 Poppy Garden by J. Ottis Adams |
Fifteen works by Munich-trained Hoosier artists Steele, Adams, and Forsyth will travel to Indiana art institutions from October 2002 through April 2005, but will premier at Wabash. Adams attended Wabash College, while Steele once lived in nearby Waveland, Ind.
Over the years Lilly Endowment has sought to recognize, encourage, and develop creativity in the state. It takes great pride in Indiana’s heritage of cultural accomplishment. To ensure that significant examples of the work of Hoosier artists stayed in Indiana for the benefit of its citizens, the Endowment acquired the works to be presented in this exhibition.
The “Adams, Forsyth, and Steele: Indiana Paintings from the Lilly Endowment Collection” highlights works by J. Ottis Adams, William Forsyth, and T. C. Steele—the three most prominent members of the Hoosier Group, which also includes the Paris-trained artist Otto Stark and the self-taught painter Richard Gruelle.
Unlike many American artists who studied in Europe and then abandoned their hometowns for New York City, Adams, Forsyth, and Steele returned to Indiana from their training at the Royal Academy in Munich to focus on the Hoosier landscape. Early works by all three artists focus on the customs and pastimes of the German people and are executed with a dark palate and broad brush strokes. By the 1890s, they had all adopted an impressionist style and their paintings of American scenes became brighter and filled with texture.
Adams, Forsyth, and Steele feature familiar Indiana landscapes rendered by these accomplished artists, including tranquil scenes from Brown County and Butler’s Hill, as well as paintings representing the artists’ travels outside of Indiana.
This exhibition is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. and is organized by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation based in Indianapolis that was created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family: Josiah K. Lilly Sr. and his sons, Josiah K. Jr. and Eli, through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although gifts of stock in the company remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location.
In keeping with the wishes of its founders, the Endowment exists to support the causes of community development, education, and religion. It affords special emphasis to projects that benefit young people and that promote leadership education and financial self-sufficiency in the nonprofit sector. The Lilly family’s foremost priority was to help the people of their city and state build a better life. Although the Endowment supports efforts of national significance and an occasional international project, it remains primarily committed to its hometown and home state.
In addition to the Lilly Endowment Collection, 15 paintings by Adams, Forsyth, and Steele belonging to the family of a Wabash College trustee will also be exhibited.
Gallery hours are Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Sunday: 12 Noon to 2 p.m. Admission is free and the display is open to the public.