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Ocean House Author Series: In Conversation with Stephen Lash: The Wadsworth Atheneum
August 11 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free – $15
Join us to hear stories and stimulating conversation of America’s oldest art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum, with Stephen Lash and Dr. Oliver Tostmann, Curator at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford CT. Learn about the museums storied history and its adventure in introducing European masters, including Picasso and the Russian Ballet, to America.
Founded in 1842, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the oldest art museums in the country. Its Hudson River School, European old masters, and Modern art collections are beloved by its visitors and praised by critics around the world. Throughout its history, the museum has played a critical role as a meeting place for art lovers and tastemakers; it has also served as incubator for artists. This talk will highlight some outstanding moments from the institution’s history, shed light on the people involved, and reflect on the museum’s legacy.
Stephen Lash, Ocean House’s Advisor on the Arts and Chairman Emeritus of Christie’s, leads an engaging conversation on the Rosenfeld photography collection at the renowned Mystic Seaport Museum. This special presentation delves into the history, acquisition and preservation of the collection as well as discussing the new book, “On the Water: A Century of Iconic Maritime Photography” by Nick Voulgaris III, with a foreword by Bob Iger. Refreshments will be served, including wine and cheese.
Oliver Tostmann is the Susan Morse Hilles Curator of European Art at the Wadsworth Atheneum overseeing paintings, sculptures, and works on paper from the Middle Ages to the mid-twentieth century. He was previously Curator of the Collection at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at the National Gallery, Washington, DC. He has curated numerous exhibitions, and published writings on European art from the Renaissance to the Modern. Dr. Tostmann holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in the history of art from the Freie Universität Berlin. His upcoming exhibition, Paper, Color, Line: European Master Drawings at the Wadsworth Atheneum opens in January, 2025
