The American Evolution: A History through Art

On View at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., March 1–July 27, 2008

By Shelley Esaak, About.com Guide

The re-installation of the Corcoran Gallery's collection of American art has been specially hung for The American Evolution: A History through Art. Some 200 objects dating from the colonial era to the present day are showcased in this special exhibition.

Built around the five themes "Money," "Land," "Politics," "Cultural Exchange" and "The Modern World," American Evolution draws attention not only to the development of the United States as seen through its art, but also serves to remind the viewer that Gallery founder William Wilson Corcoran (1798–1888) began collecting American art long, long before it became fashionable. The Corcoran Gallery's impressive collection deserves a spotlight and our admiration, so please enjoy this sampling of highlights from the show.

Images 1-12 of 24

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Thomas Amory II, ca. 1770–1772	George Washington, after 1796	Grace Allison McCurdy and Her Daughters, Mary Jane and Letitia Grace, ca. 1804	The House of Representatives, 1822-1823
The Tough Story - Scene in a Country Tavern, 1837	America, modeled 1850–1854, carved after 1854	Niagara, 1857	The Longshoremen's Noon, 1879
The Ruins of the Parthenon, 1880	Singing a Pathetic Song, 1881	Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherfurd White (Mrs. Henry White), 1883	Young Girl at a Window, ca. 1883–1885