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Layered photos of different people in the same placeFace surrounded by flowers with two people in white veils looking at each otherYoung children playing with an old stagecoach; some inside, some on top, and some in front acting like horsesMan in a hooded brown robe looking down at his hands while holding a skull

Collection

The Milwaukee Art Museum’s collection is broad and diverse, with works from antiquity to the present. Its history dates to 1888 and reflects the city in which the Museum was built, and the individuals who helped build it. The collection’s more than 32,000 works include paintings, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, photography, prints, video art, installation art, and textiles.

The Museum’s collection has developed over the years through select purchases, the gifts of local collectors, and the support of the community and generous donors. The Museum’s various areas of collecting boast many strengths, including the particularly noteworthy ones listed here. Continue Reading »

  • American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts, with concentrations of work by the Ashcan School and The Eight and Georgia O’Keeffe
  • Contemporary painting, sculpture, and installation art, especially Minimalism and Neo-Expressionism
  • 20th- and 21st-century design
  • European Baroque painting, sculpture, and decorative arts, as well as 19th-century academic painting
  • Folk and self-taught art, both European and American
  • German art, ranging from Renaissance master clocks and Expressionist artworks to contemporary paintings
  • 20th-century Haitian art
  • Modern painting and sculpture
  • Photography and new media, with particular strengths in documentary, mid-century American, and contemporary works
  • Works on paper, highlighted by a notable collection of French prints from 1600 to 1900

Object information is subject to revision and enhancement based on ongoing research and review. If you notice an error or have additional information about any object in the collection, please contact collections@mam.org.

New Acquisition Highlights

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, b. 1983) Printed by BIG INK (founded 2012) Scene 5: The Studio, from the series Carving Out Time, 2020–2021

Shiro Kuramata (Japan, 1934–1991) Manufactured by Ishimaru Co. Ltd Tokyo, Japan, established 1969 "Miss Blanche" Chair, designed 1988

Adger Cowans (American, b. 1936) Three Shadows, 1966

Cornelis Visscher (Dutch, 1628/29–1658) The Large Cat, ca. 1657

Peter Stamberg (American, b. 1949) Cardinal Dots Chair, 1974–1975

Clarence Boyce Monegar (American, 1910–1968) Bobwhite, 1948/1968

Clarence Boyce Monegar (American, 1910–1968) Timberdoodle, 1948/1968

Clarence Boyce Monegar (American, 1910–1968) Settin' Down, 1948/1968

Ferdinand Olivier (German, 1785–1841) Printed by Adolph Kunike (Austrian, 1777–1838) House Altar, 1820

Paul A. Lobel (American, born Romania, 1899–1983) Manufactured by Wilcox Silver Plate Company (a division of International Silver Company) (Meriden, Connecticut, 1867–1961) Manufactured by International Silver Company (Meriden, Connecticut, founded 1898) Tea Service, ca. 1934

View highlights »

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Collection Areas

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Research

Explore the Museum’s robust historical records, and uncover new discoveries.

Archive Highlights

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From the Blog

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Image:
  • Harry Callahan (American, 1912–1999), Chicago (detail), ca. 1948, printed 1950s. Gelatin silver print. Purchase, with funds from the Ralph and Cora Oberndorfer Family Trust, M2008.81. Copy photo by John R. Glembin. © The Estate of Harry Callahan, courtesy Pace Gallery
  • Minnie Evans (American, 1892–1987), Untitled (detail), 1960/63/66. Pencil, crayon, ink, and paint on board. Gift of Anthony Petullo, M2012.44. Photo by Larry Sanders
  • Eastman Johnson (American, 1824–1906), The Old Stagecoach (detail), 1871. Oil on canvas. Layton Art Collection Inc., Gift of Frederick Layton, L1888.22. Photo by John R. Glembin
  • Francisco de Zurbarán (Spanish, 1598–1664), Saint Francis of Assisi in His Tomb (detail), 1630/34. Oil on canvas. Purchase, M1958.70. Photo by John R. Glembin