National Portrait Gallery Annual Report

National Portrait GalleryAnnual ReportOctober 1, 2007–September 30, 2008

National Portrait GalleryAnnual ReportOctober 1, 2007–September 30, 2008Message from the Director 4Exhibitions 5Major Acquisitions 7Publications 8Education 9Media Coverage 11Development 12Financial Summary 14Commission & Senior Staff 15

From the DirectorThis is a year of leadership transition for both the NationalPortrait Gallery and the Smithsonian Institution. I beganserving in April 2008 as the fifth director of the museum, and onJuly 1, Dr. G. Wayne Clough took office as the new Secretary of theInstitution. Additionally, as terms expired, the Portrait Gallery’sCommission elected Mallory Walker as chair and John O. Boocheveras vice chair.It has been a period of great achievements for the museum.Under the leadership of former director Marc Pachter, the NationalPortrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museumcelebrated the opening of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard,with its undulating glass roof, in November 2007. This crownedthe renovation of our National Historic Landmark building, oncethe Old Patent Office, now designated the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture.The Lunder Conservation Center also won the prestigious Keck Award from the International Institute forConservation of Historic and Artistic Works. The Portrait Gallery presented eight major new exhibitionsand two special installations; we also rotated more than one hundred works in the permanent collectiongalleries. More than seventy new works were added to our collections, and sixty new subjects are nowrepresented.The Portrait Gallery also had a surprise addition to its exhibition schedule when Stephen Colbertfeatured the museum on his mock-news analysis show, The Colbert Report. In three episodes, Colbert setout on a fantasy quest to have his portrait included among the greats. The sequence concluded with thePortrait Gallery temporarily hanging his humorous portrait. It was a hit with Colbert fans and brought inthousands of new visitors to the museum.This report demonstrates the unique public-private partnership of our museum by showing how federalfunds and the support provided through the generosity of our donors work together to help the PortraitGallery achieve its goals. It also explains in more detail the achievements and initiatives that have beencarried out this fiscal year.The good work that the Portrait Gallery does could not be completed without the support of all ofour donors. I am especially grateful for the generous leadership of lead supporters Helen Reinsch, Jon andLillian Lovelace, and, most especially, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.Sincerely,Martin E. SullivanDirector4

ExhibitionsThe National Portrait Gallery mounted an ambitiousexhibition schedule, installed more than one hundred objectsin permanent collection galleries, and mounted two specialinstallations. The special exhibitions and installations ondisplay this fiscal year were:Legacy: Spain and the United States in the Age ofIndependence, 1763–1848September 27, 2007–February 10, 2008This exhibition was made possible by a generous grant from TheWalt Disney Company. Additional support was provided by BBVA,Grupo Barceló, Iberdrola, and Iberia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairsand Cooperation of Spain, the Ministry of Culture of Spain, andthe Embassy of Spain in the United States also contributed to therealization of this project.Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African AmericanPortraitsOctober 19, 2007–March 2, 2008This exhibition, national tour, and catalog were made possible bya generous grant from MetLife Foundation. Additional supportwas provided by the Council of the National Museum of AfricanAmerican History and Culture.One Life: KATE: A Centennial CelebrationNovember 2, 2007–September 28, 2008This exhibition was funded in part by the Guenther and SiewchinYong Sommer Endowment Fund and the Marc Pachter ExhibitionFund.RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and ContemporaryPortraitureFebruary 2–October 26, 2008This exhibition was made possible by the Marc Pachter ExhibitionFund. For their additional support of the exhibition we acknowledgePeggy Cooper Cafritz, Verizon Wireless, Julie Roberts, and Nike.Edward Steichen: PortraitsApril 11–September 1, 2008This exhibition was made possible by the Marc Pachter ExhibitionFund.5

ExhibitionsZaida Ben-Yusuf: New York Portrait PhotographerApril 11–September 1, 2008This exhibition was made possible by the Marc Pachter Exhibition Fund.Herblock’s Presidents: “Puncturing Pomposity”May 2–November 30, 2008Ths exhibition was made possible by a generous grant from The HerbBlock Foundation.Ballyhoo! Posters as PortraitureMay 9, 2008–February 8, 2009This exhibition was made possible by the Marc Pachter Exhibition Fund.2008 Presidential Scholars in the Arts: Works in theLiterary and Visual Arts (special installation)June 22–July 13, 2008Four Indian Kings (special installation)September 12–January 25, 2009Lent by the Public Archives of Canada, a program of the Library andArchives of Canada6

Major AcquisitionsThe National Portrait Gallery acquired seventy-seven objects in the past year, and through theseacquisitions the museum now includes sixty new subjects. Highlights are:Title or Subject Lifedates Artist Medium DatePaintingsCharles Cotesworth Pinckney 1746–1825 John Trumbull oil on wood panel 1791Thomas Ash II 1785–c. 1824 Thomas Sully oil on canvas 1807Cormac McCarthy b. 1933 Andrew Tift acrylic on canvas 2004PhotographsAbraham Lincoln 1809–1865 George B. Clark ambrotype campaign pin 1860Madame C. J. Walker 1867–1919 Addison N. Scurlock gelatin silver print c. 1914Prints and DrawingsAbraham Lincoln 1809–1865 Lambert Hollis ink wash over graphite 1865A collection of nine works that include portraits of:Martha Stewart b. 1941 David Levine watercolor 2004Noam Chomsky b. 1928 David Levine ink drawing 1972E. L. Doctorow b. 1931 David Levine ink drawing 1980New MediaJason Salavon’s Late Night Triad, Part I: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Part II: Late Night with Conan O’Brien,* Part III:Late Show with David LettermanJay Leno b. 1950 Jason Salavon three synchronized digital 2003David Letterman b. 1947image and audio files(3:35 minutes looped)*O’Brien was added to the museum’s temporary collection7

Publications and Online PresenceCatalogs were published withthree exhibitions this past fiscalyear: Legacy: Spain and the UnitedStates in the Age of Independence,1763–1848 by Carolyn KinderCarr et al.; Zaida Ben-Yusuf:New York Portrait Photographerby Frank H. Goodyear III; andBallyhoo! Posters as Portraiture byWendy Wick Reaves.A booklet accompanied theexhibition “RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and ContemporaryPortraiture.” The Portrait Gallery’s quarterly publication,Profile, was published with fall 2007 and winter/spring2007–8 issues.The National Portrait Gallery has maintained a vigorouspresence on the web and in FY 2008 this was enhanced bythe addition of a Facebook page that in its first few monthsgarnered 1,300 fans. Additionally, the museum’s Flickrpage fans posted more than 600 photos; and the PortraitGallery received nearlyfive million visits to itswebsite during this period.A new blog, called “Faceto-Face,”was launched inMarch, featuring articles onartists, sitters, and behindthe-scenesstories aboutthe museum. In all, “Faceto-Face”received 21,000views in FY 2008. In addition to regular updates of programs,events, and publications for the website, the Portrait Gallerycreated new web features for NPG’s opening exhibitions andlaunched a flash-based slideshow of the Robert and ArleneKogod Courtyard.8

EducationThe National Portrait Gallery’s Education Department prides itself on using the arts as a vehicle tointroduce important Americans in the museum’s collection—along with their significant contributionsto American society—to visitors of all ages. The department continues to develop innovative, thoughtfulprogramming for local and national audiences. Using the exhibitions in the National Portrait Galleryas a catalyst for these educational offerings, the department has brought the collection alive throughinteractive school tours, adult tours, adult and family programming, and outreach efforts. In fiscal year2008, the department reached more than 33,000 people through various programming initiatives.Schools can prearrange tours that feature the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection and specialtemporary exhibitions. These interactive tours are grade-specific, including a program designed forkindergarten to third grade, and are standards-based, complementing curricula in many subjects.The Education Department also provides professional development workshops for teachers. Integratingportraiture into the classroom provides exciting opportunities to connect students with history,biography, visual art, and many other subjects.Youth and family programs were planned for ten of the past twelve months. The programs connectvisitors to the museum through exploration of the portraits in the collection. Presidents’ Dayweekend 2007 had special significance for the Portrait Gallery. More than 12,000 visitors entered thebuilding that day, and more than 25,000 visited that weekend. The family program included historicreenactments, art and history activities, a story, and a self-guided tour through the museum’s “America’sPresidents” exhibition.9

Education“Portraits Alive!” combined several aspects of museum education.This unique program employed twelve local high schoolstudents who, over a period of ten weeks, researched and wrotebiographical monologues related to portraits in the museum.The students gave tours to the public over a period of two weeks,during which they performed their pieces on an eleven-stop tourof the museum. (One student portrayed a docent!)“Cultures in Motion” is a performance series that takes placeapproximately six times per year and highlights a person whoseportrait is in the museum’s collection. One of the programs thisyear, “All That Sass,” featured Broadway star Julia Nixon singingSarah Vaughan’s music for a standing-room-only audience. Thisprogram was presented with the National Museum of AfricanAmerican History and Culture as a part of the museums’ jointexhibition “Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African AmericanPortraits.”“Reel Portraits,” a film program at the museum offering a broaderlook at works in the collection, presented ten films this year,including Dog Day Afternoon (1975), New York Is Now (2006),A Life: The Story of Lady Bird Johnson (1992), and Syriana (2005).The Education Department also develops the weekly “Face-to-Face” program of half-hour talks. Taking place each Thursday in the Portrait Gallery, each program is designedto offer more biographical information about a selected sitter and artist.The volunteer docent corps led tours of the permanent collection and special exhibitions daily and interactedwith thousands of visitors during the course of the year.10

Media CoverageThe museum received media coverage across the nation this fiscal year. Here are some of the highlights.“RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture” received thousands of column inches, including articlesin the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and America.gov.In January The Colbert Report, a mock-news-analysis program, featured the Smithsonian in a three-part series.In these episodes, comedian Stephen Colbert attempted to donate his portrait to the National Museum ofAmerican History and then to the National Portrait Gallery. The Portrait Gallery hung the portrait from January15 to April 1, 2008, and received thousands of column inches in coverage, as well as mentions on programsacross the country. Additionally, the Portrait Gallery received correspondence from many visitors excited tosee the temporary installation. The museum experienced a significant increase in visitors from the additionalpublicity that continued through the summer.The Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard was named one of the seven architectural wonders of the world byCondé Nast Traveler.The Washington Post’s premier art critic, Blake Gopnik, wrote a feature about the painting George Washington atthe Battle of Princeton by Charles Willson Peale. The landmark painting is on loan to the museum. His story usedletters from the Peale Family Papers editing project, which resides at the Portrait Gallery.“Zaida Ben Yusuf: New York Portrait Photographer” was covered by a variety of publications. The mostnoteworthy coverage was a glowing review of the catalog in ARTNews. “Edward Steichen: Portraits” was reviewedin the Washington Post as well as America.gov.The Associated Press, the Washington Post, and America.gov reviewed “Herblock’s Presidents: ‘PuncturingPomposity.’”“Ballyhoo! Posters as Portraiture” was reviewed by the Washington Post and the Washington Times and washighlighted in the July issue of Smithsonian magazine.“The Art of Color,” a story in the Washington Post’s Home section about local museums’ use of color on theirwalls, led with photos from the Portrait Gallery’s exhibition “RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and ContemporaryPortraiture” and featured quotes from the Portrait Gallery’s chief of design and production, Nello Marconi.11

DevelopmentFinancial support for the National Portrait Gallery is vital to the success of its mission. The followingcontributions, pledge commitments, and payments were received from October 1, 2007, to September30, 2008. We are deeply grateful to every donor.Le a d e r s h i p Gi f t s o f $100,000 a n d a b o v eMr. and Mrs. John BoocheverCalamus FoudationMr. and Mrs. Michael CallenDonald W. Reynolds FoundationFord Motor CompanyMr. and Mrs. Jon LovelaceMr. and Mrs. Peter L. MalkinMr. Robert L. McNeil, Jr.Mrs. Helen Marsh ReinschPat r o n s o f $5,000 t o $99,000Mr. and Mrs. J. Thomas AthertonMr. and Mrs. William S. AthertonDr. and Mrs. Jon C. AxtonDr. and Mrs. Lee BeasleyMs. Peggy Cooper CafritzMr. and Mrs. William CameronMr. and Mrs. Percy ChubbMr. and Mrs. Charles ClarkMr. and Mrs. H. P. ClaussenMr. and Mrs. Edward CookMr. and Mrs. Don DahlgrenMr. and Mrs. George DillonMr. and Mrs. Robert EllisDr. Ella Foshay and Mr. Michael RothfeldThe Herblock FoundationDr. and Mrs. Tom HewettDr. and Mrs. Dodge HillMs. Elizabeth Ann HyltonMr. and Mrs. Pete KourtisMr. and Mrs. Aaron LevineMr. and Mrs. Tom LoveMr. and Mrs. Tom McDanielMs. Mary Martell and Mr. Paul JohnsonMr. and Mrs. Herman MeindersMr. and Mrs. V. Thanh NguyenThe Norick FamilyMr. and Mrs. Kenneth OchsMr. and Mrs. Daniel OkrentPearson Art FoundationReed FoundationMr. and Mrs. Robert SlaterMr. and Mrs. J. O. StewartMr. and Mrs. Mallory WalkerMr. and Mrs. Lew WardDr. and Mrs. James WendelkenMr. and Mrs. James WilliamsMr. Robert YellowleesEs t at e Gi f t sMr. and Mrs. William BondMr. Christie HarrisAd o p t -A-Po r t r a i t Do n o r sMr. and Mrs. Anthony BarclayThe Honorable and Mrs. Anthony BeilensonMs. Mary C. BlakeMr. and Mrs. William BondMr. and Mrs. John BoocheverMr. Daniel Brewster, Jr.Dr. Kathleen Buchi and Mr. Kevin BuchiMs. Dorothy del BuenoMr. and Mrs. Percy ChubbMr. and Mrs. H. P. ClaussenMs. Esther CoopersmithMr. and Mrs. Philip CurrieMs. Karen L. DaigleMr. Frank Daniels, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. George DillonMr. and Mrs. Richard EnglandDr. Ella Foshay and Mr. Michael RothfeldMr. and Mrs. E. E. GeduldMs. Lucy GettmanMrs. Gloria Shaw HamiltonMr. Christie HarrisLt. Col. and Mrs. William Karl KonzeMr. Mark KullerMr. and Mrs. Jon LovelaceMr. and Mrs. Peter L. MalkinThe Honorable and Mrs. Walter F. MondaleMr. and Mrs. Roger Mudd12

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel OkrentMs. Laura Peebles & Ms. Ellen FingermanMrs. Helen Marsh ReinschMr. and Mrs. R. Ted SteinbockMs. Sandra SullyMr. and Mrs. Bruce VinokourMr. and Mrs. Jack WatsonMr. John WilmerdingMr. and Mrs. Andrew WyethMa r c Pa c h t e r Fu n d f o r CommissioningMr. Edward H. AbrahamsMr. and Mrs. Christopher AddisonMr. and Mrs. David BoocheverMs. Emily Boochever and Mr. William DanaMr. and Mrs. John BoocheverMs. Mary Boochever and Mr. Kevin TeareDr. Kathleen Buchi and Mr. Kevin BuchiDr. Carolyn K. CarrMr. Thomas A. CellucciMs. Rumana ChaudhuriMr. and Mrs. Percy ChubbMr. and Mrs. H. P. ClaussenDonald W. Reynolds FoundationMr. and Mrs. Douglas EvelynDr. and Mrs. Alan FernDr. Ella Foshay and Mr. Michael RothfeldMr. and Mrs. Alfred FriendlyMs. Renee K. GardnerMr. and Mrs. Joel GoldsteinMrs. Gloria Shaw HamiltonMr. and Mrs. Joseph HowellMr. and Mrs. John JohansenMs. Katherine KellyLt. Col. and Mrs. William Karl KonzeMs. Jill KrementzMr. Neil J. LeiferThe Honorable and Mrs. Marc LelandMr. and Mrs. Jon LovelaceMs. Mary Martell and Mr. Paul JohnsonThe Max and Victoria Dreyfus FoundationMr. Robert L. McNeil, Jr.Ms. Friedrike MerckMs. Kristie MillerThe Honorable and Mrs. Walter F. MondaleMr. and Mrs. Charles NelsonMr. and Mrs. V. Thanh NguyenProf. Barbara Novak and Mr. Brian O’DohertyMr. and Mrs. Daniel OkrentMr. Marc PachterThe Honorable and Mrs. Thomas PickeringMr. Wolfgang PordzikMr. and Mrs. John Daniel ReavesMr. and Mrs. Kermit RooseveltGeneral Brent ScowcroftMr. and Mrs. W. Dean SmithMrs. Helen B. SpauldingMr. and Mrs. Bruce VinokourMs. Diana WalkerMr. John WilmerdingMe m b e r s h i pThe National Portrait Gallery is indebted to the close toone thousand members who support the Portrait Galleryand the Smithsonian American Art Museum throughtheir generosity and attendance at our exhibitions andprograms.13

Financial SummarySources of FundsFederal appropriations $5,707,500Beginning unexpended fund balance $5,388,906Gifts, grants & contracts, & endowment $2,564,354Unrestricted trust and business activites $319,971Trust allocation $292,412TOTAL $14,273,143Uses of Funds—By ProgramExhibitions $3,254,674Collections $2,404,819Public programs $1,847,646Operations and IT $1,350,613Research $467,051Facilities maintenance $349,693Business activities, development, & other $300,222TOTAL $9,974,718Uses of Funds—By Expense CategoryCompensation (salaries & benefits) $5,865,664Other (e.g. supplies, travel, etc.) $2,041,803Contractual services (e.g, IT support, etc.) $1,717,558Facilties services not reimbursed $349,693TOTAL $9,974,718Totals include expenditures of prior year obligations, transfers from other agencies, and centrally administered pool funds.Colors are not coordinated from one pie to another.Resource Document: Managerial Summary Report (SIGL959R) excluding facilities numbers that are provided by OFMR, theSmithsonian’s Office of Facilities Management and Reliability.14

Commission & Senior StaffCommissionMallory Walker, chairJohn O. Boochever, vice chairAnthony C. Beilenson (vice chair, 1994–2008)Sheryll D. CashinSally G. ChubbJeannine Smith Clark*H. P. “Pete” ClaussenJoan Kent DillonElla Milbank FoshayMichael HarreldJill KrementzJon B. Lovelace*Joan A. MondaleRobert B. Morgan*Roger MuddV. Thahn NguyenBarbara Novak (chair 1981–2003)Daniel Okrent (chair 2003–8)W. Dean SmithR. Ted Steinbock**Jack H. WatsonJohn WilmerdingWilliam D. Witliff*retired December 2007**retired August 2008Ex Officio MembersEarl A. Powell IIIJohn G. Roberts Jr.G. Wayne CloughHonorary CommissionersJulie HarrisDavid Levering LewisBette Bao LordFred W. SmithSenior StaffMartin E. Sullivan, directorCarolyn K. Carr, deputy director and chief curatorBeverly Cox, director of exhibitions and collections managementSteve DiGirolamo, special projects managerDru Dowdy, head of publicationsSidney Hart, senior historian and editor, Peale Family PapersRebecca Kasemeyer, director of educationAndrew Klafter, IT managerNello Marconi, chief, design and productionAnnetta McRae, administrative officerEllen Miles, curator of painting and sculptureCindy Lou Molnar, senior conservatorWendy Wick Reaves, curator of prints and drawingsAnn Shumard, curator of photographsLinda Thrift, administrator, Center for Electronic Research and OutreachServicesSherri Weil, director of development and external affairsContactBethany Bentley, public affairs officer (202) 633-8300Photography CreditsUnless otherwise noted, all photographs are by Mark Gulezian, and all imagesare from the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.Front cover: Abraham Lincoln by Alexander Gardner, albumen silver print,1865.Pages 2–3: The second-floor rotunda and entrance to the Portrait Gallery’s“America’s Presidents” exhibitionPage 5: “Let Your Motto Be Resistance,” “One Life: Katharine Hepburn,”“RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture” exhibitions; CharlieChaplin by Edward Steichen, gelatin silver print, 1925. Acquired in memoryof Agnes and Eugene Meyer through the generosity of Katharine Graham andthe New York Community Trust, The Island Fund © The Estate of EdwardSteichen/Joanna T. SteichenPage 6 (clockwise from top right): The Odor of Pomegranates by Zaida Ben-Yusuf,platinum print, 1899. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., Prints andPhotographs Division; Etow Oh Koam, King of the River Nation by John Verelst,oil on canvas, 1710. Library and Archives Canada; acquired in 1977 with theassistance of a special grant from the Government of Canada (“from “FourIndian Kings”); “Ballyhoo! Posters as Portraiture”; and “Herblock’s Presidents:‘Puncturing Pomposity’”Page 9: Young visitors from Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences,Falls Church, Virginia. Photographs by Melanie LaynePage 10: top: Teen Ambassador Christopher Jones depicting Paul Robeson duringa “Portraits Alive!” performance. Photograph by Kirsten Wadas. Bottom:teachers participating in an in-gallery professional development workshopPage 11: Line of visitors waiting to view portrait of Stephen Colbert. Photographby Rob Pongsajapan; Stephen Colbert, digital image on canvas, 2005.Courtesy of The Colbert ReportBack cover: George Washington (“Lansdowne” portrait) by Gilbert Stuart, oilon canvas, 1796. Acquired as a gift to the nation through the generosity of theDonald W. Reynolds Foundation15