Page 77 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Washington, DC

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building’s completion. When his art collecting. Whistler
the gallery opened in 1923 it painted a dining room for
became the first Smith sonian Frederick Leyland in London,
museum of art. but Leyland found that it was
Constructed as a single- not to his taste. Freer purchased
story building in the Italian the room in 1904; it was later
Renaissance style, the Freer moved to Washington and
has an attractive courtyard installed here after his death. In
with a fountain at its center. contrast to the subtle elegance
There are 19 galleries, most of the other rooms, this room is
with skylights that illuminate a a riot of blues, greens, and golds.
superb coll ec tion of Asian and Whistler’s painted peacocks
American art. Since Freer’s cover the walls and ceiling.
10th-century Indian sculpture of the goddess original donation, the museum In order to modernize its
Parvati in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery has tripled its holdings. In the climate control system and
Asian Art collection are examples renovate the auditorium, the
impressive Vever Collection from of Chinese, Japanese, and Freer will remain closed for a
collector Henri Vever, which Korean art, including sculpture, period of at least 18 months,
includes such items as Islamic ceramics, folding screens, and starting in early 2016. Some
books from the 11th to the 19th paintings. The gallery also has of the galleries were returned
centuries, 19th- and 20th-century a fine selection of to the original
Japanese prints, Indian, Chinese, Buddhist sculpture, aesthetic created
and Japanese paintings, and as well as painting by architect
modern photography. The and calligraphy Charles Platt.
gallery also hosts international from India. During the
traveling exhibitions of Asian There is a select closure, the 25,000
art from museums such as collection of artifacts in the
the Louvre in Paris. American art in collection can be
The Sackler is one of two the Freer as well, viewed online (visit
underground museums in this most of which www.open.asia.si.
area; the other is the National shows Asian edu). The adjacent
Museum of African Art (see p69), influences. Works Sackler galleries
which is part of the same by the artists Detail of a screen by will remain open,
complex. The Sackler is also Childe Hassam Thomas Wilmer Dewing as will the library
connected by underground (1859–1935), John and the museum’s
exhibition space to the Freer Singer Sargent (1865–1925), archives. The museum’s research
Gallery of Art. The two galleries and Thomas Wilmer Dewing com ponent will be moved to the
share a director and admin- (1851–1938) are all on display. Smithsonian’s support facility in
istrative staff as well as the The most astonishing room in Maryland. Visitors should note
Meyer Auditorium, which the museum is James McNeill that concerts and other events
hosts dance performances, Whistler’s “The Peacock Room.” usually held at the museum, will
films, and chamber music con- A friend of Freer’s, Whistler be hosted at the Sackler or
certs. There is also a research (1834–1903) encouraged other Smithsonian venues.
library in the Sackler devoted
to Asian art.
0 Freer Gallery
of Art
Jefferson Drive and 12th Street,
SW. Map 3 C4. Tel 633-1000.
q Smithsonian. Open 10am–
5:30pm daily. Closed Dec 25. 7 =
∑ asia.si.edu
The Freer Gallery of Art is
named after Charles Lang
Freer, a railroad magnate
who donated his collection of
9,000 pieces of American and
Asian art to the Smithson ian,
and funded the building of a
museum to house the works.
Freer died in 1919 before the The attractive courtyard of the Freer Gallery of Art

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