American Art-Union

American Art-Union was a New York City-based organization that played a significant role in promoting American art and supporting American artists such as Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, and Frederic Edwin Church. The organization was established in 1839, with the goal of fostering a greater appreciation for American art and providing financial support to American artists through the distribution of their works to its members, including those who were part of the National Academy of Design and the American Academy of Fine Arts. The American Art-Union was also influenced by the British Art Union, which had been established in London a few years earlier, and it worked closely with other organizations such as the Boston Athenaeum and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The organization's efforts helped to promote the careers of many notable American artists, including Hudson River School painters like Albert Bierstadt and Sanford Gifford, as well as sculptors like Hiram Powers and Horatio Greenough.

● History

The American Art-Union was founded in 1839 by a group of New York City businessmen and art enthusiasts, including Jonathan Sturges and William Sidney Mount, with the goal of promoting American art and supporting American artists. The organization was modeled after the British Art Union, which had been established in London a few years earlier, and it worked closely with other organizations such as the National Academy of Design and the American Academy of Fine Arts. During its early years, the American Art-Union focused on distributing engravings and lithographs of works by American artists such as John Trumbull and Gilbert Stuart to its members, who included prominent collectors like Luman Reed and Robert Lenox. The organization also worked with publishers like G.P. Putnam and Harper & Brothers to produce and distribute art books and catalogs featuring the work of American artists, including Thomas Sully and Rembrandt Peale.

● Organization and Membership

The American Art-Union was organized as a membership-based organization, with members paying an annual fee to support the organization's activities and receive a selection of artworks and publications each year. The organization's membership included a wide range of individuals, from prominent collectors like William T. Walters and Henry Clay Frick to artists like Winslow Homer and Eastman Johnson. The American Art-Union also worked closely with other organizations, such as the National Academy of Design and the American Academy of Fine Arts, to promote American art and support American artists. The organization's leadership included notable figures like Jonathan Sturges and William Sidney Mount, who played important roles in shaping the organization's mission and activities, and who worked with other prominent art dealers like Michael Knoedler and William Schaus.

● Art Distribution and Exhibitions

The American Art-Union distributed a wide range of artworks to its members, including paintings, sculptures, engravings, and lithographs by American artists such as Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, and Frederic Edwin Church. The organization also organized exhibitions of American art at its New York City gallery, featuring works by artists like Hudson River School painters Albert Bierstadt and Sanford Gifford, as well as sculptors like Hiram Powers and Horatio Greenough. The American Art-Union's exhibitions and distributions helped to promote the careers of many notable American artists, including John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassatt, and to foster a greater appreciation for American art among the general public, with the support of museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Wadsworth Atheneum. The organization's efforts also helped to establish New York City as a major center for the art market, with dealers like Michael Knoedler and William Schaus playing important roles in the city's art scene.

● Notable Artists and Works

The American Art-Union supported a wide range of American artists, including Hudson River School painters like Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, and Frederic Edwin Church, as well as sculptors like Hiram Powers and Horatio Greenough. The organization also distributed works by artists like John Trumbull, Gilbert Stuart, and Rembrandt Peale, and it helped to promote the careers of younger artists like Winslow Homer and Eastman Johnson. Some notable works distributed by the American Art-Union include Thomas Cole's The Oxbow, Asher B. Durand's Kindred Spirits, and Frederic Edwin Church's Twilight in the Wilderness, as well as sculptures like Hiram Powers's The Greek Slave and Horatio Greenough's George Washington. The organization's support for American artists also helped to foster the development of new art movements, such as the Hudson River School and the American Renaissance, with the influence of European art and European artists like J.M.W. Turner and Eugène Delacroix.

● Dissolution and Legacy

The American Art-Union was dissolved in 1851, due to a combination of factors including financial difficulties and changes in the art market. Despite its relatively short existence, the organization had a significant impact on the development of American art and the careers of many American artists. The American Art-Union's efforts helped to establish New York City as a major center for the art market, and its support for American artists helped to foster the development of new art movements like the Hudson River School and the American Renaissance. The organization's legacy can be seen in the many museums and galleries that have been established in New York City and elsewhere, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the National Gallery of Art, which continue to promote and celebrate American art and American artists, with the support of organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Category:Art organizations