A free, public exhibition honoring Charles Sawyer features key additions to the Museum of Art’s permanent collection made during his tenure as director, 1957–1972. The exhibition, organized by students in the 1992–93 Museum Practice Program, features works from the 18th century, one of Sawyer’s favorite periods.
A reception for Sawyer and his wife, Kitty, is slated for 2 p.m. Sunday (April 3), when Sawyer’s colleagues will reminisce about their experiences during his years as director. Marvin Eisenberg, professor emeritus of art history, will recall the many trips he and Sawyer took to collect some of the exhibited works.
Sawyer, in an interview with students from the Museum Practice Program, noted the importance of looking at artwork from both the artist’s and historian’s views.
“As a teacher myself, I felt the importance of the object as a symbol, as an artifact in its own right,” Sawyer said. “I was never an artist myself, (but) I’ve associated during my life with artists a good deal, so I’ve gotten the sense of their vision, values, as well as those of the pure art historians.”
The 33 works in the exhibition will be on display through May 30. The Museum of Art is open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, 1–5 p.m. Sundays, and closed Mondays and major holidays.
