Platte River, Nebraska by Albert Bierstadt (1863). Courtesy Jones Library, Inc., Amherst, Massachu­ The Waters of America setts. J CREATION. OF AN EXHIBITION The coincidence of the opening date of the by the Historic New Orleans Collection in 1984 Louisiana World Exposition and the cooperation with NOMA, is on display at projected completion of the Collection's 521 Tchoupitoulas Street. new Central Business District complex has When the Collection purchased the three resulted in "the most significant exhibition historic warehouses on Tchoupitoulas Street of 19th-century American painting ever designed by James Gallier, Sr., plans called presented in New Orleans," according to E. for the renovated complex to house cura­ John Bullard, director of the New Orleans torial, conservation, and archival storage Museum of Art. The Waters ofAmerica : 19th­ areas on the upper floors and for the large Century American Paintings of Rivers, ground floor area to be rented for commer­ Streams, Lakes, and Waterfalls, presented cial use. THNOC director Stanton Frazar, Two views of the Collection's CBD complex at the comer of Tchoupitoulas and Poydras Streets. however, decided that the opening at the opportunity to work with the of the World's Fair and the inau­ Collection" and suggested that the guration of the new facility de­ theme of American landscapes fea­ the project, with the assistance of served a more exciting fate. turing water would afford an op­ exhibition registrar Lisette Oser and With the "plethora of major art portunity to "survey in one show staff members from both THNOC exhibitions gathering in and around the entire range and variety of and NOMA. American landscape painting" and The result is a stunning show of to "see well-known subjects and landscape paintings by the most im­ artists in a new context." portant 19th-century American art­ Most shows of this size and com­ ists. Borrowing the desired paint­ plexity-the exhibit contains 82 ings was difficult at times, however, paintings from 58 institutions-take because of a renewed interest in three to five years to put together. American artwork nationwide, Exhibition coordinator John A. shown by the renovation or opening Mahe II, when informed that he had of American wings in several mu­ less than a year to bring together seums and the mounting of two ma­ major 19th-century landscape jor traveling exhibitions of Ameri­ paintings from across the nation, can paintings, the Boston Museum the fair," he decided to "open a began working almost full time on of Fine Arts' A New World: Master­ smashing exhibition to celebrate the pieces of American Painting, 1760- opening of the new complex." One 1910 and the Virginia Museum of reason for the choice of this partic­ Fine Arts' Painting in the South, both ular theme was a perceived "obli­ of which include important land­ gation to the community," accord­ scapes. The length of this exhibit­ ing to Mr. Frazar, "to see that there the entire six months of the World's was one major art exhibition in the Fair-is also unusually long for a city which was related to the theme non-traveling show. of the fair." He continued, "Al­ Since the concept of the exhibi­ though the other shows in the city tion was to follow the settlement and are marvelous, they reflect a variety westward expansion of the Ameri­ of unrelated interests, and it seemed can frontier, it was necessary that appropriate to have a complemen­ each area of the country be evenly tary theme." represented. While it was easy to Since the Collection is an histor­ obtain an unlimited number of ical research institution, Mr. Frazar Hudson River paintings, finding lo­ approached Mr. Bullard about a co­ cations west of the Mississippi was operative art exhibition, because more difficult. For a while, it seemed "NOMA is the major art institution that Texas would not be repre­ of the south and has a record of sented in this exhibit. bringing blockbusters to New Or­ Exhibition coordinator john A. Mahe II ex­ Nevertheless, with the coopera­ leans." Mr. Bullard was "delighted amines an uncrated painting. tion of directors and curators from 2 museums across the country, paint­ ings representing all major artists and geographical areas (including fine examples from Texas!) were as­ sembled. Their efforts were "phe­ nomenal," according to Mr. Mahe. "The best part of the exhibit was the opportunity to work with col­ leagues from so many other mu­ seums." When unable to lend a painting, curators would suggest al- ternates by the same artist; they shared research, provided cata­ Visitors view the exhibition. logues, expedited procedures, and, the east coast, two from the mid­ after the sign was completed, the in one case, had conservation work west, and one from the west coast­ city changed the direction of traffic done to help meet the May 3 dead­ all arrived on the same day. Un­ on Tchoupitoulas; motorists now line. crating the paintings was "like driving downtown cannot see the Staff members were especially opening Christmas presents," said sign. Fortunately, the huge banner excited when the paintings began to Mr. Mahe. In particular, Thomas on the front of the building had al­ arrive. Three particularly valuable Moran's Hot Springs of Gardiners ready been planned to attract at­ works were hand delivered by spe­ River was impressive because of its tention, despite the change in the cial couriers. Five vans-two from magnitude and glowing color. city's traffic patterns. Perhaps the most surprising turn THNOC staff members closely in­ ffi THE HISTORIC of events concerned the large sign volved with the exhibit, besides Mr. painted on the outside wall of the Mahe and Mrs. Oser, include Pris­ t!1 NEWORLEANS complex, advertising the exhibi­ cilla O'Reilly, Maureen Donnelly, tion. Clearly visible from Canal Tom Staples, John Lawrence, Alan ~ COLLECTION Street, it could also be seen by mo­ Balicki, and Melvin Noah. NOMA ~ NEWSLETTER torists traveling uptown on the one­ staff involved with the planning and way Tchoupitoulas Street. Two days mounting of the exhibit included Editors: Patricia Brady Schmit, Gail Larsen Peterkin Head of Photography: Jan White The Historic New Orleans Collection Newsletter is published quarterly by the Historic New Orleans Collection, which is operated by the Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation, a Louisiana non-profit corporation. Housed in a complex of historic buildings in the French Quarter, facilities are open to the public, Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Tours of the history galleries and the residence are available for a nominal fee. Board of Directors: Benjamin W. Yancey, President Ernest C. Villere Mrs. William K. Christovich G. Henry Pierson, Jr. John A. Rodgers III Stanton Frazar, Director The Historic New Orleans Collection 533 Royal Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 (504) 523-4662 Cable: THNOC c 1984, The Historic New Orleans Collection Sunset in the Yosemite Valley by Albert Bierstadt (1868). Courtesy The Haggin Museum, Stockton, California. 3 The Collection and the Fair View of the World's Exposition From St. Charles Avenue North East, City Park, New Orleans (1959.6), the cover illustration for An interior view of the galleries THNOC's 1985 "Louisiana His­ tory Day by Day" calendar. curator William Fagaly, who chose the subdued Victorian tones for the walls, registrar Daniel Piersol, as­ sistant registrar Paul Tarver, and The Historic New Orleans Col­ drama on the life ofLafcadio Hearn, head preparator Tom Harrington. lection has made a number of con­ an author who was profoundly in­ A catalogue of the exhibition is tributions to the 1984 Louisiana fluenced by the Japanese culture available. It features a full color World Exposition. The institution that he first encountered at the cover and duotone illustrations of has provided vintage images of the 1884-85 exposition. WWL-TV every piece in the show. There is a 1884-85 World's Industrial and aired a week-long series on the foreword by directors Frazar and Cotton Centennial Exposition to au­ L WE, using music originally taped Bullard and an essay, "American thors and patrons who are compar­ for the Collection, and they used Waters: The Flow of Imagination," ing the two fairs. Staff experts have additional THNOC images on the by Dr. John Wilmerding, deputy di­ also researched the L WE site, and, program "4:30." rector of the National Gallery of Art, as the official repository of the L WE THNOC's own 1985 Louisiana described by Mr. Bullard as the archives, THNOC's participation History Day by Day calendar, now "most articulate and comprehensi­ will continue long after the closing available, features 13 full-color ble of scholars working in the area." of the fair. views from the 1884-85 World's Mr. Bullard considers the essay THNOC's involvement with the Industrial and Cotton Centennial "outstanding, because of its new in­ fair began early, when Winston Lill Exposition. sights on landscape painting of the requested images for a slide show Copy images were provided to a period." in 1982. Women in the Mainstream number of pavilions on the L WE used material for fund-raising slide site, including the state's Louisiana shows viewed by over 7 5 groups. In Purchase Pavilion. In addition, many addition, Gaspar J. "Buddy" Stall, THNOC staff members volunteered Mel Leavitt, Clive Hardy of UNO, their time to help with exhibit THNOC's Rosanne McCaffrey and preparation and installation. Direc­ Patricia McWhorter, and Thomas tor Stanton Frazar, for example, was The Waters Watson, president of the Louisiana instrumental in the fund-raising shop Historical Association, used slides campaign for the Preservation Re­ of THNOC material in prepared source Center's "Bricks for Fulton Each geographical section of the slide shows.