Books
Forces of Nature: Renwick Invitational 2020
Alexander von Humboldt and the United States: Art, Nature, and Culture
Ginny Ruffner: Reforestation of the Imagination
Temple of Invention: History of a National Landmark
This lavishly illustrated history of America’s Patent Office Building illuminates the importance of a treasured national landmark. Today the building is home to two Smithsonian museums, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.
An Impressionist Sensibility: The Halff Collection
This full-color catalogue provides a rare insight into a stunning private collection of American Art. Hugh and Marie Halff, connoisseurs based in San Antonio, Texas, have read, studied, and traveled widely in their quest.
Earl Cunningham's America
Earl Cunningham (1893–1977) was one of the premier folk artists of the twentieth century. Earl Cunningham’s America presents Cunningham as a folk modernist who used the flat space and brilliant color typical of Matisse and Van Gogh to create sophisticated compositions.
Staged Stories: Renwick Craft Invitational 2009
Staged Stories: Renwick Craft Invitational 2009 showcases the talent of four exceptional artists: Christyl Boger, Mark Newport, Mary Van Cline, and SunKoo Yuh. Working in the traditional media of clay, fiber, and glass, these artists push their material to communicate in new ways.
What's It All Mean: William T. Wiley in Retrospect
Over a period of fifty years, William T. Wiley has distinguished himself by creating an extensive body of work that challenges the precepts of mainstream art.
Framing the West: The Survey Photographs of Timothy H. O'Sullivan
Few photographers have captured more compelling images of the untamed American West than Timothy H. O’Sullivan.
Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg
Norman Rockwell’s pictures tell stories—of children growing up and of couples growing old—that make us laugh with warmhearted recognition. Rockwell was a master humorist with an infallible sense of the dramatic moment.
A Revolution in Wood: The Bresler Collection
A Revolution in Wood celebrates the gift of sixty-six pieces of turned and carved wood to the Renwick Gallery by the distinguished collectors Fleur and Charles Bresler.
History in the Making: Renwick Craft Invitational 2011
History in the Making: Renwick Craft Invitational 2011 features four extraordinary artists whose work explores the deep roots of contemporary American craft and decorative arts.
To Make a World: George Ault and 1940s America
An American painter usually associated with the precisionist movement, George Copeland Ault (1891–1948) created works that provide a unique window onto the uncertainty and despair of the Second World War.
American Impressionism: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum
American Impressionism: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum commemorates Treasures to Go, a series of eight exhibitions from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, touring the nation through 2002.
The Art of Video Games
In the forty-year history of the video game industry, the medium has undergone staggering development, fueled not only by advances in technology but also by an insatiable quest for richer play and more meaningful experiences.
Lure of the West: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Lure of the West: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum commemorates Treasures to Go, a series of eight exhibitions from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, touring the nation through 2002.
Nam June Paik: Global Visionary
Internationally recognized as the “father of video art,” Korean-born artist Nam June Paik (1932–2006) transformed twentieth-century art. His innovative media-based artwork was grounded in avant-garde music and performance art, which he used to expand video and television as artistic expressions.
Arte Latino: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Arte Latino: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum commemorates Treasures to Go, a series of eight exhibitions from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, touring the nation through 2002.
African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, The Civil Rights Movement, and Beyond
African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond offers a rich vision of twentieth-century visual culture.