American Art | European Art | Egyptian, Etruscan, & Greek Art | Asian Art | African, Pre-Columbian, & Oceanic Art | Kress Study Collection

Beginning with Anna C. Hoyt's generous donation of 105 Old Master and modern prints more than 50 years ago, the collection has continued to flourish and increase the depth, diversity, and number of its holdings. Now totaling more than 5,500 works, it serves to illustrate the history of world art in its most creative and comprehensive aspects. This art historical collection is the only one of its kind in the area, serving the needs of students and the wider community.

The collection has grown to include strong works in East Asian art with the Harold P. Stern Collection, the Chauncey P. Lowe Collection, and the Herman D. Doochin Collection; European Old Master paintings with the Kress Study Collection; paintings from the Barbizon school; and African, Oceanic, and Pre-Columbian art and artifacts from the Marjorie and Leon Marlowe Collection.

In recent years, the gallery has sought to increase its holdings of works by internationally recognized contemporary artists. Examples from this portion of the collection include Arion Press' Biotherm by Frank O'Hara with lithographs by Jim Dine; Louis Bourgeois' and Arthur Miller's Homely Girl, A Life, published by Peter Blum Editions; Paesaggi by Mimmo Paladino, published by Waddington Graphics; Leslie Dill's A Word Made Flesh and her Homage to N.S., published by Landfall Press; and Enrique Chagoya's The Enlightened Savage, published by Trillium Press; as well as graphics by artists such as Tjeu Teeuwen, Peter Foolen, Hans Waanders, Kees Verbeck, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Richard Long, Joseph Kosuth, Roni Horn, Mona Hatoum, Hamish Fulton, and Sol LeWitt.

In addition to gifts of important pieces from university supporters, objects have been acquired through corporate and special purchases made possible with funds from the Vanderbilt Art Association, the Dr. and Mrs. E. William Ewers Gift for Fine Arts, and numerous private donors.

The works comprising the Vanderbilt Fine Arts Collection represent a tradition of fine craftsmanship and cultural values. With objects of such diversity, ranging from monumental sculpture to the decorative arts, the collection increasingly promises to enrich the university community and visitors for generations to come.

The Fine Arts Collection is used for the development of temporary exhibitions as well as for student study and research. Therefore the entire collection is not on view in its entirety at any given time. For current exhibition information please visit our exhibition schedule.