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Renowned Art Collection given to Florence Griswold Museum
190 piece gift a watershed in the Museum's history

OLD LYME, CT -- July 9, 2001: In a remarkable act of corporate philanthropy Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company recently announced that the 135 year-old Connecticut corporation would give its entire Fine Arts Collection to the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT. The collection, numbering 190 works, will be moved to Old Lyme in the spring of 2002 and featured in a new riverfront gallery and collections facility being built on the grounds of the Museum. Considered one of the premier collections in New England, the collection focuses entirely on the works of American artists who lived and worked in Connecticut, and spans a period of approximately 150 years from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries. It includes examples by many of America's leading artists, such as Ralph Earl, Frederic Church, and John Frederick Kensett. A particular strength centers on the state's key role as a center of American Impressionism, with major works by Childe Hassam, John Henry Twachtman and Willard Metcalf, among others. "The collection embodies the values that made Connecticut a leader in building our nation -- hard work, craftsmanship and excellence," said Richard H. Booth, president and chief executive officer of Hartford Steam Boiler. "This gift to the Florence Griswold Museum assures that the public will have full access to these works of art."

Collecting Connecticut's Artistic Heritage

In assembling the collection, the intent of the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company was to preserve Connecticut‚s artistic heritage. The company began collecting American art in 1983 under the leadership of their President and CEO Wilson Wilde and Curator Judith Lefebvre Schiffer. Over the next decade or so they systematically built a collection that now numbers 190 paintings, sculptures and works on paper. The company worked principally with two outside experts, Griswold Museum Director Jeffrey Andersen and former New Britain Museum of American Art Director Charles B. Ferguson. Works from the collection have been generously lent to museum exhibitions throughout Connecticut, the United States, and abroad. The Griswold Museum has announced plans to maintain the company‚s commitment to sharing these treasures with new audiences.

American Artists in Connecticut

Connecticut is, in many respects, ideally situated for artists to live and work in proximity to New York and Boston. In the 18th century, following the American Revolution, the state was a lively region for portraiture, led by Ralph Earl and his followers who established what is now known as the "Connecticut school" of portrait painters. During the 19th century Connecticut was enlivened by the presence of Hudson River School painters such as Thomas Cole and Frederic Church and genre painters like George Henry Durrie, who spent most of his lifetime in New Haven. At the end of the 19th century, the state became a major center for American Impressionists who found inspiration in its gentle cultivated landscape and picturesque shoreline. Many of these artists settled in Connecticut, creating some of their greatest works in the state. In doing so, they helped to define the image of Connecticut today.

Governor and Cultural Leaders Applaud Decision

Upon learning of the generous gift Governor John J. Rowland responded, "As one of Connecticut‚s outstanding corporations, Hartford Steam Boiler has always shown great civic responsibility. By giving their renowned Fine Arts Collection, one of the State‚s most unique assets, to the Florence Griswold Museum HSB has once again shown its dedication to the people of Connecticut. This collection will now be held in public trust at an institution dedicated to educating audiences on Connecticut‚s role in American art." The response of the cultural community has been equally enthusiastic. According to Elizabeth Broun, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, "It is truly one of America‚s landmark collections, the kind that can put a museum on the map. The Florence Griswold Museum‚s splendid programs should gain terrific added prominence through this historic gift." William H. Gerdts, the leading scholar in the field of American Impressionism and author of the landmark three-volume Art Across America, commented: "I can think of no more enlightened and perceptive philanthropy in the field of American art than the gift of the HSB Collection to the Florence Griswold Museum. The merging of these two collections will provide the historical background of earlier Connecticut art while at the same time strengthen the great focus already present at the Griswold, namely, the flowering of American Impressionism. No lover of American art can afford to miss a visit to Old Lyme."

A Cultural Destination for Southern New England

The Hartford Steam Boiler Fine Arts Collection comes to the Florence Griswold Museum at a time of unprecedented growth in the institution‚s 55-year history. Already considered one of Connecticut‚s jewels, the Museum has begun to broaden its facilities, educational activities and public outreach to increase its national visibility. Over the last five years the Museum has increased its property to 11 acres along the Lieutenant River, added the Hartman Education Center and restored historic gardens. A new 9,000 square foot gallery and collections storage facility overlooking the river is currently under construction. Designed by Centerbrook Architects and Planners and scheduled to open in the summer of 2002, the Robert and Nancy Krieble Gallery will be a fully modern facility featuring the diversity of Connecticut‚s artistic heritage. Selections from the HSB Fine Arts Collection will be featured as the inaugural exhibition for the Krieble Gallery and continue to be displayed in a designated gallery.

"The management, care and interpretation of this collection will be a core responsibility of our curatorial and education staffs," Director Jeffrey Andersen said. "We anticipate using the collection for some particularly exciting programming and curricular innovations. The educational opportunities represented by this gift can hardly be overstated." Visitors to the Florence Griswold Museum will have the opportunity to view the new collection in the context of the Connecticut landscape and village where many of the works were created, providing an unforgettable experience.

Recognizing the importance of the Museum‚s growth to the region‚s economy Ed Dombroskas, Executive Director of the Connecticut Office of Tourism, explains, "The Florence Griswold Museum is poised to achieve national recognition as one of America‚s premier art institutions. In doing so it has become a place of special pride for shoreline residents and, at the same time, an important destination in Southern New England that will attract art lovers and other travelers to our region."

The Griswold Museum - A Welcoming Center for the Arts