Exhibition

Vistas del sur

Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection
New Britain Museum of American Art
56 Lexington St.
New Britain, CT 06052 USA
About the exhibition
The exhibition Vistas del Sur: Traveler Artists’ Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection will present more than 150 rarely seen paintings, photographs, works on paper, and books dating from 1638 to 1887, that trace the evolution of landscapes of Latin America by artists from Europe and the Americas. Featuring works by artists such as Frederic Edwin Church, Martin Johnson Heade, José María Velasco, and Camille Pissarro, this exhibition showcases both romanticized scenes and directly observed illustrations of New World travel and expeditions, as well as scientific records of botanical, zoological, and ethnographic phenomena. The works attest to the ways in which the artists experienced the region, and the challenges they faced in reconciling preconceived ideals with the aesthetic realities they encountered.

Highlights of the exhibition include Frans Post’s View of Frederica City in Paraíba (1638) and Landscape with Chapel (c. 1663); Cotopaxi (1853) by Frederic Edwin Church, and Sunset: A Scene in Brazil (1864-65) by Martin Johnson Heade; Fritz George Melbye’s depictions of Venezuela (1866, 1853) and José María Velasco’s representations of Mexico (1870s); as well as extensive photographs and drawings from Auguste Morisot’s 1886 expedition up the Orinoco River.

This exhibition derives from the collection Traveler Artists to Latin America, one of five areas of the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (CPPC) formed by Gustavo Cisneros and Patricia Phelps de Cisneros as one of the core programs of the Fundación Cisneros, a private foundation dedicated to create awareness of Latin America’s contribution to global culture. The CPPC is widely recognized as one of the most extensive collections of art from Latin America in private hands, and is the center of an active research, grant-giving and publication program.

Vistas del Sur: Traveler Artists’ Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection will span the Museum’s Stitzer Family Gallery, Robert and Dorothy Vance Gallery, and Richard and Virginia McKernan Gallery, occupying over 7,000 total sq. ft., the largest footprint of an NBMAA exhibition to date. The show will be on view from January 20–April 16, 2017; a Members only reception will be held on Thursday, January 19, beginning at 6 p.m. This exhibition is accompanied by the book Traveler Artists: Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection, an authoritative volume on the early history of landscape painting in Latin America, edited by Dr. Katherine Manthorne, and will be available for purchase in the Museum shop.
Images of the Exhibition
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Installation view of the exhibition Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection. Photo: Bradley Olsen
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Installation view of the exhibition Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection. Photo: Bradley Olsen
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Installation view of the exhibition Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection. Photo: Bradley Olsen
  • Title: Vistas del sur
  • Date: January 20, 2017 - April 16, 2017
  • Title: Vistas del sur
  • Date: January 20, 2017 - April 16, 2017
Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection
New Britain Museum of American Art
56 Lexington St.
New Britain, CT 06052 USA
About the exhibition
The exhibition Vistas del Sur: Traveler Artists’ Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection will present more than 150 rarely seen paintings, photographs, works on paper, and books dating from 1638 to 1887, that trace the evolution of landscapes of Latin America by artists from Europe and the Americas. Featuring works by artists such as Frederic Edwin Church, Martin Johnson Heade, José María Velasco, and Camille Pissarro, this exhibition showcases both romanticized scenes and directly observed illustrations of New World travel and expeditions, as well as scientific records of botanical, zoological, and ethnographic phenomena. The works attest to the ways in which the artists experienced the region, and the challenges they faced in reconciling preconceived ideals with the aesthetic realities they encountered.

Highlights of the exhibition include Frans Post’s View of Frederica City in Paraíba (1638) and Landscape with Chapel (c. 1663); Cotopaxi (1853) by Frederic Edwin Church, and Sunset: A Scene in Brazil (1864-65) by Martin Johnson Heade; Fritz George Melbye’s depictions of Venezuela (1866, 1853) and José María Velasco’s representations of Mexico (1870s); as well as extensive photographs and drawings from Auguste Morisot’s 1886 expedition up the Orinoco River.

This exhibition derives from the collection Traveler Artists to Latin America, one of five areas of the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (CPPC) formed by Gustavo Cisneros and Patricia Phelps de Cisneros as one of the core programs of the Fundación Cisneros, a private foundation dedicated to create awareness of Latin America’s contribution to global culture. The CPPC is widely recognized as one of the most extensive collections of art from Latin America in private hands, and is the center of an active research, grant-giving and publication program.

Vistas del Sur: Traveler Artists’ Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection will span the Museum’s Stitzer Family Gallery, Robert and Dorothy Vance Gallery, and Richard and Virginia McKernan Gallery, occupying over 7,000 total sq. ft., the largest footprint of an NBMAA exhibition to date. The show will be on view from January 20–April 16, 2017; a Members only reception will be held on Thursday, January 19, beginning at 6 p.m. This exhibition is accompanied by the book Traveler Artists: Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection, an authoritative volume on the early history of landscape painting in Latin America, edited by Dr. Katherine Manthorne, and will be available for purchase in the Museum shop.
Images of the Exhibition
/
Installation view of the exhibition Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection. Photo: Bradley Olsen
/
Installation view of the exhibition Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection. Photo: Bradley Olsen
/
Installation view of the exhibition Vistas del sur: Traveler Artists' Landscapes of Latin America from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection. Photo: Bradley Olsen