RECENT ACQUISITIONS
Lorick Library Happenings
The Lorick Library possesses a diverse and
extensive collection of general art reference
books, artist monographs, scholarly and
popular arts journals, auction catalogues,
and other related art reference materials.
Exploring the Urban World
Recently, the Library’s collection of auction
catalogues grew by more than 2,500 titles,
through a generous donation from Columbia
College, facilitated by art professor Steve
Nevitt. The acquisition includes catalogues
from Christie’s and Sotheby’s in the
disciplines of Old Master paintings, American
and European paintings from the 18th and
19th centuries, American and European
decorative arts from the 18th and 19th
centuries, and other related fields.
“The acquisition of these materials fills a
significant gap in our holdings of auction
catalogues from the 1970s to the early 1990s
and will enhance our ability to conduct
ongoing provenance research regarding
works in our collection,” chief curator and
curator of European art, Todd Herman said.
Because the Lorick Library does not have
a paid librarian, Paul Denman, a stalwart
volunteer, capably handled the yeoman task
of organizing the more than 40 boxes of
catalogues—a process which required nearly
30 hours to accomplish!
The Lorick Library is usually open to
researchers on Wednesday afternoons
(1-5) and by appointment. To schedule an
appointment, please contact curatorial
assistant Noelle Rice at 803.343.2156, or
[email protected].
Paul Denman, a volunteer in the Lorick Library,
organizes a recent donation of auction catalogues.
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columbiamuseum.org
columbiamuseum.org
Lawrence Nelson Wilbur (American, 1897-1988). Locomotive Shop, New York Central, Albany, New York, 1946, oil on canvas.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Lueck (CMA 2010.13)
Brian J. Lang
Curator of Decorative Arts
By the turn of the 20th century, America
had emerged as a global economic and
political superpower and had come to
be viewed as the land of opportunity.
Immigrants created a rising middle class.
In the years between the two World Wars,
the United States also emerged as a leader
in the international art community, with
New York City eclipsing Paris as the center
of the art world. Many expatriate artists
returned to assist in establishing a vibrant
American art community. While some
would continue to depict the idealized
natural landscape in a style in?uenced by
French Impressionism, others created
artworks that began to explore the gritty
reality of the urban environment.
Born in Whitman, Massachusetts, in 1897,
Lawrence Nelson Wilbur was one such
artist. Wilbur studied at the Massachusetts
Normal Art School (Boston), the Otis Art
Institute (Los Angeles), and the Grand
Central Art School (New York). His
work has appeared in numerous group
exhibitions in museums and arts clubs
in the United States and abroad. Wilbur
is principally known for his vibrant and
detailed engravings of streetscapes and
other scenes of daily New York City life,
his depictions of the docks and wharves
along the Hudson River, as well as
industrial scenes throughout New York
State and the surrounding New England
region. Locomotive Shop, New York Central,
Albany, New York—with its darkened
interior punctuated by the light thrown off
by an arc welder’s torch—is undoubtedly
one of Wilbur’s ?nest paintings and
perfectly illustrates his ability to capture
scenes of everyday industrial American life.
A recent gift of Bruce and Susan Lueck,
Locomotive Shop is a welcome addition to
the museum’s Modern art collection and
further strengthens our holdings related to
the American Scene.