Williams College Museum of Art

The Gallery of Crossed Destinies

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For The Gallery of Crossed Destinies, we pre–selected 25 objects that represented the breadth and depth of our collection and offered a range of possibilities for interpretation by our guest curators.

  • Unknown (Egyptian), Ibis, 26th Dynasty Unknown (Egyptian)
    Ibis, 26th Dynasty (664–525 BCE)
    bronze
    6 7/8 x 8 11/16 inches
    Gift of Sir Henry Rawlinson through Dwight W. Marsh, Class of 1842, by exchange
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Francisco Pacheco (Spanish, 1564-1644), A Knight of Santiago, 1626 (or 1625?) Francisco Pacheco (Spanish, 1564–1644)
    A Knight of Santiago, 1626 (or 1625?)
    oil on canvas
    33 3/8 x 29 1/4 x 3 inches
    Gift of John T. Winkhaus, Jr., Class of 1935, in memory of Karl E. Weston
  • Unknown (Franco-Flemish), St. John the Evangelist, ca. 1430 Unknown (Franco-Flemish)
    St. John the Evangelist, ca. 1430
    alabaster
    18 3/4 x 5 x 3 1/2 inches
    Museum purchase with partial funds provided by Lawrence H. Bloedel, Class of 1923
    Photography by Arthur Evans
  • William Michael Harnett, (American, 1848-1892), Deutsche Presse, 1882 William Michael Harnett (American, 1848–1892)
    Deutsche Presse, 1882
    oil on panel
    7 1/2 x 5 11/16 inches
    Gift of Mrs. John W. Barnes in memory of her husband, Class of 1924, on the fifth anniversary of his death
    Photography by Arthur Evans
  • George Inness, (American, 1825-1894), Twilight, ca. 1860 George Inness (American, 1825–1894)
    Twilight, ca. 1860
    oil on canvas
    frame: 41 x 59 x 3 3/4 inches
    Gift of Cyrus P. Smith, Class of 1918, in memory of his father, B. Herbert Smith, Class of 1885
    Photography by Michael Agee
  • Elmer Nelson Bischoff, (American, 1916-1991), Country Room, 1957 Elmer Nelson Bischoff (American, 1916–1991)
    Country Room, 1957
    oil on canvas
    48 13/16 x 57 1/2 inches
    Bequest of Lawrence H. Bloedel, Class of 1923
  • Louise Nevelson, (American, 1899-1988), Sky Wave, 1964 Louise Nevelson (American, 1899–1988)
    Sky Wave, 1964
    painted wood with metal hardware
    94 x 48 x 14 1/2 inches
    Bequest of Lawrence H. Bloedel, Class of 1923
    © 2011 Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
    Reproduction, including downloading of Nevelson works is prohibited by copyright laws and international conventions without the express written permission of Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
    Photography by Arthur Evans
  • Unknown (Central Indian), Head of a devotee, 10th-11th century Unknown (Central Indian)
    Head of a devotee, 10th–11th century
    sandstone
    6 1/2 x 4 13/16 x 6 5/16 inches
    Museum purchase, Karl E. Weston Memorial Fund
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Robert Lee MacCameron, (American, 1866-1912), Group at the Theatre Robert Lee MacCameron (American, 1866–1912)
    Group at the Theatre, 1912
    oil on canvas
    51 3/16 x 63 3/4 inches
    Gift of Marguerite and Robert F. MacCameron, Class of 1927, daughter and son of the artist
    © Ruth M. Ely, used with permission
    Photography by Arthur Evans
  • Georgia O'Keeffe, (American, 1887-1986), Skunk Cabbage (Cos Cob) Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887–1986)
    Skunk Cabbage (Cos Cob), 1922
    oil on canvas
    23 5/16 x 16 5/16 inches
    Bequest of Kathryn Hurd
    © 2011 Georgia O’Keeffe Museum/Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
    Photography by Michael Agee
  • Larry Rivers, (American, 1923-2002), Amel-Camel, 1962 Larry Rivers (American, 1923–2002)
    Amel–Camel, 1962
    carbonate | collage | oil on canvas
    39 3/8 x 39 9/16 inches
    Gift of Mrs. Lawrence H. Bloedel
    Art © Estate of Larry Rivers / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
  • Unknown (South Indian), Playing card (ganjifa): Two Noblemen on Horseback with Dogs, 19th century Unknown (South Indian)
    Playing card (ganjifa): Two Noblemen on Horseback with Dogs, 19th century
    opaque watercolor on varnished leather, heightened with gold
    10 9/16 inches
    Bequest of Mrs. Horace W. Frost
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Robert Motherwell, (American, 1915-1991), Open No. 175, ca. 1970 Robert Motherwell (American, 1915–1991)
    Open No. 175, ca. 1970
    acrylic on canvas
    72x36 inches
    Gift of Sylvia and Joseph Slifka
    Art © Dedalus Foundation, Inc. / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY Art
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Claes Oldenburg, (American, b. 1929), Icebag - Scale, B 1969-1971 Claes Oldenburg (American, b. 1929)
    Icebag – Scale B, Yellow 1971
    Programmed kinetic construction in aluminum, steel, nylon, fiberglass
    dimensions variable: 48 x 48 x 40 in.
    Museum purchase, Karl E. Weston Memorial Fund
    View video »
    Copyright 1971 Claes Oldenburg
    Photography by Arthur Evans
    Video by Bill Matthiesen
  • Lorna Simpson, (American, b. 1960), Stack of Diaries, 1993 (Stack 5), 1993 Lorna Simpson (American, b. 1960)
    Stack of Diaries, 1993 (Stack 5), 1993
    photo–linen, steel and glass
    84 5/8 x 28 3/8 x 18 1/8 inches
    Museum purchase, Kathryn Hurd Fund
    Courtesy the artist and Salon 94, New York
  • Unknown (Greek?), Olive leaf wreath, date unknown Unknown (Greek?)
    Olive leaf wreath, date unknown
    gold
    8 11/16 inches
    Collection of the Son and Daughters of Charles Bolles Bolles–Rogers, Class of 1907
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Unknown (Chinese), Horse head, 618-906 CE Unknown (Chinese)
    Horse head, 618–906 CE
    ceramic
    10 3/4 x 3 3/4 x 11 inches
    On extended loan from Mrs. Pieter Whitney Fosburgh
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Joseph Cornell, (American, 1903-1972), Untitled, date unknown Joseph Cornell (American, 1903–1972)
    Untitled, date unknown
    wood, glass, rubber balls and plaster
    14 13/16 x 11 x 2 5/16 inches
    Gift of Mrs. John A. Benton
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
    Art © The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
  • Unknown (Pokot), Men's Tripod Stool, date unknown Unknown (Pokot)
    Men’s Tripod Stool, date unknown
    wood
    6 15/16 x 6 9/16 inches
    Museum purchase, John B. Turner ’24 Memorial Fund
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Wayne Thiebaud, (American, b. 1920), Peppermint Suckers, 1962 Wayne Thiebaud (American, b. 1920)
    Peppermint Suckers, 1962
    oil on canvas
    14 x 11 inches
    Gift of Susan W. Paine in Memory of Stephen D. Paine, Class of 1954, and in Honor of Linda B. Shearer
    © Wayne Thiebaud / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
  • Philip Guston, (American, 1913-1980), Game, 1978 Philip Guston (American, 1913–1980)
    Game, 1978
    oil on canvas
    81 1/8 x 95 1/16 inches
    Bequest of Musa Guston
    Courtesy of McKee Gallery, New York, NY
    Photography by Jim Gipe - Pivot Media / Stephen Petegorsky
  • Harriet Frishmuth, (American, 1880-1980), The Star, 1918 Harriet Frishmuth (American, 1880–1980)
    The Star, 1918
    bronze
    20 x 2 1/2 x 2 inches
    Gift of Philip F. Palmedo, Class of 1956
  • Edward Hopper, (American, 1882-1967), Morning in a City, 1944 Edward Hopper (American, 1882–1967)
    Morning in a City, 1944
    oil on canvas
    44 5/16 x 59 13/16 inches
    Bequest of Lawrence H. Bloedel, Class of 1923
  • Carrie Mae Weems, (American, b. 1953), Weems and Buffalo Jump (from 'The Hampton Project'), 2000 Carrie Mae Weems (American, b. 1953)
    Weems and Buffalo Jump (from “The Hampton Project”), 2000
    digital photograph | ink on canvas
    83 x 76 1/2 inches
    Museum purchase, Kathryn Hurd Fund
    Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, NY
    Photography by Arthur Evans
  • Maurice Brazil Prendergast, (American, 1858-1924), Summer Day, Salem, ca. 1915-1918 Maurice Brazil Prendergast (American, 1858–1924)
    Summer Day, Salem, ca. 1915–1918
    oil on canvas
    18 x 28 1/4 inches
    Gift of Mrs. Charles Prendergast