Rembrandt Exhibition Closes at Morgan Library as Book Explores American Art Collecting History

An exhibition featuring Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn's bequests concludes at the Morgan Library on January 7. The display serves as a tribute to curator Walter Liedtke, who died in Tuesday's Metro-North train crash. Cynthia Saltzman's research examines how American art collections developed between the Civil War and World War I. Her work reveals that a limited number of collectors transformed the nation's holdings from minimal to extensive during this period. Saltzman's literary approach involves thorough examination of historical documents and literature. The exhibition at the Morgan Library represents one of many cultural institutions now housing significant artworks that were largely absent from American collections before the late 19th century.