N A TIO NAL G ALL E R Y O F A R T 2016 ANNUAL REPORT ART & EDUCATION Gregory W. Fazakerley Board of Trustees COMMITTEE Aaron Fleischman (as of September 30, 2016) Frederick W. Beinecke Juliet C. Folger Chairman Marina Kellen French Earl A. Powell III Morton Funger Mitchell P. Rales Whitney Ganz Sharon P. Rockefeller Lenore Greenberg David M. Rubenstein Rose Ellen Greene Andrew M. Saul Andrew S. Gundlach Frederic C. Hamilton † FINANCE COMMITTEE Richard C. Hedreen Mitchell P. Rales Teresa Heinz Chairman Helen Lee Henderson Jacob J. Lew Secretary of the Treasury Benjamin R. Jacobs Betsy K. Karel Frederick W. Beinecke Sharon P. Rockefeller Frederick W. Beinecke Sharon P. Rockefeller Kasper Chairman President David M. Rubenstein Linda H. Kaufman Andrew M. Saul Mark J. Kington Kyle J. Krause Jo Carole Lauder AUDIT COMMITTEE David W. Laughlin Andrew M. Saul Chairman LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. Frederick W. Beinecke Reid V. MacDonald Mitchell P. Rales Edward J. Mathias Sharon P. Rockefeller Robert B. Menschel Constance J. Milstein David M. Rubenstein Mitchell P. Rales David M. Rubenstein Diane A. Nixon John G. Pappajohn TRUSTEES EMERITI Sally Engelhard Pingree Julian Ganz, Jr. Tony Podesta Alexander M. Laughlin William A. Prezant David O. Maxwell Diana C. Prince Victoria P. Sant Robert M. Rosenthal John Wilmerding Roger W. Sant B. Francis Saul II EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Thomas A. Saunders III Frederick W. Beinecke Fern M. Schad President Andrew M. Saul John G. Roberts Jr. Leonard L. Silverstein Chief Justice of the Earl A. Powell III United States Director Albert H. Small Franklin Kelly Michelle Smith Deputy Director and Benjamin F. Stapleton III Chief Curator Luther M. Stovall Darrell R. Willson Alexa Davidson Suskin Administrator Christopher V. Walker William W. McClure Treasurer Diana Walker Nancy Robinson Breuer William L Walton Secretary and General Counsel Walter L. Weisman Elizabeth Cropper John R. West Dean, Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts Dian Woodner John F. Kerry Jacob J. Lew Secretary of State Secretary of the Treasury TRUSTEES’ COUNCIL HONORARY TRUSTEES’ (as of September 30, 2016) COUNCIL Vincent J. Buonanno (as of September 30, 2016) Chair Edwin L. Cox Adrienne Arsht Doris Fisher Max N. Berry Julian Ganz, Jr. Louise Bryson Alexander M. Laughlin W. Russell G. Byers Jr. David O. Maxwell Buffy Cafritz Victoria P. Sant Calvin Cafritz John Wilmerding David J. Skorton Leo A. Daly III Secretary of the Louisa Duemling † Deceased Smithsonian Institution NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART Washington, DC Fiscal Year 2016 A GIFT TO THE NATION Celebrating 75 Years 1941 – 2016 NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART iscal year 2016 marked the 75th anniversary of the National sister, Ailsa Mellon Bruce. Their names are two of the last in the list Gallery of Art. The founding story of the Gallery began with of the nine founding benefactors carved into the walls of the West F Andrew Mellon’s monumental gift to the nation: his art col- Building’s north lobby, yet their stories—and their contributions— lection, the funds to construct the West Building, and an endow- are distinct and different. ment. He is remembered best for founding the Gallery with what was The quiet contributions of Ailsa Mellon Bruce stand powerfully thought at the time to be the single largest gift by any individual to alongside those of her father and brother. As a patron of the arts, any nation. Visitors to the Gallery and all Americans owe a debt of she generously donated funds to the Gallery as well as other institu- gratitude to Andrew Mellon for his act of extraordinary generosity and tions to enable acquisitions, fellowships, lectures, and publications. to his children, Paul Mellon and Ailsa Mellon Bruce, for their devo- When the Gallery faced a critical need for additional space to display tion to their father’s legacy. Together they changed the cultural life of its permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and ever-expanding Washington, DC, and the nation forever. programs, she and her brother stepped forward to offer funds for a It was Andrew Mellon’s intention to provide a framework for the second building. Ailsa Mellon Bruce famously donated her personal Gallery’s future growth. His gift of 126 paintings and 26 sculptures, collection of small French paintings to the Gallery and funds to pur- the nucleus of the Gallery’s world-class collection, spans from Jan chase the only panel painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas. van Eyck’s The Annunciation and Raphael’s The Alba Madonna to Among her many gifts were Claude Monet’s The Artist’s Garden at Francisco de Goya’s The Marquesa de Pontejos and Gilbert Stuart’s Vétheuil, Vincent van Gogh’s Farmhouse in Provence, and Thomas The Skater. His collection was chosen with such discretion that it Cole’s allegorical quartet The Voyage of Life. Just as Ailsa Mellon provided a nearly complete outline of seven centuries of European Bruce gave an impressive variety of gifts, she also conferred them painting. Andrew Mellon insisted that the museum not bear his name, through different means, in part to minimalize public awareness of believing that it should be a truly national institution and knowing that her generosity. She made some gifts personally and some anony- it would depend on generous gifts of art from many individuals to fill mously; she made other donations through her Avalon Foundation its spacious galleries. Thanks to his foresight, other major donors were and its successor, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Whether she already giving their collections to the new museum before its opening. gave openly, anonymously, jointly, posthumously, or through a con- Paul Mellon, like his father, left a legacy of visionary and judicious duit, her contributions to the Gallery earned her an undisputed place leadership, spanning more than six decades, from the inception of among the Gallery’s founding benefactors. the Gallery to the time of his death. Following the inaugural ceremony The National Gallery of Art began as Andrew Mellon’s vision. As where he presented the Gallery to the nation on behalf of his father, intended, he inspired—and continues to inspire—others to contrib- he almost single-handedly guided, nurtured, and built this vibrant ute to the nation’s collection. For seventy-five years the Gallery has institution. With his signature modesty and grace, Paul Mellon provided millions with tangible reminders of the power of the human donated extraordinary gifts—in art and funds—and he enlisted spirit and the beauty of artistic expression. Thanks to the Mellon fam- others to do the same. His peerless gifts to the Gallery’s permanent ily’s devotion, the generosity of many citizens, and the support of the collection, made with his wife Bunny, amount to more than 1,000 federal government, the Gallery continues to be a vital part of our works of art since 1964. Among them are his favorite Edgar Degas national identity. wax sculptures, Paul Cézanne’s masterpiece Boy in a Red Waistcoat, and numerous watercolors by Winslow Homer. Over the course of his life, Paul Mellon served as trustee, president, chairman, and finally the Gallery’s first honorary trustee. He carefully watched over the Gallery’s growth, from a single building with a budding collection to a magnificent institution with an additional monumental structure View of the East and West Buildings of the National Gallery of Art and the and rich holdings. His silent partner for a quarter century was his Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain looking toward the U.S. Capitol. 5 President’s Foreword he National Gallery of Art celebrated a distinguished re- Diana C. Prince, and Luther M. Stovall. As Vincent J. Buonanno con- cord of accomplishments and looked to an exciting future cludes his tenure as Council chair, the members of the Trustees’ T as it marked its 75th anniversary in 2016. Generous friends Council join the trustees in expressing gratitude to Vin for his valu- stepped forward this fiscal year, with significant gifts in honor of this able leadership. landmark occasion. On March 17, 2016, the Gallery announced a ma- My fellow trustees and I extend special thanks to Calvin Cafritz, jor endowment challenge grant awarded by The Andrew W. Mellon Gregory W. Fazakerley, Betsy K. Karel, Linda H. Kaufman, LaSalle D. Foundation. I am pleased to announce that this Mellon grant has al- Leffall Jr., Diane A. Nixon, and Roger W. Sant. These members gen- ready generated an enthusiastic response from many of the Gallery’s erously agreed to continue on the Council and serve as members for dedicated patrons. The goal of this challenge is to increase accessi- an additional year in honor of the 75th anniversary. The trustees join bility to the Gallery’s impressive collection and intellectual resourc- me in expressing deep appreciation to all of the Trustees’ Council es through its digital initiatives, education and outreach programs, members for their generous support and guidance. art conservation, and Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts This year we mourned the loss of a close friend of the Gallery, (CASVA). There is no better tribute to the legacy of Andrew Mellon Frederic C. Hamilton. A founding member of the Collectors Com- and his gift to the nation on this 75th anniversary than this unprece- mittee, Fred also served on the Trustees’ Council for more than two dented grant, which will enable the Gallery to fulfill its mission to the decades. We honor his service to the Gallery over the years. We also American public. The trustees and staff look forward to meeting this were saddened by the death of artist Ellsworth Kelly. A key figure in challenge with each accomplishment.