Abby Aldrich Rockefeller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
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Rockefeller in 1900
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Abigail Greene Aldrich
October 26, 1874 |
| Died | April 5, 1948 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | Philanthropist |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Abigail, John III, Nelson, Laurance, Winthrop, and David |
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Abigail Greene Aldrich Rockefeller (born October 26, 1874 – died April 5, 1948) was an important American socialite and philanthropist. She became a well-known member of the Rockefeller family when she married John D. Rockefeller Jr.. He was a famous financier and philanthropist. Abby Rockefeller is best known for being the main person who helped create the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Abby Rockefeller was born in Providence, Rhode Island. She was the fourth child of Senator Nelson W. Aldrich and Abigail Pearce Truman Chapman. She spent most of her childhood in Rhode Island and Washington, D.C.
Because her father was a powerful congressman, Abby met many important political figures from a young age. She received her early education from Quaker teachers. From 1891 to 1893, she attended Miss Abbott's School for Young Ladies. There, she studied subjects like English, French, German, art history, and ancient history.
In November 1893, Abby had her "coming-out party." This was a special event where young women were introduced to society. This party started her lifelong love for social gatherings. In 1894, she began traveling extensively in Europe. These trips included visits to many art galleries. This helped her develop a keen eye for art, which was important for her future as an art collector.
Marriage to John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Abby met John D. Rockefeller Jr. in the fall of 1894. He was the only son of John D. Rockefeller Sr., who co-founded Standard Oil. Their courtship lasted for several years. They often took walks together on Sunday afternoons.
They got engaged in August 1901 and married on October 9, 1901. Their wedding was a major social event of the Gilded Age. About a thousand important people attended the ceremony. It took place at her father's summer home, "Indian Oaks," in Warwick Neck, Rhode Island.
The couple first lived in Manhattan, New York City. Later, they moved into a large, nine-story mansion at 10 West 54th Street. This was one of the biggest homes in New York City at the time. They had six children: Abigail, John III, Nelson, Laurance, Winthrop, and David.
Death and Legacy
Abby Rockefeller passed away from a heart attack on April 5, 1948. She was 73 years old and died at her home in New York City. Her ashes were spread at a private burial place in Pocantico, New York.
In her will, Abby left four important artworks to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). These included paintings by famous artists like George Seurat and Vincent van Gogh. She also left a large sum of money to MoMA.
Many tributes were made in her honor. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Print Room opened at MoMA in 1949. It holds over 1,600 prints that she donated. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center opened in 1957. It is located in Colonial Williamsburg and displays her collection of folk art.
Even famous artist Henri Matisse honored Abby after her death. He designed a beautiful stained glass window for the Union Church in Pocantico, New York. He created this window as a memorial to her.
Supporting Modern Art
Abby Rockefeller's Art Collection
Abby Rockefeller started collecting art in 1925. She bought paintings, watercolors, and drawings by many American artists. She also collected works by famous European modern artists. These included Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. She became a very important supporter of modern art.
In 1928, she had special rooms created in her home. These rooms, called the Topside Gallery, were designed in the Art Deco style. They were used to display her growing art collection. The art was often changed, like in a museum, to create new exhibitions. Visitors would take an elevator to the gallery, keeping it separate from the family's private areas. News of her art interests spread quickly. Many other collectors started to follow her example.
Co-Founding the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Abby Rockefeller, along with Lillie P. Bliss and Mary Quinn Sullivan, came up with the idea for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). They quickly gained support from other important people. The museum's first home was rented at 730 Fifth Avenue in New York. Alfred H. Barr Jr. became the museum's first director.
Abby's husband did not like modern art. So, he gave her only a small allowance. This meant she could not rely on him to pay for the new museum. She had to ask the public, companies, and wealthy New Yorkers for money. This helped fund the museum and buy new paintings.
Abby was elected to MoMA's Board of Trustees in 1929. She served as the first treasurer until 1934. She also held roles as First Vice-President and First Vice-Chairman. Her son, Nelson Rockefeller, also became involved with the museum. He started as chairman of a junior committee and later became president.
Abby was very concerned about building a strong permanent collection for the museum. She often used her own money to buy new artworks for MoMA. In 1938, she gave the museum its first fund for buying art. Her son Nelson later greatly increased this fund.
Many of the museum's ideas came from Abby. For example, she pushed for the creation of the museum's film library. She also had the idea to create the War Veterans' Art Center. This center helped World War II veterans by teaching them art. It served many veterans before it closed in 1948.
Abby Rockefeller's impact on MoMA is still remembered. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Print Room opened in 1949. It houses the 1,600 prints she donated. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden was also named in her honor. This garden was designed by architect Philip Johnson and opened in 1953.
Supporting Folk Art
Abby Rockefeller's Folk Art Collection
In 1929, Abby Rockefeller became an early customer of the Downtown Gallery. This gallery sold 19th-century American folk art. This was a perfect time for Abby. She and her husband had just started helping to restore Colonial Williamsburg. She collected folk art from the late 1920s until 1942.
Her collection included many items. There were paintings, weathervanes, shop signs, pottery, and quilts. She especially liked children's portraits and student art. This included calligraphy and memorial pictures.
Most of her early collection came from New England and Pennsylvania. Later, it expanded to include items from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Abby got help from curators Holger Cahill and Edith Halpert. Many items were found in their original places. For example, in 1934, Cahill traveled to the southern United States. He found items in people's homes and workshops. In South Carolina, he found a watercolor called The Old Plantation. This is considered one of Abby's most important folk art pieces.
Early Exhibitions of Folk Art
In 1930 and 1931, the Newark Museum showed a collection of American folk art. About 10% of these items were from an anonymous donor. This donor was actually Abby Rockefeller.
In 1932, Abby's collection was shown again. This time, it was at the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition was called American Folk Art: The Art of the Common Man in America. Out of 175 objects, 174 belonged to Abby. This exhibition was very successful. It became the first traveling exhibition of American folk art. It visited six American cities between 1932 and 1934.
The objects in these early shows were mostly from New England and Pennsylvania. They included many types of art. There were oil paintings, pastels, watercolors, and sculptures made of wood or metal.
Community Work
Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
As a wedding gift, John D. Rockefeller Jr. gave Abby some money. She immediately donated it to the YWCA in Providence, Rhode Island. Later, she became very active in the YWCA in New York.
From 1918 to 1936, she served actively in the YWCA. She was a member of the National Board and a vice-president. In 1918, she led the Housing Committee of the War Work Council. This committee worked during World War I. Its goal was to provide better living conditions for working women. For example, she helped design a house in Charleston, South Carolina. This house was for women working in a naval uniform factory.
Abby was also a director of the Grace Dodge Hotel in Washington D.C. The YWCA owned and operated this hotel. Abby checked financial reports and oversaw advertisements. Her main goal was to serve female workers. She was against unfair pay or living arrangements for staff based on race.
Good Fellowship Council
The Good Fellowship Council was started through the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church. It invited everyone in the local neighborhood to join. The meetings discussed neighborhood problems. These included traffic lights, sanitation, schools, and child welfare. The club was first for women, but later men could join too.
Abby Rockefeller was the chairman of the Good Fellowship Council. She led monthly meetings and visited different community sub-clubs. These meetings were attended by 300 to 400 people.
Many guest speakers came to the meetings. These included the President of the American Federation of Labor. Doctors specializing in child care also spoke. Members of the club often performed music in their native languages and traditional clothing.
Bayway Community Cottage
In October 1920, Abby Rockefeller wanted to create a special building. It was for the employees of the Bayway Refinery of Standard Oil in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The building was meant to be an example of a worker's home. But soon, it became a place for community learning. The cottage hosted cooking classes, a Mothers' Club, and a baby clinic.
In 1926, the cottage was made bigger. It added a club-room, a larger kitchen, and a gymnasium. In 1939, a bowling alley and other game rooms were added. By 1947, 9,700 people used the Bayway Community Cottage each year.
International House of New York
Abby Rockefeller was the chairman of the Furnishing Committee for the International House of New York. She worked to add American decorations to the building's interior. She found inspiration from her childhood in Providence, Rhode Island. For 25 years, she visited the International House regularly. For many years, she and her husband hosted Christmas parties for the students living there.
Colonial Williamsburg
In the mid-1920s, Abby and her husband met Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin. He was a rector at Bruton Parish Church and a teacher at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Dr. Goodwin showed them his restored church. He then shared his idea to restore the entire city of Williamsburg. He wanted to bring it back to its glory days before the American Revolution. At that time, it was the capital of the Virginia Colony.
Abby and her husband decided to fund this huge project. The restoration began in 1927. The result was Colonial Williamsburg. This is a living history museum. It has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. One of the museums there, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, is named in her honor.
