The Art Institute of Chicago

Introduction and AcknowledgmentsAuthor(s): James N. WoodSource: Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies, Vol. 30, No. 1, Notable Acquisitions at TheArt Institute of Chicago (2004), p. 5Published by: The Art Institute of ChicagoStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4129898 .

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Introduction and Acknowledgments

W ith the previous edition of Museum Studies, the Art Institute began a two-issue project devoted to cata-

loging some of the finest objects added to the museum's col- lection between 1992 and 2003. It is my pleasure to intro- duce the concluding half of this effort, which here surveys outstanding works acquired by the departments of American Arts, Architecture, Asian Art, European Painting, and Prints and Drawings.

One of the main components of the Art Institute's mission is to offer visitors a chance to experience, in per- son, original examples of the greatest achievements in the arts. Another is to enhance the museum's permanent col-

lection, adding to our holdings of a recognized artist's oeuvre, advancing our knowledge of underrepresented genres or cultures, and seeking out important new works. The objects in this issue reflect these goals and testify to the generosity of the benefactors who help the Art Institute realize them. The presence of such acquisitions in these pages, and in the museum itself, also reveals the commitment of our curatorial staff, who combine schol-

arly acumen and knowledge of the art world in their efforts to augment our collection with the most significant artworks available.

Indispensible to this project were the interpretive tal- ents of those curators and researchers, many of whom were instrumental in acquiring the very objects they wrote on. Thanks go to the following authors for their

many contributions to the publication: Brandy S. Culp and Sarah E. Kelly in the Department of American Arts; John Zukowsky in the Department of Architecture; Janice Katz, Elinor Pearlstein, and Betty Seid in the Department of Asian Art, and Stephen Little, formerly of that depart- ment and now director of the Honolulu Academy of Arts; Mary Weaver Chapin, Larry J. Feinberg, Gloria Groom, and Martha Wolff in the Department of European

Painting; and Jay A. Clarke, Douglas Druick, Suzanne Folds McCullagh, Mark Pascale, and Martha Tedeschi in the Department of Prints and Drawings.

The expertise of other museum staff was equally impor- tant. Thanks go to Caroline Nutley and her colleagues in the

Department of Imaging, and in the Department of Graphic

Design and Communication Services to Jeffrey Wonderland, who continues to enhance the visual presence of Museum Studies in every way. In the Publications Department we are indebted to Sarah E. Guernsey, who guided the production of this issue with grace and good sense; to Shaun Manning, who ably handled photography rights; to Gregory Nosan, the journal's fine editor; and to Susan E Rossen, who origi- nated the idea of publishing two companion issues on new

acquisitions in the first place. This project benefited most of all, however, from the

generous financial support of The Community Associates of The Art Institute of Chicago, a group whose devotion to education has taken a number of important shapes over the last fifty years. From the beginning, Associates groups have come together on a local level, studying art history, coming to know the museum and its collection more closely, and

extending its influence into their own lives and communities. More recently they have used their resources to fund a

significant series of lectures and research initiatives that con- tribute to the Art Institute's educational mission in meaning- ful ways. I offer my continued thanks to the Community Associates for their dedication to this museum during my time here, and wish them all the best in the many years ahead.

JAMES N. WOOD

Director and President

The Art Institute of Chicago

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