), Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), Childe Hassam (1859–1935), Winslow Homer (1836–1910), Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907), Willard Metcalf (1858–1925), John Singer Sargent (1856–1925), and John Twachtman (1853–1902).[15]

F|S Online Edit

The Freer|Sackler provides several online resources for exploring the art and culture of Asia and its American art collections. Besides the collections objects viewable online, thousands of photographs, archeological diaries, maps, and archaeological squeezes (impressions of carvings) have been digitized and are used by researchers from around the world.

F|S Archives and Library Edit

 
This earthenware dish from 9th century Abbasid, Iraq is one of the many artifacts exhibited at the Freer Gallery.

The Freer Sackler Archives[16] houses over 120 important manuscripts collections relevant to the study of America's encounter with Asian art and culture. The core collection is the personal papers of gallery founder Charles Lang Freer, which includes his purchase records, diaries, and personal correspondence with public figures such as artists, dealers and collectors. Freer's extensive correspondence with James McNeill Whistler forms one of the largest sources of primary documents about the American artist. Other significant collections in the Archives includes the papers (notebooks, letters, photography, squeezes) and personal objects of the German archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld (1879–1946), documenting his research at Samarra, Persepolis and Pasargadae. The papers of Carl Whiting Bishop[17] Dwight William Tryon, Myron Bement Smith,[18] Benjamin March[19] and Henri Vever[20] are also located at the Archives. The Archives also holds over 125,000 photographs of Asia dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Highlights of photographic holdings include the Henry and Nancy Rosin Collection of 19th century photography of Japan,[21] the 1903-1904 photographs of the Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi, and photographs of Iran by Antoin Sevruguin.[22]

The Freer|Sackler Library is the largest Asian art research library in the United States. Open to the public five days a week (except federal holidays) without appointment, the library collection consists of more than 86,000 volumes, including nearly 2,000 rare books. Half the volumes are written and catalogued in Asian languages. Originating from the collection of four thousand monographs, periodical issues, offprints, and sales catalogues that Charles Lang Freer donated to the Smithsonian Institution as part of his gift to the nation, the F|S Library maintains the highest standards for collecting materials an active program of purchases, gifts, and exchanges.[citation needed]

In July 1987 the library moved to its new home in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Today it supports activities of both museums, such as collection development, exhibition planning, publications, and other scholarly and educational projects. Its published and unpublished resources—in the fields of Asian art and archaeology, conservation, painting, sculpture, architecture, drawings, prints, manuscripts, books, and photography—are available to museum staff, outside researchers, and the visiting public.[citation needed]

Public programs Edit

The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Auditorium, named after American financier and publisher Eugene Meyer and journalist/social activist Agnes E. Meyer, is located in the Freer and provides a venue for a broad variety of free public programs. These programs include concerts of music and dance, lectures, chamber music, and dramatic presentations. It is also known for its film series, highlighting a wide variety of Asian cultures (including a Korean Film Festival and Iranian Film Festival).[citation needed]

Most recently, the museums began the series Asia After Dark, opening up the space for musicians, dancing, Asian cuisine, and other after-work adventures. The Freer and Sackler's 'We Stand With Japan' in 2011 hosted Steve Aoki.[23]

Free drop-in tours are available daily and guide visitors through both featured exhibitions and specific themes in both the Freer and Sackler galleries, and a wide range of public lectures provide in-depth experiences with prominent artists and scholars.[citation needed]

Conservation Edit

Care of the collections began before the museum came into existence as Charles Lang Freer, the founder of the Freer Gallery of Art, hired Japanese painting restorers to care for his works and to prepare them for their eventual home as part of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1932, the Freer Gallery of Art hired a full-time Japanese restorer and established what was to become the East Asian Painting Conservation Studio. This facility remains one of the few in the United States that specializes in the conservation of Asian paintings.[7] The Technical Laboratory was established in 1951 when chemist Rutherford J. Gettens moved from the Fogg Museum at Harvard University to the Freer. The laboratory was the first Smithsonian facility devoted to the use of scientific methods for the study of works of art. Over the years, the work of the Technical Laboratory expanded to include objects, paper, and exhibits conservation. The Technical Laboratory and the East Asian Painting Conservation Studio merged in 1990 to create the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research for both the Freer and Sackler Galleries.[24]

The conservators in the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research care for and treat works of art in the collection and prepare them for exhibition. The department works to ensure long-term preservation and storage, safe handling, exhibition, and transport of artworks in the permanent collection, as well as those on loan. In addition, conservators are responsible for conducting technical examinations of objects already in the collection and those under consideration for acquisition. They also collaborate frequently with the department's scientists on technical and applied research. Training and professional outreach efforts are an integral part of the department's commitment to educating future conservators, museum professionals, and the public about conservation.[citation needed]

Scholarship Edit

The Freer has had a long tradition in serving as a center for inquiry and advanced scholarship about Asia. The Freer not only presents lectures and symposia to the public, but it also copublishes the Ars Orientalis with the University of Michigan Department of History of Art. Ars Orientalis is a peer-reviewed annual volume of scholarly articles and occasional reviews of books on the art and archaeology of Asia, the ancient Near East, and the Islamic world.[25][26]

The Freer and Sackler, along with the Metropolitan Center for Far Eastern Art Studies in Kyoto, Japan, presents the Shimada Prize for distinguished scholarship in the history of East Asian art. The award was established in 1992 in honor of Professor Shimada Shujiro, by the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and by The Metropolitan Center for Far Eastern Art Studies in Kyoto, Japan. Several fellowships are also available to support graduate students and visiting scholars, including the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship, Anne Van Biema Fellowship (Japanese Visual Arts), Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) Fellowship (Persian art), Lunder Fellowship, J. S. Lee Memorial Fellowship (Chinese Art), Smithsonian Institution Fellowship, and the Freer Fellowship.[27]

Freer and Sackler curators are also involved in dozens of ongoing research projects, often with colleagues from institutions around the world. The results of their work can be seen in a variety of published formats, including exhibition catalogues, scholarly publications, and online publications.[28]

Gallery Edit

American Art Edit

Ancient Egyptian Art Edit

Ancient Near Eastern Art Edit

Arts of the Islamic World Edit

Biblical Manuscripts Edit

Chinese Art Edit

Japanese Art Edit

Korean Art Edit

South Asian & Himalayan Art Edit

Southeast Asian Art Edit

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ "Freer/Sackler rebrands its identity as the National Museum of Asian Art". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. December 5, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Collections | Freer and Sackler Galleries". Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "Freer|Sackler: The Smithsonian's Museums of Asian Art - Google Cultural Institute". Googleartproject.com. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  5. ^ Linda Merrill, a former curator of American art at the Freer Gallery, editor of With Kindest Regards: The Correspondence of Charles Lang Freer and James McNeill Whistler, and co-author of Freer: A Legacy of Art.
  6. ^ Smithsonian Institution Archives
  7. ^ a b Smithsonian Institution Archives
  8. ^ Caemmerer, H. Paul. "Charles Moore and the Plan of Washington." Records of the Columbia Historical Society. Vol. 46/47 (1944/1945): 237-258, 256.
  9. ^ a b . Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Archived from the original on December 31, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  10. ^ . Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  11. ^ "Freer Gallery of Art To Reopen After Nearly Two Years". newsdesk.si.edu. Smithsonian. October 11, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  12. ^ "A Closer Look - James McNeill Whistler - Peacock Room". Asia.si.edu. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  13. ^ The Peacock Room
  14. ^ Conservation
  15. ^ "Freer and Sackler Galleries | Collections". Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  16. ^ "Archives - Freer-Sackler".
  17. ^ Bishop, Carl Whiting. "The Carl Whiting Bishop Collection" – via siris-archives.si.edu Library Catalog.
  18. ^ Smith, Myron Bement. "Myron Bement Smith Collection" – via siris-archives.si.edu Library Catalog.
  19. ^ "Benjamin March - A Finding Aid to His Papers at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives".
  20. ^ . Archived from the original on August 5, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  21. ^ Rosin, Henry D.; Lyman, Benjamin Smith; Ueno, Hikoma; Beato, Felice; Rosin, Nancy; Stillfried, Raimund. "Henry and Nancy Rosin Collection of Early Photography of Japan" – via siris-archives.si.edu Library Catalog.
  22. ^ "Archives: Highlights | Freer and Sackler Galleries". Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  23. ^ "Asia After Dark - Freer Gallery of Art - We Stand with Japan | Flickr - Photo Sharing!". Flickr. May 14, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  24. ^ Department of Conservation and Scientific Research. February 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ "Ars Orientalis Freer and Sackler Galleries". Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  26. ^ "Ars Orientalis". Freer/Sackler. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  27. ^ "Fellowships & Internships | Research | Freer and Sackler Galleries". Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  28. ^ "Curatorial Research | Freer and Sackler Galleries". Asia.si.edu. March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2014.

External links Edit

  • Virtual tour of the Freer Gallery of Art provided by Google Arts & Culture
  • Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
  •   Media related to Freer Gallery of Art at Wikimedia Commons

freer, gallery, museum, smithsonian, institution, washington, focusing, asian, freer, arthur, sackler, gallery, together, form, national, museum, asian, united, states, freer, sackler, galleries, house, largest, asian, research, library, country, contain, from. The Freer Gallery of Art is an art museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D C focusing on Asian art The Freer and the Arthur M Sackler Gallery together form the National Museum of Asian Art in the United States 2 The Freer and Sackler galleries house the largest Asian art research library in the country and contain art from East Asia South Asia Southeast Asia the Islamic world the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt as well as a significant collection of American art Freer Gallery of ArtInteractive fullscreen mapEstablished1923Location1050 Independence AvenueWashington D C Coordinates38 53 17 2 N 77 1 38 6 W 38 888111 N 77 027389 W 38 888111 77 027389DirectorChase F RobinsonPublic transit accessSmithsonianWebsitewww asia si eduFreer Gallery Of ArtU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic LandmarkFront entrance to the Freer Gallery of ArtBuilt1923ArchitectPlatt Charles A Architectural styleLate 19th and 20th century revivals Florentine RenaissanceNRHP reference No 69000295 1 Added to NRHPJune 23 1969The gallery is located on the south side of the National Mall in Washington D C contiguous with the Sackler Gallery The museum is open 364 days a year being closed on Christmas and is administered by a single staff with the Sackler Gallery The galleries were among the most visited art museums in the world The Freer houses over 26 000 objects spanning 6 000 years of history from the Neolithic to modern eras The collections include ancient Egyptian stone sculpture and wooden objects ancient Near Eastern ceramics and metalware Chinese paintings and ceramics Korean pottery and porcelain Japanese folding screens Persian manuscripts and Buddhist sculpture In addition to Asian art the Freer also contains the famous Harmony in Blue and Gold The Peacock Room better known as The Peacock Room by American artist James McNeill Whistler which serves as the centerpiece to the Freer s American art collection The museum offers free tours to the public and presents a full schedule events for the public including films lectures symposia concerts performances and discussions Over 11 000 objects from the Freer Sackler collections are fully searchable and available online 3 The Freer was also featured in the Google Art Project which offers online viewers close up views of selected items from the Freer 4 Contents 1 History 1 1 Founding 1 2 Construction and architecture 1 3 Current 2 Exhibitions 3 American art at the Freer 4 F S Online 5 F S Archives and Library 6 Public programs 7 Conservation 8 Scholarship 9 Gallery 9 1 American Art 9 2 Ancient Egyptian Art 9 3 Ancient Near Eastern Art 9 4 Arts of the Islamic World 9 5 Biblical Manuscripts 9 6 Chinese Art 9 7 Japanese Art 9 8 Korean Art 9 9 South Asian amp Himalayan Art 9 10 Southeast Asian Art 10 See also 11 References 12 External linksHistory Edit nbsp Entrance to the Freer Gallery of ArtFounding Edit The gallery was founded by Detroit railroad car manufacturer and self taught connoisseur Charles Lang Freer He owned the largest collection of works by American artist James McNeill Whistler 1834 1903 and became a patron and friend of the famously irascible artist Whistler made it very clear to Freer that if he helped him to build the premier Whistler collection then that collection would have to be displayed in a city where tourists went 5 In 1908 Charles Moore a former aide to Michigan United States Senator James McMillin and the chairman of the United States Commission of Fine Arts moved from Washington D C to Detroit Moore became friends with Freer who was director of the Michigan Car Company and persuaded Freer to permanently exhibit his 8 000 piece collection of Oriental art in Washington D C Before then Freer informally proposed to President Theodore Roosevelt that he give to the nation his art collection funds to construct a building and an endowment fund to provide for the study and acquisition of very fine examples of Oriental Egyptian and Near Eastern fine arts 6 The Freer gift was accepted on behalf of the government by the Smithsonian Board of Regents in 1906 Freer s will however contained certain requirements that only objects from the permanent collection could be exhibited in the gallery and that none of the art could be exhibited elsewhere Freer felt strongly that all of the museum s holding should be readily accessible to scholars at all times In addition Freer s bequest to the Smithsonian came with the proviso that he would execute full curatorial control over the collection until his death The Smithsonian initially hesitated at the requirements but the intercession of President Theodore Roosevelt allowed for the project to proceed The Freer Gallery possesses an autographed letter from Roosevelt inviting Freer to visit him at the White House reflecting the personal interest Roosevelt showed in the development of the museum Freer died before the art gallery was completed citation needed Construction and architecture Edit nbsp Drawing of the North ElevationConstruction of the gallery began in 1916 and was completed in 1921 after a delay due to World War I 7 On May 9 1923 the Freer Gallery of Art was opened to the public Designed by American architect and landscape planner Charles A Platt the Freer is an Italian Renaissance style building inspired by Freer s visits to palazzos in Italy 8 It is reported that in a meeting with architect Charles Platt at the Plaza Hotel in New York City Freer jotted down his ideas for a classical well proportioned building on a napkin 9 The gallery is constructed primarily of granite the exterior of the Freer is pink granite quarried in Milford Massachusetts the courtyard has a carnelian granite fountain and walls of unpolished Tennessee white marble The gallery s interior walls are Indiana limestone and the floors are polished Tennessee marble citation needed A major renovation of the building which culminated in a grand reopening in 1993 greatly expanded storage and exhibition space by connecting the Freer and the Arthur M Sackler Gallery With the addition of the connecting gallery the Freer has 39 039 square feet 3 626 8 m2 of public space The original structure designed by Platt remains intact including the Eugene and Agnes E Meyer Auditorium which serves as the venue for many public programs citation needed Current Edit After opening in 1923 the Freer served as the Smithsonian s first museum dedicated to the fine arts 10 The Freer was also the first Smithsonian museum created from a private collector s bequest Through the years the collections have grown through gifts and purchases to nearly triple the size of Freer s original donation nearly 18 000 works of Asian art have been added since Freer s death in 1919 citation needed The Freer is now connected by an underground exhibition space to the neighboring Arthur M Sackler Gallery Although their collections are stored and exhibited separately the two museums share a director administration and staff The Freer closed for extensive renovations in January 2016 and reopened in October 2017 11 Exhibitions EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message nbsp Because one of the main conditions of Charles Lang Freer donation stated that only items from his collection may be exhibited at the gallery the Freer does not borrow from or lend out items to other institutions However due to the 26 000 objects in the gallery s collections they are still able to present exhibitions internationally recognized for both depth and quality The Freer also has a number of rotating temporary exhibits American art at the Freer Edit nbsp The Peacock Room by WhistlerFreer began collecting American art in the 1880s 9 In 1890 after meeting James Abbott McNeill Whistler an American artist influenced by Japanese prints and Chinese ceramics Freer began to expand his collections to include Asian art He maintained his interest in American art however amassing a collection of over 1 300 works by Whistler which is considered the world s finest citation needed One of the most well known exhibits at the Freer is The Peacock Room an opulent London dining room painted by Whistler in 1876 77 The room was designed for British shipping magnate F R Leyland 12 and is lavishly decorated with green and gold peacock motifs Purchased by Freer in 1904 and installed in the Freer Gallery after his death The Peacock Room is on permanent display 13 During its time in the Freer Gallery the Peacock Room underwent large scale conservation projects in the 1940s and the early 1990s and a major restoration in the summer of 2022 14 The Freer also has works by Thomas Dewing 1851 1938 Dwight Tryon 1849 1925 Abbott Handerson Thayer 1849 1921 Childe Hassam 1859 1935 Winslow Homer 1836 1910 Augustus Saint Gaudens 1848 1907 Willard Metcalf 1858 1925 John Singer Sargent 1856 1925 and John Twachtman 1853 1902 15 F S Online EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Freer Sackler provides several online resources for exploring the art and culture of Asia and its American art collections Besides the collections objects viewable online thousands of photographs archeological diaries maps and archaeological squeezes impressions of carvings have been digitized and are used by researchers from around the world F S Archives and Library Edit nbsp This earthenware dish from 9th century Abbasid Iraq is one of the many artifacts exhibited at the Freer Gallery The Freer Sackler Archives 16 houses over 120 important manuscripts collections relevant to the study of America s encounter with Asian art and culture The core collection is the personal papers of gallery founder Charles Lang Freer which includes his purchase records diaries and personal correspondence with public figures such as artists dealers and collectors Freer s extensive correspondence with James McNeill Whistler forms one of the largest sources of primary documents about the American artist Other significant collections in the Archives includes the papers notebooks letters photography squeezes and personal objects of the German archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld 1879 1946 documenting his research at Samarra Persepolis and Pasargadae The papers of Carl Whiting Bishop 17 Dwight William Tryon Myron Bement Smith 18 Benjamin March 19 and Henri Vever 20 are also located at the Archives The Archives also holds over 125 000 photographs of Asia dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries Highlights of photographic holdings include the Henry and Nancy Rosin Collection of 19th century photography of Japan 21 the 1903 1904 photographs of the Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi and photographs of Iran by Antoin Sevruguin 22 The Freer Sackler Library is the largest Asian art research library in the United States Open to the public five days a week except federal holidays without appointment the library collection consists of more than 86 000 volumes including nearly 2 000 rare books Half the volumes are written and catalogued in Asian languages Originating from the collection of four thousand monographs periodical issues offprints and sales catalogues that Charles Lang Freer donated to the Smithsonian Institution as part of his gift to the nation the F S Library maintains the highest standards for collecting materials an active program of purchases gifts and exchanges citation needed In July 1987 the library moved to its new home in the Arthur M Sackler Gallery Today it supports activities of both museums such as collection development exhibition planning publications and other scholarly and educational projects Its published and unpublished resources in the fields of Asian art and archaeology conservation painting sculpture architecture drawings prints manuscripts books and photography are available to museum staff outside researchers and the visiting public citation needed Public programs EditThe Eugene and Agnes E Meyer Auditorium named after American financier and publisher Eugene Meyer and journalist social activist Agnes E Meyer is located in the Freer and provides a venue for a broad variety of free public programs These programs include concerts of music and dance lectures chamber music and dramatic presentations It is also known for its film series highlighting a wide variety of Asian cultures including a Korean Film Festival and Iranian Film Festival citation needed Most recently the museums began the series Asia After Dark opening up the space for musicians dancing Asian cuisine and other after work adventures The Freer and Sackler s We Stand With Japan in 2011 hosted Steve Aoki 23 Free drop in tours are available daily and guide visitors through both featured exhibitions and specific themes in both the Freer and Sackler galleries and a wide range of public lectures provide in depth experiences with prominent artists and scholars citation needed Conservation EditCare of the collections began before the museum came into existence as Charles Lang Freer the founder of the Freer Gallery of Art hired Japanese painting restorers to care for his works and to prepare them for their eventual home as part of the Smithsonian Institution In 1932 the Freer Gallery of Art hired a full time Japanese restorer and established what was to become the East Asian Painting Conservation Studio This facility remains one of the few in the United States that specializes in the conservation of Asian paintings 7 The Technical Laboratory was established in 1951 when chemist Rutherford J Gettens moved from the Fogg Museum at Harvard University to the Freer The laboratory was the first Smithsonian facility devoted to the use of scientific methods for the study of works of art Over the years the work of the Technical Laboratory expanded to include objects paper and exhibits conservation The Technical Laboratory and the East Asian Painting Conservation Studio merged in 1990 to create the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research for both the Freer and Sackler Galleries 24 The conservators in the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research care for and treat works of art in the collection and prepare them for exhibition The department works to ensure long term preservation and storage safe handling exhibition and transport of artworks in the permanent collection as well as those on loan In addition conservators are responsible for conducting technical examinations of objects already in the collection and those under consideration for acquisition They also collaborate frequently with the department s scientists on technical and applied research Training and professional outreach efforts are an integral part of the department s commitment to educating future conservators museum professionals and the public about conservation citation needed Scholarship EditThe Freer has had a long tradition in serving as a center for inquiry and advanced scholarship about Asia The Freer not only presents lectures and symposia to the public but it also copublishes the Ars Orientalis with the University of Michigan Department of History of Art Ars Orientalis is a peer reviewed annual volume of scholarly articles and occasional reviews of books on the art and archaeology of Asia the ancient Near East and the Islamic world 25 26 The Freer and Sackler along with the Metropolitan Center for Far Eastern Art Studies in Kyoto Japan presents the Shimada Prize for distinguished scholarship in the history of East Asian art The award was established in 1992 in honor of Professor Shimada Shujiro by the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M Sackler Gallery and by The Metropolitan Center for Far Eastern Art Studies in Kyoto Japan Several fellowships are also available to support graduate students and visiting scholars including the Andrew W Mellon Fellowship Anne Van Biema Fellowship Japanese Visual Arts Iran Heritage Foundation IHF Fellowship Persian art Lunder Fellowship J S Lee Memorial Fellowship Chinese Art Smithsonian Institution Fellowship and the Freer Fellowship 27 Freer and Sackler curators are also involved in dozens of ongoing research projects often with colleagues from institutions around the world The results of their work can be seen in a variety of published formats including exhibition catalogues scholarly publications and online publications 28 Gallery EditAmerican Art Edit nbsp The Princess from the Land of Porcelain by James Abbott McNeill Whistler Oil on canvas 1863 1865 nbsp Early Evening by Winslow Homer Oil on canvas 1881 nbsp Portrait of Mrs Brush by George de Forest Brush Oil on canvas 1888 nbsp Breakfast in the Loggia by John Singer Sargent Oil on canvas 1910Ancient Egyptian Art Edit nbsp Head of a pharaoh wearing the White Crown hedjet of Upper Egypt Diorite Old Kingdom 5th or 6th Dynasty 2494 2181 BC nbsp Miniature glassware vessels New Kingdom 18th Dynasty 1550 1307 BC nbsp Plaque depicting a goose Limestone 26th Dynasty 664 525 BC Ancient Near Eastern Art Edit nbsp Shapur Hunting Plate Silver and gilt Sasanian Empire reign of Shapur II 301 379 nbsp Vase decorated with figures of dancing females Silver and gilt Sasanian Empire 6th 7th centuryArts of the Islamic World Edit nbsp Folio from the Quran manuscript Ink color and gold on parchment Abbasid period 9th 10th century nbsp Golden Ewer inscribed with name and titles of Izz al Dawla r 967 978 nbsp Samanid Bowl Earthenware painted under glaze 10th century nbsp Candlestick Brass inlaid with copper silver and black organic material Seljuk period c 1150 1200 nbsp Plate made by Abu Zayd Kashani Lustreware Kashan December 1210 nbsp Canteen with the designs of both Christian and Islamic origin Brass silver inlay Syria or Northern Iraq mid 13th century nbsp Beaker Glass Mamluk period Syria late 13th century nbsp Sam granting an audience to Queen Sindukht Folio from the Freer Small Shahnama Ilkhanid period early 14th century nbsp Folio from a Divan collected poems by Sultan Ahmad Jalayir with calligraphy attributed to Mir Ali Tabrizi and drawings attributed to Abd al Hayy Jalayirid period Baghdad or Tabriz c 1400 nbsp Plate Iznik pottery Ottoman period Iznik early 16th century nbsp Majnun approaches the camp of Layli s caravan by Shaykh Mohammad Sabzevari Folio from the manuscript of Haft Awrang by Jami Safavid period 1556 1565 nbsp Monochrome ceramic bottle Fritware painted under glaze Safavid Iran 17th centuryBiblical Manuscripts Edit nbsp Washington manuscript I Greek parchment codex containing Deuteronomy and Joshua Early 5th century nbsp Washington Manuscript II Rahlfs 1219 Greek parchment codex of the Psalms 5th century CE nbsp Codex Washingtonianus Greek parchment codex with Gospels 4th or 5th century nbsp Washington Manuscript IV Codex Freerianus Greek vellum codex 5th century CE nbsp Washington Manuscript V Greek on papyri Twelve Minor Prophets 3rd century CE nbsp St John of the Ladder Climacus illustration from a Klimax manuscript Byzantine period early 12th century nbsp Portrait of Saint Mark in Armenian Gospel manuscript Yohanes Armenia 1253Chinese Art Edit nbsp Dagger axe with inscription of thirty characters Jade nephrite Erlitou culture or early Shang dynasty c 2000 c 1400 p n e nbsp Ritual wine ewer guang with taotie dragons and real animals Late Shang dynasty 11th century BCE nbsp Fangyi with cast inscription of 187 characters which commemorates three days of meetings and ceremonies held in Chengzhou during the reign of King Zhao 977 75 957 BC nbsp Basin jian with narrative scenes Bronze Eastern Zhou 5th century BCE nbsp Disk bi with knobs feline and dragon Nephrite Han dynasty between 100 and 220 CE nbsp Buddha Vairocana draped in robes portraying the Realms of Existence Limestone Northern Qi between 550 and 577 nbsp Lidded box in the form of a melon with grapevines and knob in the shape of a rodent Cast and hammered silver with chased and ring punched decoration and leaf gilding Tang dynasty late 7th early 8th century nbsp Guan ware vase Song dynasty 12th century nbsp Bodhisattva Guanyin Gilded domeykite Dali Kingdom 12th century nbsp Standing Bodhisattva Wood Jin dynasty nbsp Sheep and goat by Zhao Mengfu Handscroll Yuan dynasty c 1300 nbsp Dish with copper red glaze and a Xuande mark in cobalt oxide on the base Ming dynasty 1426 1435 nbsp Cloisonne stupa with gilt ornaments Qing dynasty mid to late 18th century Japanese Art Edit nbsp The Buddha at Birth Gilt bronze Asuka period 7th century nbsp Lotus Sutra Ink gold silver and color on paper Late Heian period mid 12th century nbsp Guardian figure Wood Kamakura period early 14th century nbsp Buddhist Luohan by Ryōzen Hanging scroll Nanboku chō period mid 14th century nbsp Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons Autumn and Winter by Sesshu Tōyō Screen six panel Muromachi period late 15th early 16th century nbsp Karatsu Vase with lacquer lid for use as tea ceremony water jar Momoyama period 1596 1615 nbsp A festival at the Sumiyoshi Shrine Color and gold on paper Edo period early 17th century nbsp A Shinto Priest Three Women and a Child by Katsushika Hokusai Ink gold and color on paper Edo period ca 1799 1801Korean Art Edit nbsp Cinerary urn Unglazed stoneware Silla early 8th century nbsp Wine ewer in the form of a melon Stoneware with black inlay under celadon glaze Gangjin kilns Goryeo period second half of 12th early 13th century nbsp Ewer Stoneware with copper red pigment and white slip under celadon glaze Gangjin or Buan kilns Goryeo period mid 13th century nbsp Water moon Avalokitesvara Suwol Gwaneum bosal Ink color and gold on silk Late Goryeo period mid 14th centurySouth Asian amp Himalayan Art Edit nbsp One face of a fence rail from Bharhut Worship at a Stupa Sandstone Madhya Pradesh India early 2nd century BCE nbsp Four Scenes from the Life of the Buddha Detail Parinirvana Stone Gandhara art Pakistan or Afghanistan Kushan period late 2nd early 3rd century nbsp Standing Buddha Red sikri sandstone Mathura Gupta period 320 485 nbsp Queen Sembiyan Mahadevi as the Goddess Parvati Bronze Chola dynasty 10th century nbsp The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Brass alloy with copper and tin inlay Western Tibet 11th century nbsp Jain shrine of Parshvanatha Copper alloy Khajuraho region 1097 nbsp The Buddha distributes honey from a Prajnaparamita manuscript Opaque watercolor and ink on palm leaf West Bengal 12th century nbsp Ivory Throne Leg Eastern Ganga dynasty 13th century nbsp Bodhisattva White Avalokiteshvara Amoghapasha Lokeshvara Wood and polychromy Nepal 14th century nbsp Vasantavilas detail Scroll Opaque watercolor ink and gold on paper mounted on cloth Gujarat 1451 nbsp Sri Cakrasamvara and Vajravarahi Copper gilt jewel inlay Nepal 16th 17th century nbsp Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings by Bichitr Opaque watercolor ink and gold on paper Mughal c 1615 1618 nbsp Goddess Bhadrakali Worshipped by the Gods from a tantric Devi series Opaque watercolor gold silver and beetle wing cases on paper Pahari Punjab Hills c 1660 1670 nbsp Rosewater sprinkler Silver and gold India c 1775 1800 Southeast Asian Art Edit nbsp Durga Mahishasuramardini Slayer of the Buffalo Demon Stone andesite Central Javanese Period 9th century nbsp Standing Buddha and tabernacle Bronze Thailand 12th 13th century nbsp Dish Stoneware with white slip and cobalt pigment under colorless glaze Red River Delta kilns Le dynasty 15th century nbsp Jar Stoneware with cobalt pigment under clear glaze Red River Delta kilns Le dynasty 15th century nbsp Head of a Buddha Bronze with glass and mother of pearl Thailand Ayutthaya period ca 1700See also EditBiblical Manuscripts in the Freer Collection Pewabic Pottery Ernst Herzfeld and Persepolis Zhou Jichang Charles Lang Freer medal Lin Tinggui J Keith WilsonReferences Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 Freer Sackler rebrands its identity as the National Museum of Asian Art The Art Newspaper International art news and events December 5 2019 Retrieved May 25 2022 Collections Freer and Sackler Galleries Asia si edu March 15 2013 Retrieved June 6 2014 Freer Sackler The Smithsonian s Museums of Asian Art Google Cultural Institute Googleartproject com Retrieved June 6 2014 Linda Merrill a former curator of American art at the Freer Gallery editor of With Kindest Regards The Correspondence of Charles Lang Freer and James McNeill Whistler and co author of Freer A Legacy of Art Smithsonian Institution Archives a b Smithsonian Institution Archives Caemmerer H Paul Charles Moore and the Plan of Washington Records of the Columbia Historical Society Vol 46 47 1944 1945 237 258 256 a b Charles Lang Freer About Us Freer and Sackler Galleries Asia si edu March 15 2013 Archived from the original on December 31 2011 Retrieved June 6 2014 The Freer Gallery of Art About Us Freer and Sackler Galleries Asia si edu March 15 2013 Archived from the original on August 26 2014 Retrieved June 6 2014 Freer Gallery of Art To Reopen After Nearly Two Years newsdesk si edu Smithsonian October 11 2017 Retrieved March 4 2018 A Closer Look James McNeill Whistler Peacock Room Asia si edu Retrieved June 6 2014 The Peacock Room Conservation Freer and Sackler Galleries Collections Asia si edu March 15 2013 Retrieved June 6 2014 Archives Freer Sackler Bishop Carl Whiting The Carl Whiting Bishop Collection via siris archives si edu Library Catalog Smith Myron Bement Myron Bement Smith Collection via siris archives si edu Library Catalog Benjamin March A Finding Aid to His Papers at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M Sackler Gallery Archives Henri Vever A Finding Aid to His Papers at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M Sackler Gallery Archives Archived from the original on August 5 2013 Retrieved January 31 2011 Rosin Henry D Lyman Benjamin Smith Ueno Hikoma Beato Felice Rosin Nancy Stillfried Raimund Henry and Nancy Rosin Collection of Early Photography of Japan via siris archives si edu Library Catalog Archives Highlights Freer and Sackler Galleries Asia si edu March 15 2013 Retrieved June 6 2014 Asia After Dark Freer Gallery of Art We Stand with Japan Flickr Photo Sharing Flickr May 14 2011 Retrieved June 6 2014 Department of Conservation and Scientific Research Archived February 2 2007 at the Wayback Machine Ars Orientalis Freer and Sackler Galleries Asia si edu March 15 2013 Retrieved June 6 2014 Ars Orientalis Freer Sackler Retrieved March 20 2019 Fellowships amp Internships Research Freer and Sackler Galleries Asia si edu March 15 2013 Retrieved June 6 2014 Curatorial Research Freer and Sackler Galleries Asia si edu March 15 2013 Retrieved June 6 2014 External links EditVirtual tour of the Freer Gallery of Art provided by Google Arts amp Culture Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M Sackler Gallery nbsp Media related to Freer Gallery of Art at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Freer Gallery of Art amp oldid 1169028921, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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