The Reclusive Image

February 4th – May 20th 2012

The Reclusive Image: Works from Texas Museums

The Reclusive Image: Works from Texas Museums presents art objects rarely, or never, seen by the general public. For a number of reasons, such works have found themselves consigned to the inner vaults of Texas institutions. Their "reclusiveness" may simply be due to a lack of information on the work, making it difficult to place within an exhibition of related pieces. Its seclusion may be due to fragility or condition. The piece may be considered an inferior example within the context of other works by the same artist in a given collection. At times, institutions may change the focus of what they exhibit so that works no longer "fit" within the scope of the collection and are indefinitely stored. A work may have even been acquired or accessioned as a result of misguided political reasons-yes, this happens even in the most well-intentioned institutions. The more subtle and subjective reason some works are rarely exhibited is that those making the choices of what to exhibit-normally curators-have their own educated likes and dislikes. Or, perhaps most often, the museum's holdings may simply exceed its ability to show the entirety of its permanent collection in a timely manner.

For this exhibition, the Old Jail Art Center invited Texas museums to look within their own vaults and "re-discover" works to loan to The Reclusive Image. The diverse range of artists include: Jean Honoré Fragonard, Charles M. Russell, Arthur B. Davies, Thomas Sully, Richard Diebenkorn, Eugenio Hermoso, David Brownlow and others. Accompanying the work is a short description explaining the piece and its reason for infrequent exposure. The hope is that this exhibition will find a new audience for these works as well as enlighten the visitor to the somewhat enigmatic process of museums.

Museums generously participating in this exhibition include: Art Museum of South Texas, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Amarillo Museum of Art, McNay Art Museum, Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Museum of the Big Bend, Museum of Texas Tech University, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, San Angelo Museum of Art, San Antonio Museum of Art, Sid Richardson Museum, The Grace Museum, and The Old Jail Art Center.

 

Jean Honoré Fragonard, French (1732-1806) 
Girl with a Pearl Necklace: Portrait of Rosalie
Fragonard, c. 1785-88. Oil on canvas, 22¾" x 18¾"
From the Collection of the Art Museum of South
Texas, Corpus Christi,
Gift of Mrs. May Dougherty King

 

Participating Institutions: