This page has been optimized for printing through your browser.

Saint Louis University Museum of Art

DESCRIPTION: The Saint Louis University Museum of Art, located in a recently restored 55,000-square-foot turn-of-the-century building on the Saint Louis University campus, houses the University's extensive art collection. In a series of intimate galleries, visitors can view art and artifacts relevant to Jesuit philosophy and the ideals of liberal arts education. On display are the works of local, national and internationally acclaimed artists. The Museum also displays more than 2,000 pieces of family memorabilia and fine art donated to the University by the late Marion Rumsey Cartier, daughter of Pierre Cartier, the internationally renowned jeweler. The Museum's mission is also to be a venue for exhibitions of work by students, faculty, staff, alumni, benefactors and friends of the University. It is also a regional venue for the scholarly presentation of works of historical art and artifacts.

ADDRESS: 3663 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103

LOCATION: Grand Arts and Entertainment District

PHONE NUMBER: 314-977-3399

WEB SITE: http://sluma.slu.edu

SLOGAN: Fusing Art, Education and Tradition

GETTING THERE: From downtown, take I-64/40 to Exit 38A (Grand Boulevard). Turn right on Grand and follow it about two blocks to Lindell. Turn left on Lindell and follow it a short way to the Saint Louis University Art Museum which will be on your right.

HOURS: Tuesday through Sunday, 1 pm. – 4 p.m.; Friday, noon – 4 pm.

ADMISSION: Free; there is a nominal fee for special exhibitions.

SIGNIFICANCE: The Saint Louis University Museum of Art brings together in one place the Museum's multi-faceted collections of art and artifacts providing a place for the display of art and artifacts that are relevant to the Jesuit philosophy. Among the works displayed are those by internationally acclaimed artists Joachim Probst, Miguel Martinez, Thomas Huck, Edward Boccia and Renato Laffranchi.

The building that houses the Museum is itself a significant structure with architectural character, and rich detail. The four-story historic French revival mansion was built as the Saint Louis Club in 1900 at a cost of $320,000. The Club soon became the center of St. Louis social life and a place were distinguished visitors were entertained. Among the U. S. presidents who visited there were Cleveland, McKinley, William Howard Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Warren G. Harding. Herbert Hoover visited the Saint Louis Club when he was Secretary of Commerce. It is said that the idea of the World's Fair was first brought up at a dinner at the club, and much of the planning of that event took place there. The club purchased 14 paintings from those exhibited at the World's Fair, and they were the basis of a collection that became one of the best-regarded private collections in the city.

HISTORY: Although the Museum itself opened in May of 2002, the University had been collecting art and artifacts for many years.

The building itself was built in 1900 as the Saint Louis Club. At the time, an observer wrote that the building "in dimension, architectural beauty and elegance of appointments, will surpass all edifices of this class in the Mississippi Valley and stand surpassed by none in the country."

In 1992, the building was transferred to the University—partly as a gift and partly as a purchase. The building then became known as O'Donnell Hall, named for a longtime University employee, and was home to the University's graduate school and its new School of Public Health. The interior was adapted to academic use.

In the late 1990s, it was decided to bring the University's art collections, which were scattered among several buildings throughout the campus together in one place. O'Donnell Hall was chosen as that place. In spring of 2001, work on the fast-track project to turn the academic building into a museum with open space galleries began. In addition to making the building handicapped accessible and bringing its systems into modern code compliance, the building was retrofitted with the systems needed to transform it into a museum environment. Special effort was made to match the building's original millwork and achieve optimum lighting to preserve and display the collections.

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • The Museum has several galleries for both permanent and visiting exhibitions.
  • The MacLennan Collection of Asian Art is a permanent exhibit featuring some 2,500 pieces of wood, amber, coral, ivory, jade, enamel and metal art. The items were collected by St. Louisans John and Ann MacLennan. Despite the fact that the couple never visited Asia, they amassed over 60 years one of the largest private collections of Asian art in the Midwest. Some pieces are more than 250 years old. Of special note is a collection of more than 1,000 netsuke, pendants or toggles fastened to the end of a cord and attached to a coin purse, tobacco pouch, pipe, medicine box or inro (seal case).
  • Also on permanent exhibition is a 14-piece collection from glass artist Dale Chihuly's Cobalt Blue Series and Red Lip Wrap. The piece is the first view visitors get when they enter the second floor gallery.
  • The Cartier Collection is a permanent exhibit of more than 2,000 pieces of family memorabilia and fine art. The collection includes 710 paintings spanning five decades plus works by 19th and 20th century artists including Leon Bakst, Jean Charlot, Emile Friant, Rockwell Kent and Kimon Nicolaides. Marion Rumsey Cartier, daughter of Pierre Cartier, founder of the renowned Cartier Jewelers, donated the items to Saint Louis University. Mrs. Cartier, who was raised in France and New York, choose St. Louis, her mother's home, as the place to house the collection. Of special interest are the Cartier home movies which are shown continuously at the exhibit.
  • The Thomas Huck Collection, another permanent exhibit, features 14 pieces from Huck's "2 Weeks in August: 14 Rural Absurdities." Huck calls his woodcuts "rural satire."
  • The Edward Boccia Collection, also on permanent exhibit, features the works of this artist who resolutely focuses on the human form as the central feature of his work while total abstraction is the dominant forces in the art world today.
  • Another permanent exhibit is the Santos Collection, donated to the University by Willie V. and June Ellis Ortiz of Santa Fe, NM. "Santos" is "holy images" of Hispanic tradition and religious devotion. When priests were scarce in the Spanish colonies of America and churches were inaccessible, locally carved and painted wooden Santos aided worshipers at home altars and family chapels. Today, making Santos continues to express Hispanic identity.
  • Also on permanent exhibit at the Museum are works of Joachim Probst. His technique ranges from a few broad strokes bordering on the stylistic Oriental manner to pools of ink rubbed and drawn into other areas of the paper. Saint Louis University Museum of Art has one of the largest collections of Probst drawings. The Joachim Probst Gallery has exhibits that rotate biannually.
  • SLUMA's opening visiting exhibition was a collection of the works of Renato Laffranchi, a self-taught Italian priest who uses the techniques of painting on wooden panels, mosaic, fresco and stained glass to create works for public institutions and religious buildings.
  • Revolving exhibitions, which change periodically, feature works by locally and internationally known artists and emerging artists.
  • The Contemporary Project Gallery (CPG), a space on the second floor, has been set aside for contemporary artists to develop their ideas creatively in the medium of their choice. The projects exhibited are curated by the Director of the Museum and guest curators.
  • The SLU Community Galleries feature the works of artists from the University faculty, staff, student body, alumni and benefactors.

WHAT’S COMING UP: The Museum's exhibit schedule can be found on the web site, http://sluma.slu.edu

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS: Plans are underway to add weekend programs in art for children. In addition, programs that offer credit are being worked out with local high school art and history departments.

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: The Saint Louis University Art Museum is handicapped accessible.

WHERE TO GET LUNCH: An eclectic variety of restaurants can be found in the Central West End a couple of miles to the west.

GIFT SHOP: The Museum Shop carries interesting jewelry, giftware, post cards and books as well as Christmas items relating to Saint Louis University.

WHAT’S NEARBY: Nearby, visitors will find Fabulous Fox Theatre, the Grandel Theatre and the Black Repertory, Powell Symphony Hall, Sheldon Concert Hall, Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts and the Vaughn Cultural Center.

 

Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com