Ball State University Museum of Art

Infobox University campus
university = Ball State University
color = #CC2233
name = Ball State University Fine Arts Building
picture = FineArtBuildingRapierce.jpg
pic_caption = The Museum of Art
use = Museum
style = Collegiate Gothic
erected = 1936
location = North on the Old Quad
coor = coord|40.19990921|-85.41022491|display=inline,title
campus = main
namesake =
architect = George F. Schreiber
free_label =
free =
website = [http://www.bsu.edu/artmuseum/ www.bsu.edu/artmuseum]

The Ball State University Museum of Art is an art museum located in the Fine Arts building on the campus of Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.

The museum is home to some 11,000 works (mostly paintings,photographs, and sculptures) valued at more than $40 million. It is one of only four Indiana art museums with a notable, well-rounded collection.

History

In 1892, a group of women formed the Art Students' League, hoping to raise interest in art in the growing community of Muncie. The Art Students' League held many successful art exhibits and then formed the Muncie Art Association in 1905, which in turn set goals to host an annual art show and to annually purchase a work of art to help establish a permanent collection. The permanent collection of the Muncie Art Association were located in the hallways of many Muncie schools until the founding of the Indiana State Normal School by the Ball Brothers. The works of art owned by the art association were then moved to the Indiana State Normal School. It was not until 1931 that plans were made to erect a building to permanently house the works of art. [ [http://www.bsu.edu/artmuseum/history/ "History: Ball State University Museum of Art." (Ball State University Website)] , Retrieved April 27, 2008.]

Fine Arts Building and Museum of Art

Just before the great depression, there was a need for an Art Center for an ever growing demand for art and music classrooms and space for an art gallery on campus. Architect George F. Schreiber was hired to design the collegiate gothic style building, but was put on hold because the state of Indiana issued a state moratorium on spending in 1932. It was not until 1935 that enough money was raised to begin construction on the building. [ [http://www.bsu.edu/map/article/0,,31105--,00.html "Tour Stop: Fine Arts Building." (Ball State University Website)] , Retrieved April 27, 2008.] In 1936, the Fine Arts Building and Museum of Art was opened under President L.A. Pittenger.

The Fine Arts Building also housed the foreign language, english and social science departments, a recital hall, and a Renaissance style auditorium.

Collections

*Frank Ball Art Collection
*Indiana Painters
*Contains collections with ancient, medieval, Renaissance, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, modern, Asian, and arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Notable Pieces of Art

*Print of "The Great Wave off Kanagawa", Hokusai
*"The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence", Massimo Stanzione
*"Storm King of the Hudson", Thomas Cole
*"The Concord Minute Man of 1775", Daniel Chester French
*"Under The Trees I", Andre Lhote

External links

* [http://www.bsu.edu/artmuseum/ Museum of Art website]

References