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WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY ART COLLECTIONS |
| The
Wake Forest University Art Collections consist mainly of American
prints and paintings, with a growing presence of sculpture
and photography. The collections include contemporary American
art, art that has special significance to Wake Forest University,
and museum quality art of different periods. |
| The
most active collections are the Student Union Collection, the
Print Collection, and the General Collection. Wake Forest University’s
collecting priorities are Contemporary American Art, art that
has special significance to Wake Forest University, and gifts
or bequests of museum quality art regardless of period. |
| The
Simmons Collection, donated in 1941, was the first major art
collection and the impetus for the other collections that followed.
During graduation ceremonies in June of 1941 Wake Forest formally
accepted and dedicated the art collection of Thomas Jackson
Simmons, President Emeritus of Brenau College in Gainesville,
Georgia and Wake Forest Alumnus. Referring to his correspondence
with Wake Forest President Thurman Kitchin, Simmons wrote, “I
told him then of what had seemed an unrealizable dream of mine,
that my art museum, instead of being sold and scattered after
my death, should in some way become the nucleus of a large
and growing art museum the cultural value of which would increase
constantly through the years.” |
| Although his collection is not
presently shown as a whole, Dr. Simmons’ dream has been
realized in the growth of the Wake Forest University Art Collections.
Through systematic collecting, gifts, and bequests there are
now nine collections numbering over 1300 works of art. They are
the Portrait Collection, General Collection, Student Union Collection,
Print Collection, R. J. Reynolds Collection, Student Art Collection,
Simmons Collection, Middleton Collection, and the Graylyn Collection.
A valuable and irreplaceable cultural asset, they provide an
excellent visual arts environment and teaching resource supporting
the University’s educational mission of preparing “men
and women for personal enrichment, enlightened citizenship, and
professional life.” |
| The
display of the Wake Forest Art Collections via this electronic
media is an work in progress.
New additions will be made as often as possible. To see
enlargements of and information about the various artwork,
"click" on the small images listed under each collection heading. |
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