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from Japan as the centerpiece of Colorful Realm: Japanese
Bird-and-Flower Paintings by Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800).
This cultural treasure, never before shown in its entirety
outside of Japan, was on view for four weeks during the
National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Gallery was the only U.S. venue for Joan Miró:
The Ladder of Escape, a landmark exhibition that revealed
the politically engaged side of the artist. Telling the story
of Miró’s life and the times that he witnessed reveals the
dark intensity of many of his works. Behind the engaging
innocence of his style lie a profound concern for humanity
and a sense of personal identity. We were grateful to
the many lenders, both public and private, who made the
exhibition possible.
The first comprehensive exhibition of George Bellows’
career in more than three decades premiered at the Gallery
this year. George Bellows is arguably the most important
figure in the generation of artists who negotiated the transition
from the Victorian to the modern era in American
culture. The exhibition George Bellows provided the most
complete account of his achievements to date and introduced
Bellows to new generations.
The first monographic exhibition devoted to Dutch
artist Willem van Aelst, Elegance and Refinement: The
Still-Life Paintings of Willem van Aelst featured remarkable
works. Although Van Aelst is not a household name
today, this seventeenth-century artist was one of the most
famous still-life painters of his day. Elegance and Refinement
celebrated his technical abilities and was accompanied by
the first comprehensive publication on his work.
Artists pursuing various agendas have transformed the
disposable daily paper into compelling works of art, and
Shock of the News shaped our understanding of modern
artists’ responses to the newspaper. Although a handful
of recent exhibitions have explored the topic, this was the
first to offer a systematic examination of the newspaper as
both a material and subject in modern and contemporary
art over the course of a century.
The Gallery is able to produce these exhibitions through
the efforts of many departments. The presentation of its
collection depends on the vital work of its conservators.
The Gallery is fortunate to have forty-two paintings by
Gilbert Stuart, who was declared the “Father of American
Portraiture” by his contemporaries. Fifteen Federal-era
paintings by the American master, including the Gallery’s
portraits of George Washington and John Adams, are
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being conserved through a grant from the Bank of America
Art Conservation Project. The conservation work to date
has resulted in major improvements in the appearance of
the paintings and has greatly increased the stability of the
paint layers. We are extremely grateful to Bank of America,
a longtime supporter of the Gallery, for helping to preserve
these American masterworks.
Giotto’s Madonna and Child was treated for the first
time since it entered the collection in 1939. Removal
of discolored varnish revealed Giotto’s masterful use of
color and fine attention to detail. The treatment also provided
an opportunity for conservators to learn more about
Giotto’s materials and techniques.
Through the efforts of the Gallery’s division of imaging
and visual services, the collection can be enjoyed virtually
by visitors. This year, the Gallery launched NGA Images,
an online open access image resource, containing more
than 21,750 high-resolution, publication-ready digital
images free of charge for immediate download and any use.
Images continue to be added regularly each month.
NGA Images is just one of the online resources that
more than 17.5 million visitors to www.nga.gov accessed
this year. More than 4.2 million visitors came to the
Gallery to experience its renovated spaces, gain a new
appreciation and understanding of artists through exhibitions,
and enjoy the rich offerings of concerts, films, and
other education programs. I join with Board President
Victoria Sant in thanking the Gallery staff and volunteers
who, enabled by support from the federal government,
individuals, foundations, and corporations, work to fulfill
the promise Andrew Mellon made to his country.
Earl A. Powell III