USC Fisher Museum of Art, formerly USC Fisher Gallery, which is affiliated with the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

, is the first

art museum An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own collection. It might be in public or private ownership and may be accessible to all or have restrictions in place. Although primarily con ...

established in the city of Los Angeles. Founded in 1939 by Elizabeth Holmes Fisher, she donated 29 paintings at the beginning. When she died in 1955, the collection had grown to 74 paintings, drawings and sculptures by European and North American artists. In 1955,

Armand Hammer Armand Hammer (May 21, 1898 – December 10, 1990) was an American business manager and owner, most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, a company he ran from 1957 until his death. Called "Lenin's chosen capitalist" by the press, ...

donated to the museum a collection of 48 works by Dutch, Flemish, German, and Italian masters of the fifteenth through seventeenth centuries. In recent years, the 20th and 21st centuries collections are growing fast, not only in size, but in scope. The later collections span the medias of painting, prints, drawings, photography, and sculpture. Highlights of the collections include: ''Venus Wounded by a Thorn'' (ca. 1608-1610) by

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradi ...

, ''St. John the Evangelist'' (1618-1620) by Anthony van Dyck (attributed to), ''Isabella Hunter formerly Mrs. Anne Downman'' (ca. 1776-1790) by Angelica Kauffmann, ''Emma, Lady Hamilton'' by George Romney, ''Mrs. Burroughs'' (1769) by

Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough (14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman, and printmaker. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds, he is considered one of the most important British artists of ...

, ''Femme Etandant Son Linge'' by

Jean-François Millet Jean-François Millet (; 4 October 1814 – 20 January 1875) was a French artist and one of the founders of the Barbizon school in rural France. Millet is noted for his paintings of peasant farmers and can be categorized as part of the Realism ...

, ''Richard Nixon'' (1972) by

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the Art movement, visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore th ...

, and ''Blacklist'' (1999) by

Jenny Holzer Jenny Holzer (born July 29, 1950) is an American neo-conceptual artist, based in Hoosick, New York. The main focus of her work is the delivery of words and ideas in public spaces and includes large-scale installations, advertising billboards, ...

References

External links

* {{authority control Art museums and galleries in Los Angeles University museums in California 1939 establishments in California Art museums established in 1939 Art in Greater Los Angeles University of Southern California