The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), stands as a venerable institution at the heart of Philadelphia, bearing the distinction of being one of the oldest art schools and museums in the United States. Since its inception in 1805, PAFA has played an integral role in shaping the course of American art, nurturing and propelling the careers of numerous artists who have left an indelible mark on the nation's artistic heritage. The academy's historical significance, the prominence of the artists associated with it, and its enduring educational contributions all underscore its pivotal place in the canon of American art.
PAFA emerged during a time when opportunities for artists in the United States were exceedingly limited and provided a support for several artists that standout in American cultural history. Among them, Thomas Eakins was one of the most celebrated American realist painters and photographers of the late 19th century. Eakins both studied and taught at PAFA. His commitment to realism and uncompromising approach to art education left an indelible legacy that continues to influence artists today. Mary Cassatt, another luminary figure in American art, brought an American sensibility to the French Impressionist movement and Charles Willson Peale, a portrait painter, naturalist, and museum founder, nurtured early American art traditions. PAFA's roster of alumni also includes William Trost Richards, arguably America’s best-known watercolor painter who painted Pennsylvania landscapes in the 1880s, Henry Ossawa Tanner, the first African-American artist to gain international acclaim, as well as Arthur Beecher Carles, Frances Speight, Frederick Judd Waugh, Franklin "Watty" Watkins, Fred Wagner, Hobson Pittman, among others.
Beyond its association with prominent artists, PAFA was (and continues to be) instrumental in the broader American art scene through its art school and its exhibition opportunities and events. These programs have been crucial in shaping the history and future of art in the United States. The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art’s legacy endures as a testament to the enduring power of art and its role in shaping a nation's cultural identity.
Encompassing a distinguished array of works carefully curated over the course of decades, this important Private Pennsylvania Collection offers a glimpse of American art in its infancy. At the turn of the century, the nation began to establish its own voice and style through institutions such as the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (Philadelphia), the American Academy of the Fine Arts (New York), and The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), ushering in what is often referred to as the “American Century.” Beginning in the early 1800s with the Western Expansion and the Louisiana Purchase and continuing through the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution, the burgeoning United States was becoming a political and cultural world power. Its artists were exploring the untamed lands of the Northeast, establishing the Hudson River School and American Impressionism while also utilizing newfound wealth and travel opportunities to study abroad in Europe, bringing French and English influences back home where they were shaped into a style that was uniquely American. Through the establishment of The National Academy of Design (New York) and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, these movements flourished and encouraged collaboration and conversation between artists, laying the foundation for American Art as it progressed through the 20th century and into today.
