Surrealism and modernism: from the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum

Abstract

The Wadsworth Atheneum's remarkable collection of 20th-century art is due to a succession of adventurous directors and curators. This volume showcases the museum's holdings and provides details about their acquisition. The famed Chick Austin, director of the Atheneum from 1929 to 1944, purchased works by Matisse, Picasso, Ernst, de Chirico and mounted the first Surrealist exhibition in America, leading to the acquisition of works by Miro, Dali, Magritte and others. Austin's successor, Charles Cunningham, added works by Stanley Spencer, Henry Moore, Maillol, and Marini. During the late 20th century, examples of American modernists and expressionists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Arthur Dove, Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock have also been acquired. Paul Paret situates the Atheneum's remarkable collection in the broader context of the issues and themes of modernism and surrealism, while Eric Zafran explores Austin's exceptional contacts with the key figures.