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Home>Research>National Gallery of Art Archives>Highlights of the History of the National Gallery of Art

# Highlights of the History of the National Gallery of Art

This timeline is an introduction to the rich history of the National Gallery as a preeminent cultural institution. Selected key events from the museum’s past are supplemented with archival images, audio recordings, and other documentary material from the holdings of the National Gallery of Art Archives.  

Scroll down to view events by decade.

For more information about the history of the National Gallery, please contact the National Gallery Archives at [email protected].

## 1920s

### 1928

Andrew W. Mellon in his apartment at 1785 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC, with *A View on a High Road* by Meindert Hobbema hanging above the fireplace mantel. National Gallery of Art Archives.

Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon first writes of his interest in establishing a national art museum in the nation’s capital. 

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## 1930s

### 1931

Andrew W. Mellon completes his purchase of 21 masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum, including Raphael’s *Alba Madonna*, Van Eyck’s *The Annunciation*, and Botticelli’s *The Adoration of the Magi*. 

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Sandro Botticelli, *The Adoration of the Magi*, c. 1478/1482, tempera and oil on poplar panel, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.22

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Jean Siméon Chardin, *The House of Cards*, probably 1737, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.90

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Frans Hals, *Portrait of a Member of the Haarlem Civic Guard, *c. 1636/1638, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.68

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Frans Hals, *Portrait of a Young Man*, 1646/1648, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.71

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Adriaen Hanneman, *Henry, Duke of Gloucester*, c. 1653, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.51

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Pietro Perugino, *The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John, Saint Jerome, and Saint Mary Magdalene, *c. 1482/1485, oil on panel transferred to canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.27.a–c

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Raphael, *The Alba Madonna*, c. 1510, oil on panel transferred to canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.24

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Raphael, *Saint George and the Dragon, *c. 1506, oil on panel, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.26

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Rembrandt van Rijn, *A Polish Nobleman*, 1637, oil on panel, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.78

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Rembrandt van Rijn, *A Woman Holding a Pink*, 1656, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.75

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Rembrandt Workshop (possibly Carel Fabritius), *A Girl with a Broom, *probably begun 1646/1648 and completed 1651, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.74

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Rembrandt Workshop, *Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife*, 1655, oil on canvas transferred to canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.79

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Rembrandt van Rijn and Workshop (Probably Govaert Flinck), *Man in Oriental Costume*, c. 1635, oil on linen, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1940.1.13

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Sir Anthony van Dyck, *Isabella Brant*, 1621, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.47

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Sir Anthony van Dyck, *Philip, Lord Wharton*, 1632, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.50

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Sir Anthony van Dyck, Portrait of a Flemish Lady, probably 1618, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1940.1.14

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Sir Anthony van Dyck, *Susanna Fourment and Her Daughter*, 1621, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.48

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Titian, *Venus with a Mirror*, c. 1555, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.34

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Jan van Eyck, *The Annunciation*, c. 1434/1436, oil on canvas transferred from panel, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.39

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Circle of Diego Velázquez, *Pope Innocent X*, c. 1650, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.80

Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931
Veronese, *The Finding of Moses*, probably 1570/1575, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.38

Click an image above to open the slideshow *Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon 1930-1931*. 

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### 1935

Conceptual drawing for the National Gallery of Art by John Russell Pope, February 1936. Photostat of lost original. National Gallery of Art Archives.

Andrew W. Mellon commissions architect John Russell Pope to make the first sketches for the National Gallery of Art at a site on the National Mall in Washington. 

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### 1936

Newspaper clipping, "Mellon Gives Priceless Art Building to U.S.," *Washington Star*, January 3, 1937. 

On December 22, Andrew W. Mellon writes to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, formally offering to donate his art collection and to build the National Gallery of Art. 

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### 1937

West Building original construction progress, July 1937. Commercial Photo Co. Gift of Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art Archives.

On March 24, Congress passes legislation to establish the National Gallery of Art. 

In August, Andrew W. Mellon and John Russell Pope die within 24 hours of each other, shortly after construction for the new museum begins (left).  

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### 1939

Samuel H. Kress’s Fifth Avenue apartment in New York City with Pesellino’s *The Crucifixion with Saint Jerome and Saint Francis*, Domenico Veneziano’s *Madonna and Child*, Giovanni Bellini’s *Saint Jerome Reading*, and other works of art in view, late 1930s. National Gallery of Art Archives.

Samuel H. Kress and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation donate a collection of Italian paintings and sculpture, the first major addition to the National Gallery’s collection (above).

The National Gallery loans three paintings from the Mellon collection to the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco and three to the New York World’s Fair, the first loans made by the new museum (below). 

First Works of Art Loaned by the Gallery in 1939
Frans Hals, *Portrait of an Elderly Lady*, 1633, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.67. Loaned to the exhibition *Masterpieces of Art* (April 30–October 31, 1939) at the New York World’s Fair.

First Works of Art Loaned by the Gallery in 1939
Rembrandt van Rijn, *Self-Portrait*, 1659, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.72. Loaned to the exhibition *Masterpieces of Art* (April 30–October 31, 1939) at the New York World’s Fair.

First Works of Art Loaned by the Gallery in 1939
Gerard ter Borch the Younger, *The Suitor's Visit*, c. 1658, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.58. Loaned to the exhibition *Masterpieces of Art* (April 30–October 31, 1939) at the New York World’s Fair.

First Works of Art Loaned by the Gallery in 1939
Frans Hals, *Willem Coymans*, 1645, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.69. Loaned to the Golden Gate International Exposition (February 1–December 1, 1939) in San Francisco.

First Works of Art Loaned by the Gallery in 1939
Rembrandt van Rijn, *A Young Man Seated at a Table (possibly Govaert Flinck)*, c. 1660, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.77. Loaned to the Golden Gate International Exposition (February 1–December 1, 1939) in San Francisco.

First Works of Art Loaned by the Gallery in 1939
Pieter de Hooch, *A Dutch Courtyard*, 1658/1660, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.56. Loaned to the Golden Gate International Exposition (February 1–December 1, 1939) in San Francisco.

Click an image above to view the slideshow, *Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum Purchased by Andrew Mellon in 1931.*

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## 1940s

### 1940

West Building original construction progress, November 1940. Commercial Photo Co. Gift of Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art Archives.

Construction of the museum's building is completed in December and installation of works of art begins. 

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### 1941

President Franklin D. Roosevelt speaking at the dedication of the National Gallery of Art, March 17, 1941. National Gallery of Art Archives.

The National Gallery of Art is dedicated on March 17 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at evening ceremonies attended by 8,822 guests (above and below). The museum opens to the public the next day.

Listen to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's speech at the National Gallery of Art dedication ceremony, March 17, 1941 (above).

The National Gallery's first special exhibition, *Two Hundred American Watercolors*, opens on the ground floor on May 15.

Nightly black-outs of the National Gallery building for air-raid protection begin on December 8.

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### 1942

Rembrandt van Rijn, *The Mill*, 1645/1648, oil on canvas, Widener Collection, 1942.9.62

Joseph Widener donates the Widener collection of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, jewels, furniture, ceramics, and other art objects in memory of his father, Peter A. B. Widener (right). 

 

 

The National Gallery’s most valuable paintings and sculpture are evacuated to Biltmore House in North Carolina for wartime protection.

The National Gallery remains open on Sunday evenings for the "benefit of men in the armed forces and war workers in the city." Sunday evening orchestra concerts are presented through the generosity of Chester Dale (below).

The Gallery remains open on Sunday evenings for the "benefit of men in the armed forces and war workers in the city."  Sunday evening orchestra concerts are presented through the generosity of Chester Dale.

The Gallery remains open on Sunday evenings for the "benefit of men in the armed forces and war workers in the city."  Sunday evening orchestra concerts are presented through the generosity of Chester Dale.

US Servicemen and Servicewomen at the National Gallery of Art during World War II 
US servicemen entering the National Gallery of Art, c. 1942. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

US Servicemen and Servicewomen at the National Gallery of Art during World War II 
Two US sailors in the West Building Constitution Avenue lobby, c. 1942. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

US Servicemen and Servicewomen at the National Gallery of Art during World War II 
US servicewomen looking at art at the National Gallery of Art, c. 1942. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

US Servicemen and Servicewomen at the National Gallery of Art during World War II 
National Gallery of Art Orchestra performing in a concert in the East Garden Court, December 26, 1942. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

US Servicemen and Servicewomen at the National Gallery of Art during World War II 
US servicemen in the Founders Room, c. 1942. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

US Servicemen and Servicewomen at the National Gallery of Art during World War II 
US servicemen sleeping at the National Gallery of Art, c. 1942. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *US Servicemen and Servicewomen at the National Gallery of Art during World War II*.

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### 1943

Lessing J. Rosenwald. National Gallery of Art Archives.

Lessing J. Rosenwald (left) donates a collection of prints and drawings, his first major gift to the museum. His gifts eventually total over 22,000 prints and drawings. 

The American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, known as the Roberts Commission, is organized with its headquarters in the museum.

The National Gallery accepts the Index of American Design, a collection of more than 18,000 drawings and watercolors documenting early American design and craftsmanship, and related research materials, from the federal Works Progress Administration (below). 

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Dorothy Dwin, *Man's Shoe*, 1941, watercolor and graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.1977

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Virginia Berge, *Dress*, 1935/1942, watercolor and graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.1574

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Mina Lowry, *Doll*, c. 1936, watercolor, graphite, and gouache, Index of American Design, 1943.8.11221

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Ethel Dougan, *Saddle Blanket*, c. 1930, watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil, Index of American Design, 1943.8.14718

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Ferdinand Cartier, *Chest of Drawers*, c. 1939, watercolor, colored pencil, and pen and ink, Index of American Design, 1943.8.4699

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Pearl Torell, *Cast Iron Fence*, c. 1939, watercolor, pen and ink, and graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.16990

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Lucille Chabot, *Gabriel Weather Vane*, c. 1939, watercolor and gouache over graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.9505

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Yolande Delasser, *Adam and Eve*, c. 1939, watercolor over graphite with scraping, Index of American Design, 1943.8.8096

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
John Tarantino, *Milk Pan*, probably 1940, watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil, Index of American Design, 1943.8.7021

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Lon Cronk, *Shaker Dining Table and Chairs*, c. 1937, watercolor and graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.13634

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Beverly Chichester, *Doll Bed Applique Patchwork Quilt*, c. 1937, watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.389

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Frances Lichten, *Toy Warship*, 1935/1942, watercolor and graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.13006

Selected Works from the Index of American Design 
Max Fernekes, Duck Decoy, 1937, watercolor and graphite, Index of American Design, 1943.8.17980

 

More Index of American Design Features

Selected Works

Costumes

Dolls

Folk Arts of the Spanish Southwest

Furniture

Metalwork

Pennsylvania German Folk Art

Pottery

Shaker Crafts

Textiles

Toys

Woodcarving

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *Selected Works from the Index of American Design*.

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### 1944

The first annual American Music Festival is held on Sunday evenings during March and April in the East Garden Court.

Works of art are returned to the National Gallery from wartime storage at Biltmore House (below).

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Trucks at the Biltmore House preparing to return works of art to the National Gallery of Art after wartime storage, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Gallery director David Finley (second from left) and Gallery chief curator John Walker (fourth from left) with crates holding works of art being transferred to a truck, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Workers moving crates containing works of art to a truck, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Workers moving crates containing works of art to a truck, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Trucks carrying works of art preparing to leave the Biltmore House for the National Gallery of Art, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Trucks returning works of art to the National Gallery of Art, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Security escorting trucks returning works of art to the National Gallery of Art, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944 
Workers unloading crates from a truck at the National Gallery of Art, October 1944. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *Return of Works of Art to the National Gallery of Art after Wartime Storage at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, 1944.*

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### 1946

West Building Main Floor gallery M-24. National Gallery of Art Archives.

In honor of the museum’s fifth anniversary, six new galleries are completed for the special opening exhibition of the Kress collection. 

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### 1947

Rembrandt Peale, *George Washington, *1859, oil on canvas, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1947.17.16

The A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust gives the Gallery 113 portraits from the Clarke collection, with the provision that some works may be transferred to a national portrait gallery, should one be established. 

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### 1948

Crowds in the exhibition*Paintings from the Berlin Museums* (March 17–April 25, 1948). National Gallery of Art Archives.

Nearly one million people see 202 paintings from Berlin Museums during a 40-day exhibition at the National Gallery of Art. 

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### 1949

Alfred Stieglitz, *The City of Ambitions*, 1910, photogravure on beige thin slightly textured laid Japan paper, in or before 1913, Alfred Stieglitz Collection, 1949.3.308

A key set of about 1,500 photographic prints by Alfred Stieglitz is given to the National Gallery by Georgia O’Keeffe, executor of the Stieglitz estate.

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## 1950s

### 1950

West Building, Main Floor gallery M-60. National Gallery of Art Archives.

Twelve new exhibition galleries open on the east side of the National Gallery’s Main Floor. 

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### 1952

The first A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts are given by Jacques Maritain on the subject of "Creative Intuition in Art and Poetry." 

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### 1953

American 19th Century, *The Mounted Acrobats*, 1825 or after, oil on wood, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1953.5.18

Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch give 142 paintings from their collection of early American art, the first of several major gifts to the National Gallery.

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### 1956

Rush H. Kress (left), Jocelyn Kress, and National Gallery of Art director David Finley at the opening of the *Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture Acquired by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, 1951–1956* (March 18–October 30, 1956). National Gallery of Art Archives.

 

In celebration of its 15th anniversary, a special night opening is held for the *Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture Acquired by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, 1951-1956*.

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### 1958

Two visitors with the LecTour self-guided audio tour system in front of Winslow Homer’s *Right and Left*. National Gallery of Art Archives.

The innovative LecTour radio guide system is installed in several main floor galleries.

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## 1960s

### 1962

Chester Dale in the National Gallery of Art West Garden Court, c. 1943. National Gallery of Art Archives.

Chester Dale dies, bequeathing his collection of modern French and American paintings to the National Gallery of Art. 

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### 1963

Visitors viewing *Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci* (January 9–February 3, 1963). National Gallery of Art Archives.

The *Mona Lisa*, lent by the Government of the French Republic to President Kennedy and the people of the United States, is viewed by more than a half million visitors in its 26-day display at the National Gallery.

 

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### 1966

National Gallery of Art director John Walker (left), First Lady Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon at the opening reception for the exhibition *French Paintings from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon and Mrs. Mellon Bruce* (March 18–May 1, 1966). National Gallery of Art Archives.

In honor of the museum’s 25th anniversary, the National Gallery exhibits 19th- and 20th-century French paintings from the collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon and Ailsa Mellon Bruce.

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### 1967

Leonardo da Vinci, *Ginevra de' Benci*, c. 1474/1478, oil on panel, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1967.6.1.a

Leonardo da Vinci's *Ginevra de'Benci* is acquired through the generosity of the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund (left).

Paul Mellon and Ailsa Mellon Bruce donate funds for the new East Building.

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### 1968

Early conceptual sketch for the East Building by I. M. Pei, 1968. Gift of I. M. Pei & Partners, National Gallery of Art Archives.

I. M. Pei & Partners begin schematic drawings for the East Building, which includes a new research center for advanced study in the visual arts. 

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## 1970s

### 1971

Ground-breaking ceremonies are held for the East Building on May 6. 

East Building Ground-Breaking Ceremony, May 6, 1971 
Paul Mellon speaking at the East Building ground-breaking ceremony, May 6, 1971. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Ground-Breaking Ceremony, May 6, 1971 
Left to right: Gallery president Paul Mellon, Chief Justice and Gallery chairman Warren Burger, and Gallery director J. Carter Brown at the East Building ground-breaking ceremony, May 6, 1971. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Ground-Breaking Ceremony, May 6, 1971 
Left to right: Chief Justice and Gallery chairman Warren Burger, Gallery president Paul Mellon, and J. Slater Davidson Jr., president of Chas. H. Tompkins Company, the general contractor, at the East Building ground-breaking ceremony, May 6, 1971. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Ground-Breaking Ceremony, May 6, 1971 
Left to right: Chief Justice and Gallery chairman Warren Burger, Gallery president Paul Mellon, and J. Slater Davidson Jr., president of Chas. H. Tompkins Company, the general contractor, at the East Building ground-breaking ceremony, May 6, 1971. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Ground-Breaking Ceremony, May 6, 1971 
National Gallery of Art former director David Finley (left), his wife, Margaret, and Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Pei (right) at the East Building ground-breaking ceremony, May 6, 1971. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *East Building Ground-Breaking Ceremony, May 6, 1971*.

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### 1973

Crowds in the exhibition *Impressionist and Post Impressionist Paintings from the U.S.S.R.* (April 1–29, 1973). National Gallery of Art Archives.

French impressionist paintings from the Hermitage and Pushkin Museums are exhibited, the first Western paintings lent to the United States by the Soviet Union.   

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### 1974

Paul Mellon (left), First Lady Betty Ford, and Chinese diplomat Liu Yang-Chiao at the opening reception for *The Exhibition of Archaeological Finds of the People’s Republic of China* (December 13, 1974–March 30, 1975). National Gallery of Art Archives.

*The Exhibition of Archaeological Finds of The People's Republic of China* opens and is seen by nearly 700,000 people. 

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### 1975

The Collectors Committee is established at the Gallery and adopts a three-year program to commission large-scale works of art for the new East Building. 

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Paul Matisse (left) and Alexander Calder study a model of Calder’s mobile *Untitled* (1976) for the East Building, November 5, 1975. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Installing Alexander Calder’s mobile *Untitled* (1976), November 1977. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Installing Alexander Calder’s mobile *Untitled* (1976), November 1977. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Installing Henry Moore’s *Knife Edge Mirror Two Piece*, 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Architect I. M. Pei (left) and Gallery director J. Carter Brown (right) with sculptor Henry Moore for the installation of *Knife Edge Mirror Two Piece*, 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Henry Moore with *Knife Edge Mirror Two Piece*, 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Anthony Caro (left) overseeing the installation of his sculpture *National Gallery Ledge Piece*, March 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Anthony Caro overseeing the installation of his sculpture *National Gallery Ledge Piece*, March 1978. Photograph by Dennis Brack/Black Star. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Installing Anthony Caro’s *National Gallery Ledge Piece*, March 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Weaver Josep Royo installing his tapestry after Joan Miró’s *Woman*, March 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Installing Josep Royo’s tapestry after Joan Miró’s *Woman*at the Gallery, March 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Robert Motherwell’s *Reconciliation Elegy*, 1978. Photograph by Dennis Brack/Black Star. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Art handlers with Isamu Noguchi’s *Great Rock of Inner Seeking*, January 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Isamu Noguchi’s *Great Rock of Inner Seeking*, January 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
James Rosati (second from right) overseeing the installation of his sculpture *Untitled* at the Gallery, March 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
James Rosati overseeing the installation of his sculpture *Untitled* at the Gallery, March 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
National Gallery of Art director J. Carter Brown (left) and collector and donor Madeleine Lejwa with Jean Arp’s tapestry *Variation Sur Aubette*, May 1976. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
National Gallery of Art director J. Carter Brown and collector and donor Madeleine Lejwa with Jean Arp’s tapestry *Variation Sur Aubette*, May 1976. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978 
Jean Arp’s *Oriforme*, c. 1978. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *Commissioned and Specially Selected Works of Art for the National Gallery’s New East Building, 1975–1978*.

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### 1976

The exhibition *Treasures of Tutankhamun* begins its US tour at the National Gallery, where it is viewed by more than 835,000 visitors. 

Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)	
Visitors outside waiting in line for the exhibition *Treasures of Tutankhamun* (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)	
Entrance to *Treasures of Tutankhamun* (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)	
Antechamber room in *Treasures of Tutankhamun* (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)	
Antechamber room in *Treasures of Tutankhamun* (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)	
Visit of President and First Lady Carter with Gallery director J. Carter Brown (left) to the exhibition *Treasures of Tutankhamun* (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)	
Actress Elizabeth Taylor and US Senator John Warner at *Treasures of Tutankhamun* (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)	
Actor Robert Redford with Gallery curator Earl A. Powell III (left) at *Treasures of Tutankhamun* (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *Treasures of Tutankhamun (November 17, 1976–March 15, 1977)*.

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### 1977

Alexander Calder, *Untitled*, 1976, aluminum and steel, Gift of the Collectors Committee, 1977.76.1

The untitled mobile by Alexander Calder, commissioned for the East Building, is installed in the atrium of the new building nearly a year after the artist's death.

 

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### 1978

President Jimmy Carter (left), the Right Reverend John T. Walker, and National Gallery benefactor Paul Mellon at the East Building dedication ceremony, June 1, 1978. National Gallery of Art Archives.

The East Building is dedicated by President Jimmy Carter and opens to the public on June 1. Attendance reaches one million in less than two months.

Listen to President Jimmy Carter's speech at the dedication of the East Building of the National Gallery of Art, June 1, 1978 (above).

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## 1980s

### 1983

West Building Ground Floor gallery G-13, c. 1983. National Gallery of Art Archives.

New ground floor galleries in the West Building open to the public. 

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### 1984

Mark Rothko, *No. 8*, 1949, oil and mixed media on canvas, Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., 1986.43.147. Copyright © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko.

The Mark Rothko Foundation gives the artist’s core collection and related research materials to the National Gallery, which becomes the primary repository and study center for Rothko’s works of art (right). 

The West Building oculus project is completed, allowing the Rotunda to be seen from the Constitution Avenue lobby below.

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### 1985

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon donate nearly 200 works of art including 17 wax sculptures by Edgar Degas.

The exhibition *Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* opens and is seen by nearly one million visitors by the close of the exhibition (below).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Tudor Renaissance gallery in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Jacobean long gallery in *The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Triumph of the Baroque gallery in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Souvenirs of Italy gallery in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Sculpture Rotunda in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Augustan Taste gallery in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Dutch Cabinet gallery in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
State bed from Calke Abbey in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Sporting Life gallery dining room in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986)
Waterloo gallery in *The**Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting* (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *The Treasure Houses of Britain: 500 Years of Private Patronage and Art Collecting (November 3, 1985–April 13, 1986).*

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### 1986

*The New Painting: Impressionism 1874–1886* (January 17– April 6, 1986). National Gallery of Art Archives.

*The New Painting: Impressionism 1874-1886* commemorates the centennial of the last exhibition held by the impressionist painters.

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### 1988

*Twentieth-Century Art: Selections for the Tenth Anniversary of the East Building* (December 13, 1988–December 31, 1990). National Gallery of Art Archives.

The 10th anniversary of the opening of the East Building is celebrated with an expanded reinstallation of the National Gallery’s 20th-century collection.

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## 1990s

### 1990

Giovanni Bellini and Titian, *The Feast of the Gods*, 1514/1529, oil on canvas, Widener Collection, 1942.9.1

The masterpiece *The Feast of the Gods* by Giovanni Bellini and Titian is returned to public view after extensive conservation.

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### 1991

The National Gallery of Art celebrates its 50th anniversary with an exhibition of nearly 300 works of art, given or pledged to the National Gallery in honor of the occasion.

*Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* opens in commemoration of the quincentenary of Columbus’s voyage to the Americas (below).

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Distinct Worlds room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Portugal room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Islam room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Measuring and Mapping room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Korea room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Aztec room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Aztec room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992) 
Inca room in *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration* (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992). National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (October 12, 1991–January 12, 1992)*.

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### 1992

Herbert and Dorothy Vogel in the Print Study Room at the National Gallery of Art, 1992. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Lorene Emerson.

Dorothy and Herbert Vogel donate their collection of minimalist and conceptual American art to the National Gallery. 

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### 1993

Albrecht Dürer, *The Virgin Annunciate*, 1495/1499, pen and brown ink, Woodner Collection, 1993.51.1.

The National Gallery accepts nine old master drawings from the Woodner Family Collection, one of several gifts given by the family over the years.

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### 1995

Crowds waiting outside the exhibition *Johannes Vermeer *(November 12, 1995–February 11, 1996). National Gallery of Art Archives.

In its 20th anniversary year, the Collectors Committee acquires Cy Twombly’s *Untitled (Bolsena)* for the National Gallery’s 20th-century collection.

The Micro Gallery, an interactive multimedia computer system, opens in the newly redesigned art information room in the West Building.

Three new cabinet galleries housing small Dutch and Flemish paintings on the West Building Main Floor are completed.

The exhibition *Johannes Vermeer* attracts extraordinary crowds and receives overwhelming public response (right).

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### 1997

National Gallery Sculpture Garden ground-breaking ceremony, June 12, 1997. Left to right: Laurie D. Olin, landscape architect, Olin Partnership; Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art; Robert H. Smith, president, Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art; Calvin Cafritz, president and chairman, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and Robert Douma, vice-president, operations, Chas. H. Tompkins Company. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Lorene Emerson.

The National Gallery debuts its website on the World Wide Web, which includes a database with information about works of art in the collection and related educational, exhibition, and scholarly resources.

Ground breaking for the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, a gift of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, takes place on June 12 (left).

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### 1998

Vincent van Gogh, *Self-Portrait*, 1889, oil on canvas, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John Hay Whitney, 1998.74.5

Betsy Cushing Whitney, widow of John Hay Whitney, bequeaths eight important paintings by major artists to the National Gallery, including *Self-Portrait* by Vincent van Gogh (right).

*Van Gogh’s Van Goghs: Masterpieces from the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam*, an exhibition of 70 paintings by the artist on loan from the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, attracts capacity crowds.

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### 1999

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden dedication, May 19, 1999. National Gallery of Art Archives.

The museum mourns the death of Paul Mellon, son of its founder, Andrew Mellon, and a preeminent leader and patron of the National Gallery since serving as its first president in 1938.

The multiyear project to replace the original West Building skylights with new specially designed glass panels and modern hardware is completed.

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is dedicated on May 19. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton accepts the gift of the completed garden on behalf of the nation (left).

A redesigned ice rink in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden opens to the public in December.

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## 2000s

### 2000

Designed to evoke the small private chambers of the Renaissance, a suite of three new Italian Cabinet galleries opens on the West Building Main Floor. 

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### 2001

Left to right: Earl A. Powell, director, National Gallery of Art; Calvin Cafritz, president and chairman of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Frank Stella, artist; and Jeffrey Weiss, Gallery curator, in front of *Prinz Friedrich von Homburg, Ein Schauspiel, 3X*, 2001. National Gallery of Art Archives.

Frank Stella's monumental sculpture *Prinz Friedrich von Homburg, Ein Schauspiel, 3X*, a gift of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, is installed on the East Building lawn.

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### 2002

West Building Sculpture Galleries, 2002. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rob Shelley.

            [GA IMAGE 98 and caption] West Building Sculpture Galleries, 2002. Photograph by     Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

            [GA IMAGE 98 and caption] West Building Sculpture Galleries, 2002. Photograph by     Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

            [GA IMAGE 98 and caption] West Building Sculpture Galleries, 2002. Photograph by     Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

The redesigned Sculpture Galleries open on the West Building Ground Floor, presenting more than 900 works of art in 22 rooms.

 

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### 2003

*The East Building: Celebrating 25 Years* (June 1, 2003–July 6, 2004). National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rob Shelley.

The National Gallery commemorates the 25th anniversary of the East Building opening with special programs, tours, and an archival installation in the East Building Reception Room.

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### 2004

National Gallery of Art Orchestra performing the 2,500th concert in the East Building, June 2004. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rob Shelley.

The National Gallery presents the 2,500th program in its series of free Sunday concerts, which began in December 1942.

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### 2005

Andy Goldsworthy, *Roof*, 2004–2005, Buckingham Virginia slate, Patrons' Permanent Fund, 2005.86.1. © Andy Goldsworthy 2005

British artist Andy Goldsworthy completes *Roof*, a site-specific sculpture of nine stacked slate domes, on the East Building Ground Level. 

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### 2006

Frans Snyders, *Still Life with Grapes and Game*, c. 1630, oil on panel, Gift of The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund in Honor of the Twentieth Anniversary of the Circle of the National Gallery of Art, 2006.22.1

Frans Snyders's *Still Life with Grapes and Game* is acquired with funds provided by the Lee and Juliet Folger Fund in honor of the 20th anniversary of The Circle of the National Gallery of Art, a national membership group to support acquisitions and programs. 

 

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### 2007

Paul Mellon viewing *Little Dancer Aged Fourteen* by Edgar Degas in the West Building Ground Floor gallery, 1983. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Dennis Brack/Black Star.

The centenary of the birth of the museum's greatest benefactor, Paul Mellon, is celebrated with exhibitions on Eugene Boudin and J.M.W. Turner, a new film about Paul Mellon's life, a historical installation, and other special programs.

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### 2008

Artist Leo Villareal programming his *Multiverse* installation in the Concourse walkway, October 2008. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rob Shelley. 

A national gift program is launched, *The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States*. Under the program, 2,500 works selected by the Vogels from their collection of contemporary art are distributed to art institutions in each of the 50 states. 

Sculptor Leo Villareal’s computer-programmed digital light project *Multiverse* is installed in the Concourse walkway (right).

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### 2009

*In the Tower: Philip Guston* (January 15, 2009–January 3, 2010). National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rob Shelley.

*In the Tower: Philip Guston* opens, the first in a series of changing exhibitions of contemporary art in the East Building Tower gallery.

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## 2010s

### 2012

Rogier van der Weyden, *Portrait of a Lady*, c. 1460, oil on panel, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.44

*NGA Images* debuts as a free online open access resource with over 21,000 high resolution digital images of works of art in the permanent collection. While the *NGA Images* website has now been retired, Open Access image downloads are now available directly from the object pages located on this website. Learn more about Open Access.

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### 2013

Marc Chagall, *Orphée*, 1969, stone and glass mosaic, The John U. and Evelyn S. Nef Collection, 2011.60.104.1–10

A refreshed website is launched, with new features, improved graphics, and an enhanced interface providing expanded access to museum and collection information and educational and scholarly resources.

The exquisite glass and stone mosaic *Orphée,* designed by Marc Chagall and bequeathed to the National Gallery by arts patron Evelyn Stefansson Nef, is installed in the Sculpture Garden (left).

 

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### 2014

Frederic Edwin Church, *Niagara*, 1857, oil on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund), 2014.79.10

The National Gallery of Art signs a historic agreement with the Corcoran Gallery of Art for stewardship of the Corcoran art collection.

East Building plaza and tetrahedrons, 2014. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rob Shelley.

The reinstallation of 17,026 panels of exterior marble with new anchor supports is completed on the East Building.

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### 2015

Two special exhibitions *American Masterworks from the Corcoran, 1815–1940* and *Focus on the Corcoran: Works on Paper, 1860–1990*, feature works of art from the Corcoran collection.

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### 2016

The Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain, 2016. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rob Shelley.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the National Gallery, the newly restored Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain is rededicated on March 17, one year after custody of the 1952 fountain and its surrounding park was transferred to the Gallery from the National Park Service (left).

The East Building galleries reopen after three years of renovation of existing galleries and construction of new Tower galleries and an outdoor sculpture roof terrace (below). 

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Tower gallery 615A with Mark Rothko works of art, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Tower gallery 615B with Barnett Newman’s *Stations of the Cross*, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Roof Terrace, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Tower gallery 606 with Alexander Calder works of art, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Upper Level gallery 407B, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Upper Level gallery 407C, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Upper Level gallery 415B, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Mezzanine gallery 217B, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

East Building Galleries, 2016 
East Building Ground Level gallery 106C, 2016. Photograph by Rob Shelley. National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives.

Click an image above to open the slideshow, *East Building Galleries, 2016*.

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### 2018

The National Gallery’s first online free education course for teachers to learn about incorporating works of art into their school curricula opens for enrollment.

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### 2019

Conservator Robert Price treating *Painting and Sculpture* by Jean-Pierre-Antoine Tassaert in the West Building East Sculpture Hall as visitors observe, 2019. National Gallery of Art Archives. Photograph by Rebecca Clews.

The National Gallery launches a new accessibility program, *The Art of Looking*, a series of four salon-style conversations to help participants analyze, experience, and practice skills in slow looking, active listening, fostering empathy, and perspective taking.

The National Gallery becomes the first American art museum to invite teams of data scientists and art historians across the nation to analyze, contextualize, and visualize its permanent collection data to promote wider public access to its collection, culminating in a two-day public datathon event.

Conservation treatment of six 18th-century French marble sculptures in the West Building East Sculpture Hall is carried out in situ during public hours for the first time, allowing visitors to observe and learn about the National Gallery's renowned conservation, research and scientific programs (right).

## 2020s

### 2020

Elisabeth Epstein, *People on a Café Terrace*, 1913, oil on canvas, Collection of Arnold and Joan Saltzman, 2020.112.9

Arnold and Joan Saltzman conclude three decades of philanthropy with a gift of 11 artworks. The Saltzman collection of German expressionist art comprises 14 paintings and two sculptures. It features such artists as Ernst Barlach, Max Beckmann, Elisabeth Epstein, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Franz Marc, and Emil Nolde (left).

*I See Red: Target* by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, an enrolled Salish member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation in Montana, becomes the first painting by a Native American artist to enter the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The painting’s acquisition was made possible by Emily and Mitchell Rales. 

In response to the global pandemic and in accord with federal and local health safety measures, the National Gallery temporarily closes its doors to the public and moves programs online. Many activities and offerings—from internships and fellowships to exhibitions, film screenings, concerts, lectures, and tours—are reimagined in robust digital environments, and new programs are introduced to enhance the virtual visitor’s experience.

### 2021

Katharina Fritsch's *Hahn/Cock*, on view on the East Building roof terrace since 2016, is donated to the National Gallery of Art on its 80th anniversary by Glenstone Museum in honor of the resilience of the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The National Gallery of Art unveils a reimagined brand identity built on new and reimagined vision and mission statements with accompanying values. The redesigned brand introduces a new logo and color palette to promote the institution's renewed commitment to serve as the nation's art museum and to emphasize creativity, diversity and inclusion, empathy, and public engagement (right).

### 2022

The family of Victoria P. Sant, former president of the National Gallery of Art, gives a $10 million gift to the museum to establish an endowment fund in her honor for the acquisition of works by women.

The National Gallery of Art launches Artle, a new daily guessing game, as a fun way to discover new artists and interact with art daily (left). 

### 2023

Philomé Obin, *President Tiresias Sam Entering Cap-Haitien*, 1958, oil on fiberboard, Gift of Kay and Roderick Heller, 2023.44.6

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation) is the first artist to curate an exhibition (*The Land Carries Our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans*, September 22, 2023 – January 15, 2024) at the National Gallery of Art. 

 

The National Gallery of Art announces a gift of 15 artworks by modern and contemporary Haitian artists from the collections of Kay and Roderick Heller and John Fox Sullivan, becoming the first works by Haitian artists to enter the collection (right).

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