L. D. M. Sweat Memorial Galleries facts for kids
The L. D. M. Sweat Memorial Galleries are special rooms filled with art. They are part of the Portland Museum of Art. You can find them in the Arts District of Portland, Maine.
The Story of the Galleries
The L. D. M. Sweat Memorial Galleries were built in 1911. A famous Maine architect named John Calvin Stevens designed them.
The galleries are named after Lorenzo De Medici Sweat. He was the husband of Margaret Jane Mussey Sweat. She was a very important supporter of the Portland Museum of Art.
The building was made to match the Federal style of the McLellan House. The McLellan House is the oldest building in the museum area.
Both the McLellan House and the Sweat Galleries closed in 1980. This was for the building of the Payson Building. They stayed closed until October 5, 2002. This was after a two-year project to fix them up.
What Art You Can See
These galleries mainly show American art from the 1800s and 1900s. You can see sculptures, furniture, and paintings. There is a large collection of works by the famous artist Winslow Homer.
The museum wants the art in these galleries to show how Americans lived. It also shows what they liked and cared about. When you visit, you can travel back in time through American art.
You will see art from the early 1900s. These pieces look back at America's past. They also look forward to new challenges. Then you will see beautiful portraits and scenes. These show the art style of the time. They also show what rich people liked to collect.
Artists in the Collection
The galleries feature many American artists from the 1800s and 1900s. Some of these artists include:
- Benjamin Paul Akers
- Hiram Powers
- Franklin Simmons
- Jim Dine
- Marsden Hartley
- Winslow Homer
- Jasper Johns
- Robert Motherwell
- Claes Oldenburg
- Robert Rauschenberg
- Alison Saar
- Andy Warhol
- Andrew Wyeth
Special Events
In 2001, the galleries held an open house. Modern artists created new works for the galleries. These new pieces were made to fit in with the older art.
Artists who took part included Jonathan Bailey, Paul D'Amato, and Tonee Harbert. Also involved were Rose Marasco, Tanja Alexia Hollander, and Bernard C. Meyers. The first special show was new art by Sa Schloff.
The galleries have also been written about in the Portland Journal of Antiquities magazine.
