15 Museums Showcasing the Art of America's Greatest Collectors
Where: Washington, D.C.
Latvian immigrant Joseph H. Hirschhorn left school at the age of 13 to become a newsboy, and eventually ended up making a fortune in uranium. He began collecting art at the age of 18, and became a great supporter and friend to the artists of his day. He often visited their studios, and even helped Willem de Kooning fund the construction of his Long Island studio in exchange for works of art. Hirshhorn amassed an impressive collection of 20th-century sculptures, including works by Brancusi, Giacometti, Rodin, and Calder. Though he was courted by many museums, he decided to create his own eponymous on the National Mall, thanks in part to Ladybird Johnson, then the First Lady.
Insider Tip: Be sure to see Roy Lichtenstein’s huge yellow cartoon brushstroke sculpture outside.
Plan Your Trip: Visit
(Vidu Gunaratna/Shutterstock)Ever since the Gilded Age, the United States has had a strong tradition of art collecting, starting with tycoons like Henry Clay Frick and J. P. Morgan who acquired as many European works as possible. Later, visionaries like Solomon R. Guggenheim and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney turned their eyes toward American art. Fortunately for the rest of us, many of these works of art are now housed in museums—sometimes in collectors' former homes—that are open to the public. Here are 15 spots where you can see the treasures amassed by America’s greatest art collectors.
By Laura Itzkowitz
