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Photography: Mary Harrsch
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"If this story [of the origination of Maryhill Museum of Art] has elements of a fairy tale, it is only fitting, for the collections contained in the museum are nothing short of magical."
— Linda Brady Tesner
from Maryhill Museum of Art
The exhibits of the permanent collections represent the eclectic friendships cultivated by the museum's founder, Samuel Hill. Turning the castle on the Columbia River into a world-class art museum came about through Hill's friendship with the modern dancer Loïe Fuller who provided the genesis of the collection including several works of her friend Auguste Rodin. Sam's dear friend, Queen Marie of Romania, contributed Orthodox icons and memorabilia of her life. But it was Loïe who convinced her friend Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, wife of a San Francisco sugar magnate, to donate European and American paintings and her magnificent collection of object d'art from the palace of the Queen of Romania, making the collection of Romanian art and artifcats truly one-of-a-kind. It was also Alma's suggestion to house the reknowned Théâtre de la Mode at Maryhill Museum of Art. The collection of art and artifacts of the indigenous people of North America began with a collection of baskets acquired by Sam Hill and continues to grow through purchases and gifts and represents nearly every basketmaking tradition and style in North America and works of art from prehistoric through contemporary.
"...nothing is typical and much is extraordinary." (Linda Brady Tesner)
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 This is a world-class collection of sculpture and drawings made by the great French master Auguste Rodin (1840 – 1917), considered the father of modern sculpture. A gallery 87 works by Rodin, including bronzes, terra cottas, plaster studies and watercolor sketches. The collection includes such well-known works as The Thinker, The Hand of God, The Age of Bronze and the life-size plaster of Eve from his masterwork, The Gates of Hell.
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The art and cultures of the indigenous peoples of North America are represented in this collection. It features ancient petrogylphs, intricate baskets and beadwork and a vast array of artifacts from Pacific Northwest and North American tribes.
Photography: Mary Harrsch
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The fashions of post-World War II France are highlighted in this 1946 exhibit, which shows one-third human size mannequins wearing fashions created by the country’s finest designers. After their premiere in Paris they
toured Europe then America. The last stop of the original 1946 international
tour of Théâtre de la Mode was San Francisco where the mannequins remained
until the early 1950s. At that time they were acquired by Maryhill
Museum of Art. They went on a second world tour in the 1990s visiting
Paris, New York, Baltimore, Portland and Tokyo.
Nine different stage sets create elaborate backdrops for the mannequins as they display both casual and formal wear of the day. Each year, three of the nine sets are on display.
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 Sam Hill (1857 – 1931), founder of the Maryhill Museum of Art, was one of the most colorful and influential figures in the Northwest in the early 1900s. Hill was a successful businessman, world traveler, builder of monuments and early advocator of paved roads. This exhibit includes personal artifacts, items acquired during his travels, and photos and mementos related to his favorite cause, the Good Roads Movement.
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Photography: Mary Harrsch |
The museum includes a collection of royal memorabilia from Queen Marie of Romania (1875 – 1938), a friend of Sam Hill’s who presided at the museum’s dedication ceremony in 1926. Included are the queen’s coronation gown, crown, silverware, gilt furniture, jewelry and other memorabilia.
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Favorites from the The Museum’s collection of paintings comprises mostly American, British, Dutch and French works. Victorian-era paintings include country landscapes, still life and portraits. There is also a collection of American Classical Realism paintings that reflects images and lifestyles of America throughout the past century.
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In 1926 when Queen Marie ventured to the then-remote Pacific Northwest to dedicate Maryhill Museum for her friend Samuel Hill, she brought with her fifteen crates full of artwork and artifacts for the museum. Without doubt, some of the Maryhill Museum icons were in these crates.
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To the Orthodox believer, these venerated objects provide a "window to heaven", a continuum which connects the secular world with the heavenly realm. These Orthodox icons are revered for both their artistic and spiritual significance. |
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Loïe Fuller (1863 – 1928) was a pioneer of modern dance whose influence sparked a new generation of dancers in the early 1900’s. Her circle of friends included artists, politicians and royalty, and it was she that convinced Sam Hill to turn his mansion into an art museum. This exhibit includes art nouveau posters, photographs, glasswork and memorabilia from her 35-year career as a performer.
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 A 1957 exhibit curated by the museum’s director Clifford Dolph led to the creation of this permanent exhibit of chess sets. Today there are about 100 sets of these sculptures in miniature, representing the many countries, cultures and periods in which chess has been played.
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| Photograhy: Mary Harrsch. |
Pioneering experiments in glass art are featured in this enchanting exhibit. Included are glass marquetry by Emile Gallé (1846 – 1904), highly decorative and elegant forms by René Lalique (1860 – 1945) plus the brothers Auguste (1854 – 1909) and Antonin (1864 – 1930) Daum.
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