ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Jacques-Louis David (French, 1748–1825)
Comte Henri-Amédée-Mercure de Turenne d’Aynac, 1816
Oil on canvas, 28 1/4 x 22 1/8 in.
The Clark, 1999.2

The Clark's permanent collection has grown and developed in remarkable ways over the past twenty years. Nearly one-quarter of the 9,713 objects now in the Clark's collection have been acquired during this period. Exceptional works have been added to every area of the collection, including painting, sculpture, decorative arts, drawings, prints, and the new collecting area of early photography. The Institute acquires works of art through purchase and by gift and adheres to the standard of excellence that is a legacy of its founders, Sterling and Francine Clark. This exhibition features highlights of acquisitions made between 1995 and the present and tells stories of how and why these objects have become part of the Clark's collection.

The works in the exhibition, housed in the Clark Center galleries—together with additional acquisitions from this time period on display in the Museum Building—tell a story of how a strong collection has become even stronger through the actions of the institute and its generous donors.

An Eye for Excellence: Twenty Years of Collecting is generously supported by members of the Curators, Director's, and Sterling Circles of the Clark Society.