Armand Hammer Collection: European and American Art Dialogue at UCLA

The Armand Hammer Collection, assembled by the philanthropist and collector Armand Hammer (1898–1990), is one of the most significant holdings of European and American art in the United States. Now housed at the Hammer Museum, part of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the collection spans nearly four centuries, from the Renaissance to the early 20th century. It comprises approximately 7,500 works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and pastels. The collection features a strong emphasis on 19th-century French art, alongside masterpieces by European masters such as Titian, Rembrandt, Chardin, Fragonard, and Goya. Key Impressionist and Post-Impressionist figures include Degas, Corot, Monet, and Van Gogh, complemented by important American artists. A notable highlight is the extensive Daumier collection, with around 4,000 works, making it one of the largest holdings of Honoré Daumier outside France. This concentration underscores Hammer's focus on the social and political dimensions of art. A significant selection was recently exhibited in "Da Rembrandt a Van Gogh" at the Fondation Pierre Gianadda in Martigny, Switzerland.