Exhibition
A Nation of Artists
The Lee Shore (detail), 1941, by Edward Hopper, American, 1822-1967, Oil on canvas, The Middleton Family Collection. © Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
When
Opens April 12
Where
Main Building, Second Floor American Art Galleries
About
Highlighting the richness and diversity of American art, A Nation of Artists will trace the evolving story of American creativity across three centuries, featuring works of art from the Philadelphia Museum of Art collected over the past 150 years and the Middleton Family Collection, one of the country’s most significant private holdings of American art. Presented chronologically around distinctive themes, the exhibition explores art making of all types, from ceramics to wood carving and painting to fashion, and includes works by Indigenous, African American, and historically underrepresented artists who have shaped the nation’s visual culture.
The exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art will collaborate with a simultaneous presentation at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ Historic Landmark Building in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Across the two museums, A Nation of Artists will feature more than 1,000 works, including more than 120 iconic paintings and decorative arts from the Middleton Family Collection. Together, these works will offer fresh perspectives on the evolving story of American art and experience.
At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, A Nation of Artists will include the early American realism of Charles Willson Peale, the impressionist elegance of Mary Cassatt, the expressive intensity of Horace Pippin, and the glowing color of Mark Rothko, all shaped by the crosscurrents of cultural exchange, historic events, and imagination.
Through acclaimed masterworks and surprising discoveries, visitors will trace the evolution of American identity and visual culture.
Curators
Kathleen Foster, The Robert L. McNeil, Jr., Senior Curator of American Art, and Director, Center for American Art
Alexandra Kirtley, The Montgomery-Garvan Curator of American Decorative Arts and Manager, Center for American Art
Julia Hamer-Light, Barra Fellow in American Art
Sponsors
A Nation of Artists is organized by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
This exhibition is made possible by The Middleton Family.
Major support is provided by the Connelly Foundation, The Victory Foundation, and an anonymous donor.
Significant support is provided by The City of Philadelphia and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, the Henry Luce Foundation, Schoelkopf Fine Art Advisors, and Grace and Andrew Schoelkopf.
Additional support is provided by the 25th Century Foundation, Lawrence H. and Julie C. Berger, Mr.* and Mrs. John A. Nyheim, Marsha and Richard Rothman Family Foundation, an anonymous donor, and other generous supporters.
This exhibition is sponsored by
Funding for the publication is generously provided by
The exhibition celebration is generously sponsored by
The renovation and reinstallation of the American galleries was provided by Robert L. McNeil, Jr., Leslie Miller and Richard Worley, Laura and William C. Buck, Kathy and Ted Fernberger, Joan and Victor Johnson, Mr.* and Mrs. John A. Nyheim, Lyn M. and George M. Ross, Marsha and Richard Rothman, and other generous donors.
Ongoing support for American Art initiatives and programs is provided by the Center for American Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, established by Robert L. McNeil, Jr.
All exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art are underwritten by the Annual Exhibition Fund. Generous support is provided by Andrea Baldeck, M.D.; Julia and David Fleischner; Robert Hayes; and Mark W. Strong and Dana Strong.
The presentation of A Nation of Artists at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is made possible by significant grants from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Richard C. von Hess Foundation, the Terra Foundation for American Art, the William Penn Foundation, and generous individual donors.
Image Gallery
George Washington at Princeton (detail), 1779, by Charles Willson Peale, American (1741–1827) Oil on canvas, The Middleton Family Collection.
The Shore of the Turquoise Sea (detail), 1878, by Albert Bierstadt, American (born Germany), 1830-1902, Oil on canvas, The Middleton Family Collection
According to What, 1964, by Jasper Johns, American, born 1930, Oil on canvas with objects (six panels), The Middleton Family Collection. © Jasper Johns / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York