In 1927, Marion McNay purchased her first oil painting and soon commissioned the construction of a Spanish Colonial-Revival mansion to house her imminent collection. She acquired over 700 works of art over her lifetime, laying the foundation for what would become the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio.
The Museum
The McNay has several permanent collections of modern and contemporary art, with special divisions for American, European, and theatre arts. As you explore, you can trace the development of new styles and techniques over the years, as exhibited by various artists and across diverse mediums. The galleries are filled with thought-provoking pieces from all over the world, and you can spend a full day admiring the technique of a lifelike sculpture or unpacking the meaning of an imaginative abstract piece. The museum also features a series of special exhibitions which cycle in and out for a limited time.
American Art
You may see a realist landscape painting by Nighthawks creator Edward Hopper, with dynamic sunlight and shadow cast over rolling hills. Elsewhere in the Mays Gallery, you could see another landscape rendered by Helen Torr. Created only five years after Hopper’s painting, Torr’s Fall depicts the land in a modernist fashion, with muted colors and undefined shapes.
European Art
The European selection contains stunning bronze sculptures like the tense Theseus Fighting the Minotaur and the robed Jean de Fiennes from the Burghers of Calais. You may also see portraits with varying degrees of realism or creative liberty, like the fluid expressionist piece, The Cellist (Portrait of M. Serevitsch) by Chaim Soutine. Keep an eye out for Pablo Picasso’s Woman with a Plumed Hat in the Zoch Gallery.
Make Your Plans
The McNay is open Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $10 for teens 19 years old and younger; $15 for students, seniors, and active military; and $20 for adults. Museum members and children under 12 years old may enter for free. You can also book a tour, from self-guided explorations to student tours and curator walks. The McNay Art Museum is Located at 6000 North New Braunfels Avenue, San Antonio, Texas 78209.
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