Collections
Recent Acquisitions
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John Singleton Copley. American, 1738–1815
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St. Cecilia, a Portrait portrays Martha Crowninshield Derby, an American expatriate living in London, as Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Surrounded by luxurious furnishings and wearing a fashionable empire-waist dress, Mrs. Derby demonstrates her musical talents by playing a harp—an instrument chosen to echo her graceful figure and emphasize her slender fingers—as she is gazed upon by adoring cherubs. Copley likely created this work in response to earlier versions of women posed as St. Cecilia by his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds.
See other recent acquisitions to the museum's permanent collection below:
| Contemporary Collection |
Craft + Design Collection |
American Art Collection |
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Ryan O'Malley. American, 1979- |
Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye. Danish, 1938- |
Augusta Savage. American, 1892-1962
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