Member Events

Fri, Oct 2, 6 pm | Join us via Zoom!
Asher B. Durand’s Progress: Many Times, Many Voices 
with Rachael Z. DeLue, Christopher Binyon Sarofim ’86 Professor in American Art in the Department of Art & Archaeology at Princeton University

Asher B. Durand’s striking painting Progress (1853) has been described as an anomaly among his body of work for its focus on industry, technology, and commerce. In her lecture, Rachael DeLue will explore the possibility that the painting, alternately characterized as a paean to progress and an indictment of the destructive forces of civilization, in fact refuses both interpretations.

DeLue will propose instead that Progress presents a complex and ever-shifting meditation on human existence in relation to the deep time of the earth, one comprising a multitude of voices, including the voice of Durand himself and those belonging to North America’s indigenous people and settler colonists.  

Presented By

The VMFA Circle Lecture Series is open to members beginning at the Friends Circle level. Please register early as participation is limited. If you have questions, please contact the Donor Relations team at rsvp@vmfa.museum.

Wed, Oct 7, 5 pm | Join us via Zoom!
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Johanna Minich, Assistant Curator of Native American Art. Learn more about the featured exhibition American Land, American People which investigates various artistic interpretations and cultural values of American land and people, highlights under-recognized narratives and counters misinterpretations of Native American culture.

Presented By

This free Webinar Series is a special offering for VMFA members beginning at the Friends Circle level.Please register early as participation is limited. If you have questions, please contact the Donor Relations team at rsvp@vmfa.museum.

Wed, Oct 28, 5 pm | Join us via Zoom!
Please join us for a conversation with Dr. Susan J. Rawles, Associate Curator of American Painting and Decorative Art. Dr. Rawles will provide a walk-through of the themes, objects, and plans for the newly installed American Decorative Arts Focus Gallery.

Presented By

This free Webinar Series is a special offering for VMFA members beginning at the Friends Circle level.Please register early as participation is limited. If you have questions, please contact the Donor Relations team at rsvp@vmfa.museum.

Wed, Dec 2, 5 pm | Join us via Zoom!
Join us for conversation and cocktails with Barry Shifman, the Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Decorative Arts 1890 to the Present. Looking back at important acquisitions during the past 10 years, Barry will share how he selects particular works to grow and shape the museum's collection, building strengths and filling gaps to create a narrative.

Presented By

This free Webinar Series is a special offering for VMFA members beginning at the Friends Circle level.Please register early as participation is limited. If you have questions, please contact the Donor Relations team at rsvp@vmfa.museum.

Wed, Sept 30, 6 pm | Join us via Zoom!
A Romantic Bronze and a Tarnished Romance: New Discoveries concerning Antoine-Louis Barye’s sculpture Stag Brought Down by Two Greyhounds with Dr. Sylvain Cordier, Paul Mellon Curator and Head of the Department of European Art

Stag Brought Down by Two Greyhounds by Antoine-Louis Barye (1832) is an admirable example of French sculpture in the age of Romanticism. When acquired by VMFA in 2005, it came with an intriguing assortment of letters that had been in the possession of the original owner but had not been examined in detail until very recently.

A present from the eldest son and heir to the Throne of king Louis-Philippe, the Duke of Orleans, to one of his faithful attorneys, this exquisite bronze and the letters associated with it restage a fascinating long-forgotten royal affair and revive the memory of a scandal that besmirched the reputation of the final reigning French royal family in 1840. They tell the story of a moving romance spoiled by the implacability of politics. 

Presented By

Curator’s Choice programs are a benefit for members beginning at the Supporters Circle level. Please register early as participation is limited. If you have questions, please contact the Donor Relations team at rsvp@vmfa.museum.

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