Figge Art Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1928; in present location since 2005 |
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| Location | 225 W. 2nd Street, Davenport, Iowa, US |
| Visitors | 76,688 (2006) |
| Architect | David Chipperfield |
| Public transit access |  Davenport CitiBus |
The Figge Art Museum is an art museum located in Davenport, Iowa. Many people simply call it "the Figge." It holds a huge collection of art and is the main art museum for eastern Iowa and western Illinois. The Figge also works closely with several universities. It helps them with art resources and collections for their college programs.
The museum opened its doors on August 6, 2005. It used to be known as the Davenport Museum of Art. That museum first opened on October 10, 1928. Back then, it was called the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery. The museum's history goes back even further to 1878. The Figge Art Museum is one of the oldest art places in the country. It is even thought to be the first city-owned art gallery in the United States. The Figge also won an award from the AIA for its design.
The new building was designed by David Chipperfield. He is a famous British architect who won the Stirling Prize. This was his first building project in the United States. The Figge Art Museum got its name from the V.O. and Elizabeth Kahl Figge Foundation. This group donated $13 million towards the museum's $47 million construction cost. The Figge family is a local banking family. They are known for helping their community and supporting arts and culture.
The first artworks for the museum came from Charles Ficke. He was a leader in Davenport and a successful lawyer. He also used to be the mayor. Charles Ficke collected art from all over the world. Robert E. Harsche, who directed the Art Institute of Chicago, said something special. He noted that no other American public art gallery had ever started with so many important paintings.
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Exploring the Figge Art Collection
The Figge Art Museum has more than 4,000 pieces of art. These artworks range from the 1500s to today. The museum is especially known for its large collections of Haitian, Colonial Mexican, and Midwestern art.
Famous Midwestern Artists
You can see many pieces by famous Midwestern artists here. These include Thomas Hart Benton, Marvin Cone, and Grant Wood. The museum even has the only self-portrait Grant Wood ever painted. In 1990, Grant Wood's sister, Nan Wood Graham, gave his estate to the Figge. Nan Wood Graham was the woman in Wood's famous painting, American Gothic. The museum also keeps the Grant Wood Archives. These are important historical papers about the artist.
American and European Artworks
The museum also has a big collection of American art. You can find works by artists like Albert Bierstadt, James McNeill Whistler, Winslow Homer, and Andy Warhol. For European art, the museum has pieces by Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt, Francisco Goya, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. There are also artworks from East Asia, including pieces by Hokusai and Hiroshige.
Frank Lloyd Wright Designs
The museum also shows an important collection of pieces by Frank Lloyd Wright. He was a famous American architect and designer from the Midwest.
First Exhibition at the Figge
The museum's first big art show was called "The Great American Thing: 1915-1935." It opened on September 17, 2005. This show featured important works from early American Modernist artists.
Mexican Art Collection History
In 1943, a well-known Mexican art historian named Manuel Toussaint visited Davenport. He came to see the museum's collection of colonial Mexican art. He said it was one of the most important collections in an American museum at that time. He even wrote about his thoughts on the collection.
University of Iowa Art Collection at the Figge
The Figge Art Museum currently holds the University of Iowa Museum of Art collection. This happened because the University of Iowa's own gallery was flooded in 2008. This collection has over 12,000 artworks. It includes important paintings by American artists like Jackson Pollock and Joan Mitchell. You can also see works by European artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Paul Gauguin. The collection also has significant art from sub-Saharan Africa and Pre-Columbian times. Plus, there are many European and American prints and drawings.
Learning About Museums at the Figge
The Figge Art Museum is also home to Western Illinois University's graduate program in Museum Studies. This program helps students earn a Master of Arts degree. They learn about different parts of running a museum. This includes how to design exhibits, manage the museum, teach about art, and handle art collections.
More About the Museum
The museum building is very large, covering about 115,000 square feet. It has been approved by the American Alliance of Museums since 1973. This means it meets high standards for museums.
Images for kids
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Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa
