Description

With a collection noted for its strength in French and American art and sculpture, as well as photography, glass, porcelain, Japanese, and African art, the collection at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is 40,000 works strong and continues to grow. NOMA is a central figure in showcasing the city's rich culture and heritage. Special exhibitions have introduced visitors to the treasures of Egyptian kings, the works of a Mayan princess, and the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on the way of life in New Orleans.

NOMA's campus extends beyond its doors. Perched at the entrance of New Orleans' 1300-acre City Park, the Museum makes good use of its natural surroundings with the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. The manicured, five-acre garden is landscaped with magnolia trees, magnificent 200-year-old oaks, and the state's most impressive single collection of modern sculpture, including works by Barbara Hepworth, Arnoldo Pomodoro and Fernando Botero. Admission to the sculpture garden is free and there are no limitations or restrictions placed upon photography or proximity to sculptures. Special event features in the sculpture Garden include weekly yoga and pilates classes and occasional theatrical performances.

Upcoming Exhibitions

The New Orleans Museum of Art is celebrating its centennial year and ushering in new exhibitions including Ancestors of the Congo and upcoming exhibits like the Madeline Albright collection entitled "Read My Pins," and "Serenissima: Venetian glass 1500 to the Present," "Forty Years in Edo" with unseen works paintings from the Japanese permanent collection, and "50 Years of Studio Glass,"with sculptural and multi-media exhibits about the art glass-blowing.

NOMA's Permanent Collection

European

In 1930, a donation of more than 30 paintings from Samuel H. Kress, known as The Kress Gift, began this rich collection, which has been enhanced over the years. Spanning nearly six centuries, NOMA's collection of paintings and notable art pieces is one of the most remarkable examples from the major national schools. The exhibit is especially varied in the French and Italian galleries, along with galleries devoted to modern paintings and classic Dutch and Flemish still life. While the highlight of this section is the grand painting of Marie Antoinette by Madame Elisabeth-Louise Vigee-Lebrun, the collection also houses works by Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Paul Gauguin.

The European collection will amaze visitors as the most comprehensive collection of European masterpieces in the Southern U.S. representing eras from Impressionist and Post-Impressionist to abstract.

Asian

Possessing one of the most fascinating Asian collections in the Gulf South, NOMA displays pieces that represent Japan, China, and India in objects from the Neolithic to contemporary era. The gallery's jade carvings are a must-see, particularly the jade elephant pendant; the details are some of the most exquisite in this kind of stone carving. The collection also includes scroll paintings, miniatures, paper screens, and woodblocks.

Contemporary

This collection covers major art movements from the last 100 years. From a single piece representing an entire movement to a series of pieces allowing visitors to relive the inspiration of a movement, this section of the museum is a visitor's delight.

The European Contemporary exhibit burst onto the scene much like Fauve burst onto the streets of Paris. See fabulous examples of this movement along with works by Picasso, Modigliani, and Kirchner. Also noteworthy: the work of Art Brut/Raw Art sculptor/painter Jean DuBuffet.

Decorative Art and Photography

Ranked as one of the top five collections in the U.S., the glass collection at NOMA contains more than 12,000 pieces and is not only a trip into the world of glass art, but a journey into the world of glass making -- from Egyptian relics to contemporary glass sculpture. Glass, porcelain, and metal works line the third floor galleries.

NOMA's photographic collection is an encyclopedic sampling of some of the greatest achievements in photography. John Bullard, who spearheaded the collection in 1973 as director of NOMA, recognized photography's place in the art world, and photographers and collectors jumped at the chance to be included in his growing collection. It features the works of Ansel Adams, Piet Zwart, and Kukasabi Kimbei, as well as Diane Arbus' famous portrait of a Mexican dwarf in a hotel room, taken in 1974.

Faberge

This exhibit features some of the finest works of Faberge along the Gulf Coast, including the famous Faberge Easter eggs, small insect figurines, and lesser-known constructions in enamel and palisander wood. Pay particular attention to the box with the Russian Grand Dutchess Anastasia in full court dress and the shocking, diamond-encrusted Bismark box. They are visual confections, each alone worth a trip to NOMA.

The Americas

Often noted as a focal point of a visit to NOMA, this gallery centers works produced in North, South, and Central America. The collection includes Native American works from the art of the Anasazi people to contemporary Indian artisans, a trove of objects from the Mayan era, and painting and sculpture from Cuzco, the Spanish capitol of Peru.

Sculpture Garden

The Sydney Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a five-acre patch of land in the middle of City Park, offers amazing photo opportunities to visitors, along with a look into the modern world of sculpture. Garden special events include weekly yoga and Pilates classes and periodic theatrical performances.