COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.- The Fenimore Art Museum has unveiled America's Rome: Artists in the Eternal City, 1800-1900, a major exhibition of American artists' depictions of 19th-century Rome.  Curated by Dr. Paul D'Ambrosio, Vice President and Chief Curator at the Fenimore Art Museum, this exhibit showcases some of the most influential American artists of the period, placing them within the timeless backdrop of Rome and its ancient surroundings.  The exhibition contains three sections, or views, of ancient Rome: The Forum, The Colosseum, and The Campagna.  These views of ancient Rome dominated the creative consciousness of Americans in the 19^th century, offering symbolic objects to ponder and to include in paintings and writings. On exhibition through 31 December, 2009. 

Upon making the voyage to Rome, American Impressionists and landscape painters developed the belief that they were not only artists but also poets, historians, and moralists; and that Rome was the ultimate inspiration for this humanistic tradition.  America's Rome: Artists in the Eternal City, 1800-1900 provides a rare look into how these trips reshaped artists’ imaginations, perspectives, and work—not to mention the future of American art.  D’Ambrosio has assembled more than 100 works from private collections and prestigious museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, from artists such as Thomas Cole, George Inness, Childe Hassam, Washington Allston, and Sanford Robinson Gifford. 

America's Rome: Artists in the Eternal City, 1800-1900 includes well-known works such as Interior of the Colosseum, Rome (1832, by Thomas Cole, owned by the Albany Institute of History and Art), which captures one of the most recognized symbols of the Roman Empire; Tivoli (1879, by Sanford Robinson Gifford, owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art); and Roman Campagna (1858, by George Inness, owned by the New Britain Museum of American Art). 

The exhibition was inspired by the landmark book, America's Rome, written by Dr. William Vance, former director of the American Studies Program at Boston University. The book, which celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year, offers a substantial outline of relations between Rome and visitors from the New World, which included painters, sculptors, writers, philosophers, diplomats and students.  The Fenimore’s exhibition was also greatly influenced by subsequent research compiled by art historians John and Mary McGuigan. 

"Few places have had such a hold on the American imagination as Rome,” said Paul D'Ambrosio.  “Its ancient glories, classical art, and exotic local population enthralled 19th-century American artists who sought beauty and meaning there.  These artists created a vision of Rome that reflected our national culture.  That Rome—America's Rome—is the subject of this exhibition".  “America's Rome: Artists in the Eternal City, 1800-1900 offers a variety of meanings for an American audience, primarily the warning of an empire in decline.  The ruins of Rome have found new relevance. This exhibition offers a chance to examine American history and our future in a different light." 

Dr. D’Ambrosio added “Furthermore, we are thrilled to have the generous cooperation of the office of Hon. Vice Consul, of Italy Stefano Acunto, affiliated with this endeavor and the cooperation of other notable Italian officials.  Mr. Acunto will offer a presentation entitled Roma non sponte sequor on July 17th at Fenimore Art Museum.”

ABOUT FENIMORE ART MUSEUM

One of the nation’s premier art institutions, the Fenimore Art Museum is home to an exceptionally rich collection of American folk art and American Indian art as well as important holdings in American decorative arts, photography, and twentieth-century art. Founded in 1945 in Cooperstown, New York, the museum is part of the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA), founded in 1899. The museum’s renowned Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection, housed in the American Indian Wing, is a masterpiece collection of more than 800 art objects, representing a broad scope of North American cultures. The collections of American folk and fine art include seminal works by Grandma Moses, Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Cole, William Sidney Mount, and Benjamin West. The museum offers a range of interactive educational programming for children, families, and adults, including lectures and workshops for museum visitors and distance learning instruction for classrooms nationwide. 

The Fenimore Art Museum is located on 5798 State Hwy. 80, Lake Road, in Cooperstown, NY. The museum’s Fenimore Café, overlooking beautiful Otsego Lake, features wonderful views and a tranquil setting amid the terraced gardens. The museum is open from April 1 through December 31; closed January through March, except for special events and school groups. For museum hours or general information, please call 1-888-547-1450 or visit www.fenimoreartmuseum.org