An 1892 oil painting by Elizabeth Nourse titled Self-Portrait at the Easel from the permanent collection of the Huntington Museum of Art has arrived in Germany for an exhibit that began on July 10 and continues through October 27.
This painting is being loaned to the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, Germany, for the exhibition there titled The Städel Women: Networks of Female Artists between Frankfurt and Paris around 1900.
“This loan request is also a reminder of how special the painting is and how fortunate we are that it lives here in Huntington,” said John Farley, HMA Senior Curator/Exhibition Designer.
A special crate had to be custom-ordered to send the painting via fine art shipping to Germany. This is not the first painting from HMA’s permanent collection to travel to Europe for exhibition, but sending an artwork over such a distance requires a lot of work and attention to detail.
“Coordinating an international loan of a work from our collection is not something we do very often,” Farley said. “The decision to approve the Städel Museum’s loan request set in motion a process that has unfolded over months and won’t conclude for several more. From ordering a customized crate to working with a customs broker, this loan has required HMA Registrar/Assistant Curator John Spurlock’s careful attention to ensure that our irreplaceable painting will arrive safely overseas and make it back home this fall. I commend John for his ability to manage these logistics while still ensuring the success of our own exhibitions.”
Two paintings by Elizabeth Nourse are in HMA’s permanent collection because they were gifted to HMA from the late couple Dr. R. Lawrence Dunworth and Deirdre Doolan Dunworth. “Thanks to the generosity of the Dunworths, the Huntington Museum of Art became the home to two beautiful paintings by Elizabeth Nourse in 2021,” said HMA Interim Executive Director Margaret Mary Layne. “Many years ago, the Dunworths worked with HMA to determine which works of art from their personal collection would most strengthen the permanent holdings at the Huntington Museum of Art. They were very kind and thoughtful people who loved HMA and did so many things over the years to support our institution and our collection. Their gift of these two paintings is very much appreciated. It is heartwarming to know that people in Europe will be able to appreciate the beauty of Nourse’s artwork thanks to the generosity of the Dunworths.”
Visitors to the Huntington Museum can enjoy the other large Nourse painting gifted to HMA from the Dunworths titled En repas en famille (The Family Meal), which is on view at HMA during the run of the WE: Community exhibit now through Aug. 25, 2024. This exhibit explores the power of relationships and our connections to one another.
WE: Community is presented with support from the City of Huntington Mayor’s Council for the Arts; The Katherine & Herman Pugh Exhibitions Endowment; and The Isabelle Gwynn and Robert Daine Exhibition Endowment.
This program is presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.
For more information on exhibits and other events at the Huntington Museum of Art, visit hmoa.org or call (304) 529-2701. HMA is fully accessible.
West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. Registration does not imply endorsement.