AcquisitionAugust 19, 2021
Amon Carter Museum of American adds more than 240 works to its collection
On August 11, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (Carter) announced a bequest of more than 240 photographs and works on paper from the Collection of Finis Welch.
The collection of Texas economist and businessman Finis Welch (d. 2020) includes prints by Ansel Adams, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, Paul Strand, Edward Weston, and more, strengthening Carter's ability to tell the story of early American photographic modernism. A selection of these new acquisitions will be on view early next year in the exhibition "Beauty and Life: The Finis Welch Collection," opening February 20, 2022. The exhibition features nearly 50 photographs from the Collection of Finis Welch, highlighting the range of artists and perspectives in this legacy.
Works on paper by Sam Francis, Helen Frankenthaler, Lewis Rubenstein, and Rufino Tamayo add dimension to existing collections by these artists, while three works by Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell are the first to enter the collection. The legacy features ten vintage works by Paul Outerbridge and a unique set of ten prints from Aaron Siskind's "Pleasures and Terrors of Levitation" series and key works by Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and William Eggleston. Conceptual works by Marco Breuer, Chris McCaw, and Alison Rossiter are the first works by these artists to enter the Carter collection. Works by Edward Burtynsky, Mitch Epstein, and Richard Misrach expand Carter's premier collection of American landscape photography.
"This tremendous gift of photography and works on paper from Finis Welch adds significant depth to our collections, providing the Museum with its first works by several artists and expanded perspectives, allowing us to tell a richer and more complete story of American photography and works on paper," said Andrew J. Walker, Executive Director of the Carter. "A passionate collector, Finis spent the last decade acquiring key works with the Carter in mind for its eventual home. We are grateful for his generosity and look forward to highlighting some of these compelling new additions to our collection in our galleries early next year."
"Like most collectors, Finis acquired works that spoke to his personal interests and passions, from Depression-era photography to works that showcased a photographer's keen eye for the everyday details of life," said John Rohrbach, senior curator of photographs at the Carter.
The Carter houses more than 45,000 photographic prints and 250,000 photographic objects, making the Museum one of the leading repositories of American photography. Holdings span the history of the photographic medium, from one of the first daguerreotypes made in this country to the inkjet prints made today. The collection reflects the role of photography in documenting the culture and history of 19th century America and the development of the medium as a significant and influential art form from the 20th century to the present.
The collection of Texas economist and businessman Finis Welch (d. 2020) includes prints by Ansel Adams, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, Paul Strand, Edward Weston, and more, strengthening Carter's ability to tell the story of early American photographic modernism. A selection of these new acquisitions will be on view early next year in the exhibition "Beauty and Life: The Finis Welch Collection," opening February 20, 2022. The exhibition features nearly 50 photographs from the Collection of Finis Welch, highlighting the range of artists and perspectives in this legacy.
Works on paper by Sam Francis, Helen Frankenthaler, Lewis Rubenstein, and Rufino Tamayo add dimension to existing collections by these artists, while three works by Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell are the first to enter the collection. The legacy features ten vintage works by Paul Outerbridge and a unique set of ten prints from Aaron Siskind's "Pleasures and Terrors of Levitation" series and key works by Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and William Eggleston. Conceptual works by Marco Breuer, Chris McCaw, and Alison Rossiter are the first works by these artists to enter the Carter collection. Works by Edward Burtynsky, Mitch Epstein, and Richard Misrach expand Carter's premier collection of American landscape photography.
"This tremendous gift of photography and works on paper from Finis Welch adds significant depth to our collections, providing the Museum with its first works by several artists and expanded perspectives, allowing us to tell a richer and more complete story of American photography and works on paper," said Andrew J. Walker, Executive Director of the Carter. "A passionate collector, Finis spent the last decade acquiring key works with the Carter in mind for its eventual home. We are grateful for his generosity and look forward to highlighting some of these compelling new additions to our collection in our galleries early next year."
"Like most collectors, Finis acquired works that spoke to his personal interests and passions, from Depression-era photography to works that showcased a photographer's keen eye for the everyday details of life," said John Rohrbach, senior curator of photographs at the Carter.
The Carter houses more than 45,000 photographic prints and 250,000 photographic objects, making the Museum one of the leading repositories of American photography. Holdings span the history of the photographic medium, from one of the first daguerreotypes made in this country to the inkjet prints made today. The collection reflects the role of photography in documenting the culture and history of 19th century America and the development of the medium as a significant and influential art form from the 20th century to the present.
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