Nineteenth Century American Art September 13, 2008

The Williams and Proctor families collected American and European paintings, fine furniture, decorative arts, manuscripts, holographs, rare books and related materials throughout the 19th century and in the early 20th century, until the death in 1935 of Maria Proctor, the last of the Institute's founders. The museum has generally sought to expand and enrich the basic collecting interests of the MWPAI's founders and key benefactors.Highlights of the 19th-century American painting and sculpture collections include works by William M. Chase, Thomas Cole, William Harnett, Winslow Homer, James Peale, Raphaelle Peale, John F. Peto, Hiram Powers and Augustus Saint-Gaudens.