DTR114632 Self Portrait, 1887 (oil on canvas laid down on panel) by Vincent van Gogh/ Detroit Institute of Arts, USA/ City of Detroit Purchase
Happy Anniversary Detroit! Established in 1885, the building moved to its current site in 1927 and the grand Beaux-Arts design led it to be christened 'a temple of art'. Much has been accomplished in the museum's history, with some charismatic directors leading acquisitions and expanding the collection. William Valentiner, director from 1924-1945, obtained many great European works for the museum, including the first Van Gogh in America (left). The current director, Graham W. J. Beal has initiated a series of major renovations and, ten years ago, founded the General Motors Center for African American Art. The collection now stands at an impressive 60,000+ artworks, which Bridgeman is proud to represent.
The collection includes works from across history and around the world. It ranges from notorious names such as Warhol, Caravaggio, Picasso and Holbein - to medieval craftsmen and relics and religious objects from African to Native America. A current exhibition entitled Through African Eyes shines the spotlight on anonymous artworks and utilitarian objects, exploring centuries of cultural exchange between Africa and the West.
DTR187404 Detroit Industry, north wall, 1933 (fresco) (detail) by Diego Rivera/ Detroit Institute of Arts, USA
The museum is proud to house the epic murals of Detroit Industry by Mexican artist Diego Rivera. A joint coup, the murals were commissioned by Valentiner and Edsel B. Ford (son of Henry Ford), and completed by Rivera in 1933. Possibly the greatest painter this century to work in the medium of fresco, Rivera was a communist who wanted his art to be accessible to all. These panels combine men and machinery, their size and complexity a powerful (and frank) view of the modern world and spoke intimately to the soul of the city in which they live. These incredible frescoes, although controversial in the time they were created, were considered by Rivera himself as his greatest works.
These panels, along with over 500 other works from the DIA collection, are available online at www.bridgemanart.com. Any artwork from the DIA collection can also be made available for licensing through Bridgeman upon request.