Recent Art Discoveries Connect Green Bay WI to Europe

Oct. 8, 2010 - PRLog -- After an extensive art restoration process, combined with intensive international research done by The Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian society on the origins of one of the paintings, two fully restored paintings were unveiled at a private donor event, followed by a press conference, held this evening at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The restoration and findings have both international and local significance related to the "Hospitality - The Prodigal Son" painting and the Rufus B. Kellogg portrait.

RUFUS B. KELLOGG PAINTING
Preserving local heritage and making it accessible to the public is the mission of the Green Bay and De Pere Antiquarian Society. Over the past few years this active organization has embarked upon several ambitious projects that have taken the organization around the world.

Thousands of us drive past Associated Banks everyday, but little do we realize that the bank’s founder, Rufus B. Kellogg (1837-1891) also gave us the public library, and a street on Green Bay’s west side.

Kellogg did, in fact, found what is now Associated Bank Green Bay, formally known as the Kellogg Bank, and funded the library that evolved into the Brown County Library.  Although the bank which he founded over 135 years ago, and the library no longer bear his name, their continued growth and presence in the community are testament to Mr. Kellogg’s early influence. He was truly a Renaissance Man with a variety of interests and an overriding concern for the well being of the community he called home.  He promoted education, literacy and thrift.

Kellogg commissioned the American artist George P. A. Healy (1813-1894 ) to paint his portrait in Paris, France in 1887. Imbued with the spirit of 19th century Paris, the regal portrait shows Kellogg as a successful businessman reading the French newspaper Le Figaro and seated in an ornate green chair, dressed in 19th century business attire.

Healy was a distinguished American portrait painter known for his ability to capture a likeness of the sitter. Winner of several silver medals at exhibits in Europe, He maintained studios in Paris, New York and Chicago. Among his notable portraits was that of President Lincoln, President Grant and Pope Pius IX. This painting was conserved by Tony Rajer in 2010 through the generous support of Associated Bank-Green Bay and is on loan at the downtown bank  branch for public viewing.

After reading this article, you can find more details, pictures and video about these projects and the GB DP Antiquarian Society, including its other projects, artifacts and history at: http://www.antiquariansocietygbdp.org

HOSPITALITY/PRODIGAL SON PAINTING
Another recently discovered masterpiece is the Hospitality. Here’s the exciting story about this antique picture and how it got from Italy to Green Bay.

For nine decades the painting hung at the Brown County Public library without a label. In 2007 through a community sponsored effort the Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian Society purchased the painting along with other important historic items in order to keep them in the community.

The Society immediately launched a project to identify and conserve the huge ornate painting. This included writing letters to all the major art museums in America and Europe. Now after three years of work the identity of the painting is known.

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. correctly identified the rare picture as a version of the famed “Hospitality of St. Julian” from the Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy.  The 17th century Italian painter Cristofano Allori (1527-1621) created this popular painting that tells the story of Christ and Saint Julian, who committed the crime of slaying his parents and Christ forgave him.  In 1909 local Hotel owner Frederic G.Hall bought the Green Bay version in New York. He brought it to our city and his estate gave it to the library in 1917.

We now have a new appreciation for this work as a result of recent cleaning by art conservator Tony Rajer and the generous assistance of Bellin Hospital Radiology Department, who x-rayed the painting to find lost inscriptions. So far none have been found, but we are still looking and are in contact with the Pitti Palace in Florence regarding our painting and theirs. Stay tuned.

The Antiquarian Society is deeply indebted to the many donors, and especially   those that so generously supported the purchase, cleaning, publication and care of these unique artistic treasures.  Come and see the Hospitality painting at the Neville Public Museum, where it will be on display until January 8, 2011.

For more history, background and details on the restoration process, including pictures and videos, please visit:  http://www.antiquariansocietygbdp.org/restoring_art_36.html

The Portrait of “Rufus B. Kellogg” and the “The Prodigal Son” (aka "Hospitality") paintings, along with numerous additional cultural treasures, were purchased by the Green Bay De Pere Antiquarian Society in 2007 for $1.2 million dollars from the Brown County Library with the help of the community wide “Save Our Cultural Heritage Campaign”.  The Campaign and purchase allowed the local Antiquarian Society to save and restore the paintings and other artifacts for the community, including a rare, autographed photograph of Abraham Lincoln, Presidential letters, artwork, textiles, sculptures, artifacts and paintings.

For Additional Information Contact:

Tony Rajer
Art Conservator
920-246-1407 cell

Carol L. Jones
The Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian Society
920-680-1871 cell

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About The Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian Society:

Founded in 1923, the Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian Society is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. A small group of women dedicated to the history of Brown County, Wisconsin, its artifacts and early buildings, founded the group in order to preserve local history. Since its inception, the Society's policy has been to purchase, restore and loan artifacts to various organizations for display, use and/or storage.

Purchases and restoration projects have been made possible by private donors, afternoon teas, various fund raising campaigns, and an Annual Holiday & Antique Show & Sale held in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area.

The Society has also gifted, through a Grant Program, over $500,000 to local historical organizations. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.antiquariansocietygbdp.org.