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Exhibit Opens Tuesday, Jan. 15 Neese Gallery * * * * * This event is free and |
In 1893, Beloit College acquired a valuable collection of plaster casts of ancient Greek statuary. Those casts formed the basis for a founding collection of the College’s Wright Museum of Art. Remaining pieces will be on display in a new exhibition titled Fisher Cast Collection: A Conservation Project, opening in the Neese Gallery of the museum on Jan. 15.
The plaster casts were originally created by the government of Greece for display in a national exhibition at the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. At the close of the world’s fair, 112 pieces were purchased by the College for $5,000. Upon delivery, they were installed in the College’s art hall, now known as the Wright Museum of Art. The collection was named for Lucius Fisher, Sr., a charter member of the College’s board of trustees, and served as a cornerstone of the museum’s permanent exhibit for many years.
Over time, pieces of the Fisher Cast Collection were lost or damaged beyond repair. Today, 25 plaster casts remain; they are scheduled for conservation this spring. Anton Rajer, a noted fine arts conservator from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will lead the effort, assisted by Beloit College students. The Neese Gallery will be turned into a conservation laboratory; on Thursday afternoons visitors to the Wright Museum of Art will be able to observe the conservation work in-progress.
More information about the Fisher Cast Collection can be found online at www.beloit.edu/~belmag.
The Wright Museum of Art is one of two world-class teaching museums located on the Beloit College campus. It is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, contact the museum’s director, Joy Beckman, at 608-363-2097.