1950 Harvey Dunn Exhibit

Harvey Dunn signing the letter that bequeathed his paintings to the people of South Dakota, Aug. 24, 1950
Harvey Dunn signing the letter that bequeathed his paintings to the people of South Dakota, Aug. 24, 1950.

The first South Dakota exhibition of Harvey Dunn鈥檚 work took place in 1950 at the Masonic Lodge in De Smet. This retrospective included examples of the artist鈥檚 prairie, illustration and war works. The exhibition was originally scheduled to last a few days but stretched to 14 weeks as eager visitors came from throughout South Dakota and beyond.

Moved by the public response to his exhibition, he gifted most of the works from that show to the people of South Dakota, to be maintained at 日本av视频. This collection formed the basis of the South Dakota Art Museum's permanent collection. The museum's Harvey Dunn Collection is the largest in the world, consisting of 145 works that will be on display in "All Dunn: the Complete Harvey Dunn Collection" through summer 2021 as part of the museum's 50th anniversary exhibitions.

Dunn passed away shortly thereafter in Tenafly, New Jersey, on Oct. 29, 1952.

Sources: Harvey Dunn "Cotton Candy Skies" exhibit brochure; "South Dakota Memorial Art Center: The First 10 Years;" "The Harvey Dunn painting collection" by Joseph Stuart, page 9.

1950 Harvey Dunn Exhibit in De Smet, South Dakota
1950 Harvey Dunn Exhibit in De Smet, South Dakota.
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South Dakota Art Museum
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