"The Art of Giving" Features Richard M. Scaife Bequest to The Westmoreland and the Brandywine River Museum of Art

GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania (April 24, 2018) – The Westmoreland Museum of American Art and the Brandywine River Museum of Art will come together to share their finest works from the bequest of Richard M. Scaife, who left his vast art collection to both museums following his death in 2014. The Art of Giving: Selections from the Richard M. Scaife Bequest will first exhibit at The Westmoreland from May 12 through August 5, 2018, before traveling to the Brandywine for an exhibition from March 9 through May 27, 2019.
A publisher with a passion for the arts, Mr. Scaife was a long-time supporter of The Westmoreland and the Brandywine, which are both dedicated to the collection and exhibition of American art. He bequeathed his entire art collection—containing approximately 500 works—to the two museums, specifying that it be divided evenly between them.
For The Art of Giving exhibition, each museum has selected 25 masterworks from the bequest to be displayed together for the first time.
“It was a remarkable honor to be the recipients of Mr. Scaife’s generous gift. He wholeheartedly believed in the uplifting potential of art and its ability to help us better understand the world and the issues facing us,” said Judith O’Toole, The Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO of The Westmoreland. “By coming together with the Brandywine and exhibiting a selection of these paintings side-by-side, visitors will gain insight into not only the range of Mr. Scaife’s collecting tastes, but the collecting vision of both museums and the selection process itself.”
The round-robin selection process commenced in Greensburg in December 2014 after months of research and analysis during which each museum prepared hierarchical lists of the artworks they wanted. While neither museum received everything they hoped for, both came away with works that enhanced and added depth to their collections, such as Martin Johnson Heade’s New Jersey Salt Marsh and George Inness’s Moonrise, Alexandria Bay, the first two choices made by the Brandywine and The Westmoreland respectively.
“This amazing gift from Mr. Scaife added many paintings by artists that we did not previously have in the collection,” said Barbara Jones, Chief Curator of The Westmoreland. “The large number of works and broad subject range gave us more freedom to rotate our collection in and out of the galleries, keeping them fresh while offering our visitors new experiences.”
“The Richard M. Scaife bequest was a watershed moment in the history of the Brandywine River Museum of Art,” said Thomas Padon, The James H. Duff Director of the Brandywine River Museum of Art. “The works of art selected from the Mr. Scaife’s collection significantly enriched and extended the Museum’s holdings of American landscape painting, introducing into the collection such traditions as the California and Connecticut schools of Impressionism.”
An opening reception for The Art of Giving will be held at The Westmoreland on Saturday, May 12 from 5:30-7pm. Tickets can be purchased online at thewestmoreland.org/events or by phone at 1.888.71TICKETS ($15 members, $20 non-members).
Related Events for The Art of Giving:
Members Behind-the-Scenes Tour: Art and the NFL Draft
Wednesday, June 20 > 6-8pm | RSVP
This special behind-the-scenes tour with Chief Curator Barbara Jones will offer members a look at the in-depth process involved in making selections from the Richard M. Scaife Bequest, as well as an exclusive peek into our state-of-the-art fine art storage to see additional paintings from the bequest that are not currently on view.
Teddy Bear Picnic
Saturday, July 14 > 1-2pm | RSVP
What could be more fun than a summer picnic? Better yet, a teddy bear’s picnic? Inspired by William Holbrook Beard’s Five Bearsin The Art of Giving exhibition, we invite families with young children to bring a picnic to enjoy in our garden and on the patio. Bring your teddy bears, spread out your blankets, unpack your picnic baskets and enjoy our fun entertainment and activities. It’s the perfect day for all generations to share and enjoy the art and our garden.
Brunch and a Tour
Sunday, July 22 > 11am or 12:30pm | Tickets
Enjoy a delicious Sunday brunch provided by Elegant Catering followed by a personal tour with Chief Curator Barbara Jones of our exhibition The Art of Giving. Space is limited and reservations are required for each seating.
Art in the Home
Saturday, July 28 > 11am-1pm | RSVP
Built circa 1915 by Samuel H. McCaslin, the foursquare Craftsman-style home of Drs. Kathryn and Ed Friedman is the ideal backdrop in which to view their exemplary collection of antique Arts & Crafts furniture, lighting, pottery, metalware and paintings by Associated Artists of Pittsburgh founding members. This program takes place in Pittsburgh. Participants will be responsible for their own transportation.
Alasdair Nichol Shares His Experiences from PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow”
Saturday, August 4 > 1-2pm | Tickets
Alasdair Nichol, Chairman and Director of Fine Art at Freeman’s auction house in Philadelphia, is respected as one of the leading figures in the American Fine Art market. Known for his regular appearances on the top rated PBS program “Antiques Roadshow,” the Clyfford Still painting that he appraised for $500,000 is among the most valuable finds on the show. Sponsored by The Committee for The Westmoreland.