Corcoran Gallery of Art facts for kids
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Corcoran Gallery of Art
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 Location in Central Washington, D.C.
Location in the District of Columbia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 500 17th St., NW Washington, D.C., United States |
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| Architect | Ernest Flagg |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000997 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | April 27, 1992 |
The Corcoran Gallery of Art was an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States. It is now the home of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. This school is part of George Washington University.
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About the Corcoran Gallery
The Corcoran School started in 1878. It shows art by its students and visiting artists. Students can earn degrees in Fine Art, Photojournalism, and other creative fields. Before the gallery closed, it was one of the oldest cultural places in the U.S. that was supported by private money.
From 1890, an art school worked alongside the gallery. This school later became the Corcoran College of Art + Design. The museum mainly focused on American art.
In 2014, the Corcoran Gallery of Art closed down. This happened after many years of money problems. The gallery's huge art collection, with 17,000 pieces, was given to the National Gallery of Art. Other artworks went to different museums across the country. The Corcoran School of Art and Design, along with its historic building, became part of George Washington University.
History of the Corcoran
How the Gallery Started
The Corcoran Gallery was founded in 1869. It was started by William Wilson Corcoran, who also helped create Riggs Bank. It was one of the first fine art galleries in the United States. Mr. Corcoran wanted to create a place "for the lasting establishment and encouragement of the Fine Arts."
The Corcoran was the oldest and largest art museum in Washington, D.C. that was not run by the government. Its goal was to celebrate "American genius" in art.
The first Corcoran Gallery was at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. This building now houses the Renwick Gallery. Its construction began before the American Civil War. During the war, the government used the nearly finished building as a warehouse. The gallery finally opened to the public in 1874.
By 1897, the Corcoran's art collection had grown too big for its first home. A new building was needed. Ernest Flagg designed this new building in the Beaux-Arts style. The new building was very large, about 135,000 square feet. It was built to hold the bigger art collection and the growing art school.
At the entrance of the new building, you can see two bronze statues. These are called the Canova Lions. The Corcoran Gallery bought these lions in 1888. They were first placed in front of the original museum. In 1897, when the museum moved, the lions were moved to their current spot.
Years of Growth
In 1928, the art collection of former Senator William A. Clark joined the Corcoran. A new part of the building was added for this collection. President Calvin Coolidge officially opened this new wing. For many years, the Corcoran thought about adding another wing. However, these plans stopped in 2005. A new wing designed by Frank Gehry was canceled because there wasn't enough money.
At its best, the museum had a great collection of art. It included works from famous artists like Rembrandt Peale, Eugène Delacroix, Edgar Degas, John Singer Sargent, and Claude Monet. It also had art by Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, and Willem de Kooning. The museum always had a challenge with space. Only a small part of its permanent collection could be shown at one time. This was because the building was shared with the art school.
The Final Years
In its last years, the museum and its art school had about 140 staff members. Their yearly budget was around $24 million. They got money from donations, ticket sales, tuition fees, and their gift shop. In 2001, two executives from AOL and their wives gave $30 million to the museum. This was the largest single donation since the museum started.
In 2014, after many years of money problems, the Corcoran's leaders decided to close it. A court order allowed the museum to be dissolved. The art school, the historic building, and $50 million were given to George Washington University. The university would use the money to fix up the building and run the school. The huge art collection, worth $2 billion, was given to the National Gallery of Art. In 2018, the Corcoran School announced plans for the National Gallery of Art to bring some art back to the building.
Inside the Building
Ernest Flagg also designed the inside of the Corcoran building. When you enter the front doors, you step into a large atrium. This space is about 170 feet long and 50 feet wide. It has forty limestone columns and two skylights. These skylights were meant to light up sculptures. This grand room rises two stories high and has been used for exhibits.
Across the atrium from the entrance is a grand staircase. It leads to the second floor. The wide stairs are watched over by six statues. From the grand staircase, you can reach the rotunda. You can also get to the second floor of the atrium. There is a bridge that crosses the atrium back towards the front door. Art galleries are found throughout the building.
On the first floor, three galleries lead from the atrium. The second floor originally had eight galleries. The rotunda was added later, designed by Charles A. Platt in 1925. This round room is 48 feet wide. Its domed ceiling has a round skylight, like the Pantheon. This room leads to the Clark Wing.
At the northern end of the building is the Hemicycle. This room has an unusual shape. It fills the corner where New York Avenue and 17th Street meet. This space is an auditorium. It is 67 feet by 45 feet and can hold 300 people. On the other side of the building is the Salon Doré. This room is also called the "French Room." It has beautiful French decorations. It was designed in the early 1700s in Paris and moved to the U.S. before 1904.
In 2015, parts of the Corcoran Gallery's interior were added to the National Register of Historic Places. The outside of the building was listed in 1971. The interior listing includes the grand staircase, atrium, rotunda, and other important spaces.
Images for kids
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Engraving showing the original Corcoran Gallery of Art building
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Corcoran Art Gallery in March 1923
See also
In Spanish: Galería de Arte Corcoran para niños
