Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Art museum; Richmond, Va.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the nation's first state-supported art museum, opened to the public in 1936, "to promote education in the realm of art throughout the commonwealth," (Section 9-78, Code of Virginia). Partnership between private donors and state legislators, however established a pattern begun in 1919 when John Barton Payne, jurist, and discriminating art collector, gave his collection of fifty paintings to the commonwealth, and in 1932 donated $100,000 for museum construction. Governor John Garland Pollard led a campaign to raise additional private funds, and promoted the use of state revenue for operating expenses. Additional monies from the Federal Works Project Administration completed the funding, and in 1934 the General Assembly designated the site for the building on the grounds of the Robert E. Lee soldiers' home at Boulevard and Grove avenues, named it the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and vested control and management in a Board of Trustees. A special fund composed of revenue received for operating expenses was set up for maintenance of the Museum. Works of art are acquired only through private donation and income from endowments.

In 1954, using state appropriations and private philanthropy, a north wing was added to increase gallery space and house a 530-seat theatre with a professionally equipped stage. The 1970 south wing, financed solely by the state, restored the originally-conceived Georgian style rectangle. This wing increased gallery space and expanded operational facilities. The later north wing, also funded by the state, opened in 1976, adding three more galleries, a sculpture garden with a cascading fountain, 375-seat auditorium, lecture hall, relocated members' suite, and a public cafeteria. In 1985, the west wing, financed by combined grants of $12 million from Paul Mellon and Sydney and Frances Lewis, and matched by $10 million appropriated by the commonwealth, opened. It houses the Mellon collection of British sporting art, French impressionist and post-impressionist art, the Lewis collection of contemporary art, art nouveau, art deco, furniture, glass, and other decorative arts. Since 1953, Artmobiles financed by private donors, businesses and foundations, have provided statewide opportunities for education in the arts.

From the beginning, the Board of Trustees was given full power and authority to manage, control, maintain, and operate the Museum. The Board numbers from 25 to 35 members appointed by the Governor. Ex-officio members are the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, speaker of the House of Delegates, and the Mayor of Richmond. Terms of office are limited to five years, with no person eligible to serve consecutively more than two terms. The Board determines policy, and selects a Director to carry out Museum operations. Directors and their dates of service: Thomas C. Colt, Jr., 1935-1948; Leslie Cheek, Jr., 1948-1968; James M. Brown, 1969-1976; Dr. R. Peter Mooz, 1976-1981; Paul N. Perrot, 1984-1991; and Katharine C. Lee, 1991- . Under the Director, are the Deputy Director for Planning and Operations,who deals with admnistration and finance, and the Deputy Director of Programs and Planning, who focuses on the arts. There are four sections; education and outreach, planning and operations, curatorial services, and art support services. Through a network of affiliates, the museum shares art and art-related resources throughout the commonwealth for educational and cultural purposes. A large art reference library is available to the general public, as is a gift shop/bookstore.

Major activities include acquisition and display of art objects from all the world's major cultures, development of art instruction programs, including an apprenticeship training program for college art departments, resident craftsmen program, and fellowship program at the undergraduate,graduateand professional levels, loan exhibitions, mobile art exhibitions, and a year-round schedule of concerts, lectures, tours, films, dance, and theatre, from classical to avant-garde.

Collection highlights not previously mentioned include the Faberge jeweled objects, Gobelin tapestries, and the arts of India, Nepal and Tibet. Publications include "Arts in Virginia" (1-3 issues per year) and "Virginia Museum Bulletin" (6 issues per year), as well as catalogs of special collections and exhibitions.

The relationship between the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Commission of the Arts and Humanities, which evaluates art objects for state acquisition, has always been strictly defined. The Commission has no jurisdiction over the Museum except that the Museum may not exhibit works of art previously rejected or disapproved by the Commission.