Curator Emerson Bowyer On the Importance of the Horvitz Collection Donation

Last month, the Art Institute of Chicago announced that it had received a “transformative gift” of French Old Master art from Jeffrey and Carol Horvitz. The works in the gift hail from the 16th Century through to the 19th Century. It consists of nearly 2,000 drawings, 200 paintings and 50 sculptures, featuring works by Charles Le Brun, François Boucher, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Jacques-Louis David and Théodore Géricault, among other artists. We recently caught up with Art Institute of Chicago curator Emerson Bowyer to hear more about the gift and its impact.

Can you explain the importance of this gift in the context of the institution’s existing collections of French art from this period? Will these works deepen a trove that already exists or fill gaps?

The Art Institute is home to one of the greatest collections of 19th-century French art outside of France. By comparison, our 17th- and 18th-century French collection was less comprehensive. Those centuries are precisely the strength of the Horvitz collection. Joined with our holdings, the Horvitz collection allows the Art Institute to tell a much fuller and richer story of the history of French art over the course of multiple centuries.

With so many artworks, I’m sure it’s hard to choose favorites, but what are some standouts in this gift in terms of art historical significance?

The collection features major drawings by renowned artists such as Watteau and Boucher, as well as Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Jacques-Louis David and Théodore Gericault. Standouts include Ingres’ skillful watercolor and gouache over graphite depiction of Jupiter and Thetis, as well as Gericault’s moving watercolor, ink and gouache rendering of a Couple in a Landscape. Significant paintings by 17th-century artists include a dramatically lit Lamentation scene by the artist Jacques Bellange and a noted work by Charles Le Brun, Christ on the Mount of Olives. There are also celebrated paintings by eighteenth-century masters such as Boucher and Fragonard, a number of portraits by Largillière and a range of canvases by François-André Vincent, including his vibrant depiction of Rinaldo and Armida. Also significant is the wealth of drawings and paintings by women artists, including an extraordinary early canvas by Anne Vallayer-Coster, Still Life with Dead Hare.\

The artworks come with “one of the largest financial gifts in the history of the Art Institute,” which is “dedicated to supporting French art across the permanent collection.” Could you tell my readers what some of that might entail? Should we expect more exhibitions around this material in the future?

With the size of this collection, it is a significant undertaking to maintain, preserve and conserve these works, as well as conduct major research and produce exhibitions. This financial support is part of their responsible giving and will help the museum care for this collection for generations to come.

Jeffrey Horvitz said in his statement about the gift that the couple “always envisioned this collection remaining as a whole in order to be more than the sum of its parts.” What are the benefits of keeping a collection like this together?

This collection’s significance relies on its quality, depth and ability to represent nearly all aspects of French art from the 17th Century through the mid-19th Century. Keeping such a collection together ensures its ability to tell a rich and complete story of the history of French art.