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Corcoran Gallery of Art

From Alfawiki
Corcoran Gallery of Art
Company typeNon-profit art museum
IndustryArt museum
Founded1869; 157 years ago (1869)
FounderWilliam Wilson Corcoran
DefunctOctober 2014 (2014-10)
FateDissolved; collection transferred to National Gallery of Art; building and school transferred to George Washington University
SuccessorNational Gallery of Art (collection), Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University (building and school)
Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
,
United States
Area served
United States
Key people
Donelson Hoopes (curator 1962–1964)
ProductsAmerican art exhibitions, art education through affiliated art school
Number of employees
~140 (museum and art school combined)
ParentIndependent until dissolution in 2014

The Corcoran Gallery of Art was an art museum situated in Washington, D.C., occupying the premises now used by the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, which is part of George Washington University.

Established in 1869 through the philanthropy of William Wilson Corcoran, it ranked among the earliest public art museums in the United States, with a concentration on American artwork. The gallery's Beaux-Arts style edifice on The Ellipse opened its doors in 1897, while its associated art school was inaugurated in 1890. After enduring extended financial challenges, the gallery ceased operations in October 2014; according to its original charter, ownership of its building and art school passed to GWU, and its collection of 19,456 pieces was distributed primarily to the National Gallery of Art and other institutions.

Overview

The Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, which is part of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, provides academic programs in fine art, photojournalism, interaction design, and interior architecture, alongside hosting exhibitions featuring students and visiting artists. Prior to its closure, the Corcoran Gallery stood as one of the longest-standing privately funded cultural organizations in the country.

Founded in 1890 with an initial enrollment of 40 students and two instructors, the institution was renamed Corcoran College of Art + Design during the 1990s and operated concurrently with the gallery. The museum’s primary emphasis was on American art.

In 2014, following years marked by financial instability and allegations of mismanagement, a court mandated the dissolution of the Corcoran. Trustees established a new non-profit entity and transferred its $2 billion collection—comprising approximately 17,000 works—to the National Gallery of Art without charge. Additional artworks were donated to various cultural organizations across the nation. The Corcoran College of Art and Design, along with its $50 million endowment and historic $200 million facility on 17th Street, were handed over to George Washington University, which rebranded it as the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design.

Founding

The gallery was created in 1869 by William Wilson Corcoran, who also co-founded Riggs Bank. It was among America’s earliest fine art institutions. Corcoran endowed it financially "for the perpetual establishment and encouragement of the Fine Arts." As an autonomous entity, it was both the oldest and largest non-federal art museum in District of Columbia, devoted to fostering American artistic achievement.

Initially housed at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in what is today known as the Renwick Gallery, construction began prior to the Civil War. During that conflict, the nearly finished building served as a government warehouse before completion in 1874 when it officially opened to visitors.[1] The original collection consisted of 93 artworks, documented in an 1874 tribute by M.E.P. Bouligny.[2]

By 1897, growth required relocating to a new 135,000 sq ft (12,500 m2) Beaux-Arts structure designed by Ernest Flagg. This new facility housed both an expanding collection and the Corcoran School of Art founded seven years earlier. The entrance is distinguished by bronze Canova Lions, obtained at auction in 1888 and moved from the initial location to this building at 17th Street and New York Avenue in 1897.[3]

Periods of Expansion

In 1928, the Corcoran expanded with a new wing designed by Charles Adam Platt to house the art collection of former Senator William A. Clark, a project officially opened by President Calvin Coolidge. Although there were intentions to add a final wing to complete the campus, these plans were abandoned in 2005 after funding fell through for a proposed addition by Frank O. Gehry, leading to the sale of remaining property to a private developer.

Between the 1950s and 1970s, the gallery prominently exhibited its core holdings from Corcoran, Clark, and other significant benefactors. At its height, the collection featured masterpieces by artists such as Rembrandt Peale, Eugène Delacroix, Edgar Degas, Thomas Gainsborough, John Singer Sargent, Claude Monet, Mariano Fortuny, Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, and Willem de Kooning, among others. However, public display was limited due to space restrictions within the 140,000-square-foot facility shared with the art school. Donelson Hoopes held the curator position from 1962 to 1964. The 1980s brought increased visitor numbers and innovative programming that served as a model for other cultural institutions.

Mapplethorpe Exhibition Dispute

In 1989, the Corcoran agreed to present a traveling solo exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe’s The Perfect Moment, curated by Janet Kardon from Philadelphia’s Institute of Contemporary Art. Opposition arose from several board members and politicians including Representative Dick Armey and Senator Jesse Helms due to the exhibit’s sexually explicit content. Consequently, the board canceled the show on the eve of its opening despite having previously invited members to attend. This decision triggered protests led by the Coalition of Washington Artists, drawing approximately 700 participants.

Pop artist Lowell Blair Nesbitt, a close associate of Mapplethorpe, threatened to withdraw his $1.5 million bequest if the museum did not proceed with the exhibition; following its cancellation, he redirected his donation to the Phillips Collection. The nonprofit organization Washington Project for the Arts subsequently hosted the exhibit, attracting substantial audiences.

This controversy had repercussions on federal arts funding, influencing the 1990 National Endowment for the Arts appropriations bill which incorporated restrictions against "obscene" art. The fallout included cancellations of artist shows, reductions in funding and membership numbers, staff departures, and culminated in director Orr-Cahall’s resignation by late 1989.

Closing Chapter

During its concluding years, both the museum and Corcoran College of Art and Design employed roughly 140 staff members and operated on an annual budget of $24 million. Their income streams comprised grants, donations, admission fees, tuition payments, membership dues, as well as revenue from retail and dining facilities, supported by a $30 million endowment. In February 2001, AOL executives Robert W. Pittman and Barry Schuler along with their spouses contributed $30 million—the largest gift received since the institution’s inception.

Following prolonged financial difficulties, a legal ruling in 2014 by Judge Okum mandated the dissolution of Washington’s oldest independent museum. Trustees transferred ownership of the $200 million Beaux-Arts building to the Corcoran College of Art and Design while allocating $50 million to George Washington University for renovation projects and program support. The extensive 17,000-piece art collection, valued at approximately $2 billion, was entrusted to the National Gallery of Art. By early 2018, announcements were made regarding plans for the National Gallery to resume exhibiting artworks on the second floor of the Flagg building.

Interior

The interior layout was crafted by Flagg. Upon entering from 17th Street, visitors find themselves in an atrium featuring forty limestone columns and dual skylights that brighten the sculpture exhibits. This area, inspired by Beaux-Arts design principles, spans two stories and has functioned as exhibition space.

Directly across from the main entrance stands an expansive staircase, bordered by six statues placed on marble pedestals, ascending to a landing before reaching the second level. From this point, guests can proceed to the rotunda and the second-floor atrium via a bridge oriented back toward the entrance. The galleries extend throughout the building.

Originally, three galleries on the first floor opened from the atrium (down from an initial seven), while eight galleries were located on the second floor. The rotunda, introduced in 1925 by Charles A. Platt, boasts a 48-foot-wide dome with an oculus skylight reminiscent of that found in the Pantheon. It serves as an entryway to the Clark Wing galleries, which are accessed through a marble-floored staircase hall.

At the northern extremity of the building lies the Hemicycle auditorium (), accommodating up to 300 attendees. On the opposite side is the Salon Doré, also known as the "French Room," which displays elaborate early 18th-century French interior design by Jean-François Chalgrin, relocated from Paris prior to 1904.

In 2015, preservation efforts led to the inclusion of the Corcoran's interior spaces—including the grand staircase, atrium, rotunda, and galleries—on the National Register of Historic Places; its exterior had been recognized since 1971.

See also

External links

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