The Saint Louis University Museum of Art is the formal art museum for Saint Louis University. It is located at 3663 Lindell Boulevard in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

and is also known as Doris O'Donnell Hall.

Architecture

Designed in the Beaux-Arts

architectural style An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...

, the building has a raised basement of rusticated

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

and a high-pitched mansard roof. The front(south-facing) façade is organized in a tripartite fashion, with the central block displaying Ionic-style columns, as well as corbelled entablature. The flanking sections have tall casement windows with limestone surrounds and ornamental wall dormers.

History

Completed in 1900, the four story building originally hosted the St. Louis Club, an organization founded in 1878. The principal architect of the building was Arthur Dillon of the New York firm Friedlander and Dillon. While hosting the St. Louis Club, the building became the location of many historical moments. In 1902, Prince Henry of Prussia was entertained at the club during a visit to

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

. Much of the planning for the

1904 World's Fair The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds totaling $15 milli ...

was carried out on the site. The building was also visited by U.S. Presidents

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, McKinley, Taft,

Roosevelt Roosevelt may refer to: *Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), 26th U.S. president * Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945), 32nd U.S. president Businesses and organisations * Roosevelt Hotel (disambiguation) * Roosevelt & Son, a merchant bank * Rooseve ...

, Wilson, and Harding. After a fire in 1925, the

F. W. Woolworth Company The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's or simply Woolworth) was a retail company and one of the pioneers of the five-and-dime store. It was among the most successful American and international five-and-dime businesses, se ...

bought the building and converted it into offices which served as the regional headquarters for the company. Saint Louis University purchased the building in 1992 from alumnus Dr. Francis O'Donnell Jr. and used it for classrooms until it converted the structure to a museum in 1998. The building is named Doris O'Donnell hall in honor of Dr. O'Donnell's mother, who was a long-time employee of the university. It is a designated historic landmark by the city of

Permanent collection and past exhibitions

As of April 2022, there are 241 pieces in the museum's permanent collection, including works by Achille Perilli,

Adam Emory Albright Adam Emory Albright (August 15, 1862 – September 13, 1957) was a painter of figures in landscapes. He was born in Monroe, Wisconsin and spent his working life in Warrenville and the Chicago area. Early years Albright studied at the Chicago ...

Anton Heyboer Anton Heyboer (; 9 February 1924 – 9 April 2005) was a Dutch painter and printmaker. Biography According to the informational booklet "Anton Heyboer: Timeless Work", he was born on the small island of Pulau Weh in the north of Sumatra as th ...

, and

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in ...

. Past exhibitions at the museum have showcased the work of Leon Bronstein,

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

, Leo Ray, and

Edward Boccia Edward Eugene Boccia (1921–2012) was an American painter and poet who lived and worked in St. Louis, Missouri and served as a university professor in the School of Fine Arts, Washington University in St. Louis. Boccia's work consisted mostly o ...

References

External links

Official Museum Site
Museum Of Art Art museums and galleries in Missouri Museums in St. Louis University museums in Missouri Art museums established in 1992 Landmarks of St. Louis Historic department store buildings in the United States F. W. Woolworth Company buildings and structures Beaux-Arts architecture in Missouri 1992 establishments in Missouri Midtown St. Louis Tourist attractions in St. Louis Buildings and structures in St. Louis {{StLouis-struct-stub

Architecture

History

Permanent collection and past exhibitions

See also

References

External links