Lillies, Lanterns and Sunshine: The Chrysler Museum’s Collections

The Chrysler Museum of  Norfolk, Virginia  was unknown to us until recently. It clearly represents a stunning collection gathered by a knowledgeable and discerning collector. We were drawn to the decorative arts section originally but there is much more here to be explored, comprising 62 galleries for 30,000 works of art from around the world:

The painting to the right, Helen Turner’s “Lillies, Lanterns and Sunshine,” 1923, oil on canvas, is a collection favorite.

Walter Chrysler, Jr., scion of the automotive company founder, donated nearly 10,000 objects as part of an arrangement where the Norfolk Academy of Arts and Sciences became the Chrysler Museum of Art.

The story of his gift goes far beyond the sheer numbers. It’s what his collection contained that remains breathtaking to this day. A late, legendary New York Times art critic called Chrysler the most underrated American collector of his time, and it’s easy to see why.

As a young man he met the top avant-garde artists of Paris (including Picasso) and was soon purchasing works by them all. He spent his summers in American artist colonies (such as Provincetown, Mass.), and bought works from many future art stars well before they way famous. He was known for buying against fashion, as he had confidence that the special qualities he saw in various pieces would gain acceptance later.