Robert Henri Museum facts for kids

The Robert Henri Museum is a special place in Cozad, Nebraska. It's an art and history museum that shows off many amazing sketches, drawings, and paintings by a famous artist named Robert Henri. What makes it even cooler is that the museum is actually in Robert Henri's old home! It's run by a non-profit group that helps educate people about art and history.

Discovering the Art Collection

The Henri Museum has a wonderful collection of art. One important painting is Henri's Mariana of Austria, Queen of Spain. This painting is a copy of a very old and famous artwork from around 1652 by another artist named Diego Velázquez. A kind person named Janet LeClair gave it to the museum in 1988.

In 2018, the museum's gallery displayed more than 33 drawings, seven paintings, and other items that belonged to Robert Henri himself. A newer addition to the collection in 2017 was Normandie Interior, which Henri finished in 1897. This painting was part of Henri’s very first solo art show. His brother, Frank Southern, bought it and kept it in the family for 120 years before it came to the museum.

Besides Henri's artworks, the museum also keeps items that belonged to the Cozad family. These items help tell the story of the town of Cozad. The town was actually started by Henri's father, John Jackson Cozad.

The Museum's History

The building where the Henri Museum is located was originally a house built by John Jackson Cozad in 1873. In 1883, something serious happened in Cozad. John Jackson Cozad had an argument with a local rancher named Alfred Pearson. This argument was about cattle and became a fight that involved a gun. Sadly, Pearson was badly hurt and passed away about a month later.

After this event, Cozad left town and went to Denver. Even though he was later found not guilty in the case, his wife and sons soon sold the house and moved away for good. To avoid being recognized because of what happened, his son Robert Henry Cozad decided to change his name to Robert Henri.

Famous Residents of the House

The Cozad house later became the home of another artist named Miles Maryott. The Omaha World-Herald newspaper described him as a well-known hunting guide and landscape painter. He was even considered to become the first Nebraska state naturalist. However, his life changed after an incident with a gun. After that, he became known as a talented artist who painted while in jail.

How the Museum Began

The Henri Museum was started by a group of women led by Shirley Paulsen. This group bought the Cozad house, which was known as the Hendee Hotel at the time. They also bought a historical walkway nearby, an old Pony Express Station, a historical church, and a schoolhouse. The women's group was able to buy these properties thanks to donations from the Henri and Cozad families, as well as other people living in the area.

The Hendee Hotel building was recognized as an important historical place in 1979 when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2014, the Henri Museum built a brand new gallery. This new space was designed to display its Henri paintings and sketches safely. As part of this project, the museum added a special system to control the temperature and humidity, and also a strong security system.

Artist-in-Residence Program

The museum also has a special program called an artist-in-residence. This program allows artists to live and work at the museum for a period of time, creating new art and sharing their skills.

See also

• List of single-artist museums
• Cozad Downtown Historic District