Cincinnati collections make impression on Taft Museum

American Impressionists didn't have to travel to Europe to find scenes worthy of their loose brushwork. Some followed the masters of the form and visited Giverny and Barcelona. But Lewis Henry Meakin found inspiration in Cincinnati's Mt. Auburn.

One of his paintings, Mt. Auburn Above Hunt Street, Cincinnati, is part of a unique supplementary show currently on display at the Taft Museum of Art downtown, American Impressionism from Cincinnati Collections.

A supplement of sorts to the museum's featured traveling exhibition, American Impressionists in the Garden, the show of pieces borrowed from local collections reinforces the notion that great works of art can be integral parts of daily living. Collectors from around the region, from Northern Kentucky to Hyde Park, lent pieces for the exhibit.

The American Impressionists in the Garden exhibit features 40 works by artists including John Singer Sargeant. The show from Cincinnati collections not only features the Mt. Auburn piece, but also works by Paul Ashbrook and Dixie Selden.

Together, the shows tell the story of American artists inspired by European counterparts, but striving to make their own mark on the Impressionist style. Being showcased in the former home of Anna Sinton and Charles Phelps Taft makes the connection with local collectors even more appropriate.

"This is a nice reminder that there is really great art in people's houses," says Tricia Suit, marketing and communications manager.

The show of works from Cincinnati collectors runs through April 24. The American Impressionists in the Garden show runs through May 15.
    
Do Good:

• Join the cause. The Taft Museum Facebook cause, that is. You can log on to give time, money or share the beauty of this local treasure with friends from around the world.

• Get hip on YouTube. Learn more about the Taft and its programs via the museum's YouTube channel.

• Make an origami bunny. Visit the Taft for free April 10, courtesy of ArtsWave, and enjoy a day of programming that includes an origami session from noon until 2 p.m.

By Elissa Yancey


Image courtesy of the Taft Museum of Art