website is a great place to go and read while having a nice view of the art of the American West. There, you will find paintings, sculpture, and prints from the 19th and 20th centuries highlight the stunning land, dramatic people, and diverse wildlife of the
region.
The significant collection of American Indian art, as well as collections of glass and porcelain, and rare books and manuscripts can be found in the museum.
The museum is divided into several sections to give a better experience to a visitors.
Western Art
The Stark Museum of Art’s Western Art collection conveys the artistic interpretation of the western region over two centuries.
American Indian Art
The American Indian collection consists of objects created by members of the tribes of the Great Plains, Southwest, Eastern Woodlands and Northwest Coast. The collection includes excellent examples of Plains clothing, body ornaments, and beadwork, such as elaborately beaded moccasins.
Decorative Arts
The Decorative Arts collection features primarily glass and porcelain. It includes numerous items from Steuben Glass, including the only complete set of The United States in Crystal, a series of bowls engraved with scenes representing each of the 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the Union….and more. The Stark Museum of Art collection holds the entire series as well as some duplicates, including unpainted versions. The collection also includes a series of porcelain birds by artist Edward Marshall Boehm.
Rare Books and Manuscripts
The Rare Books and Manuscripts collection includes The Birds of America by naturalist John James Audubon. These five double elephant folios, which depict the birds of North America, belonged to the artist. The groundbreaking publication is widely regarded as one of the finest illustrated books of all time. In addition to Audubon’s The Birds of America are letters and journals by Audubon and artist Paul Kane, seven Books of Hours manuscripts, and more rare treasures.
The Stark Museum of Art in Orange, Texas, began as a vision of H.J. Lutcher Stark and his mother, Miriam Lutcher Stark, an enthusiastic collector of art, furniture, and decorative items from around the world. Lutcher Stark developed a similar passion for collecting, with a particular interest in nature and art depicting the American West. Both Miriam and Lutcher Stark shared the desire that one day a museum in Orange, Texas, would display the works of art they collected.
The Stark Foundation carries on the philanthropic legacy of Nelda and Lutcher Stark. Stark Foundation has a mission to improve the quality of life in Southeast Texas by encouraging, promoting and assisting education, the arts, and health and human services. The Foundation carries out this mandate, in part, through the programs of the Stark Museum of Art, The W.H. Stark House, the Frances Ann Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts, and Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center.
Post source: The Stark Museum of Art
