Handbook of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts / With 143 Illustrations

Handbook of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts With 143 Illustrations
Joseph Breck and Henry Wehle



When the Institute was first opened, little more than two and one half years ago, the permanent collection occupied but a small part of the exhibition space. Since then the collection has increased in size and importance to an extent that warrants us, we feel, in publishing this illustrated handbook, which, although intended primarily for the use and convenience of visitors, at the same time may not be without interest as a record of accomplishment within so brief a period. This rapid development of our collection has been made possible, first of all, by the great liberality of numerous friends, but it has been facilitated by firm adherence to a well defined policy in respect to acquisitions. This policy is based on two cardinal beliefs. The first is that an art museum is of the greatest value to a community when its collections embrace both the major and minor arts of all countries and all times. The second is that the standard must be high. It would be idle to pretend that every object in our collection is a masterpiece of the highest order, but it is better to have an ideal, which may not be wholly realized, than to have none.
In the preparation of this handbook, I have been aided by Mr. Harry B. Wehle, Assistant to the Institute Staff, who is responsible for the notes on XIX Century and modern art. My part of the work, except for general supervision, has been confined to the earlier periods.
September 12, 1917.
JOSEPH BRECK, Director

The Institute is maintained by the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts, incorporated in 1883 for the purpose of promoting a knowledge and love of art in the community. The purpose of the Society found its first expression in a school of art, established in 1886 and for many years carried on in rooms in the building of the Public Library. Since November, 1916, the School has occupied its own building, the Julia Morrison Memorial Building, situated in the same Park as the Institute. From its inception, however, the members of the Society of Fine Arts had purposed establishing, in addition to the art school, a museum of art. In 1911 this hope suddenly began to take the shape of reality. In January of that year, Clinton Morrison offered as a gift to the Society the ten acre tract of land at Twenty-fourth Street between Stevens and Third Avenues, valued at $250,000, as a site for museum and school buildings, provided $500,000 should be secured for the erection of the museum. Immediately upon the announcement of Mr. Morrison's generous offer, William Hood Dunwoody, then President of the Society, promised $100,000 for the building fund. At a dinner held on January 10, 1911, approximately $250,000 additional was pledged by other public-spirited citizens, and by the end of the month the entire sum for building had been obtained.