The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art boasts an extensive collection of art from a variety of cultures and styles.

The museum houses many impressive exhibits such as the Weitzenhoffer collection which includes an original Vincent van Gogh work, one the largest collections of Native American art in the country and much more from across the world.

The museum houses a van Gogh original work, “Portrait of Alexander Reid”. The piece was given to the museum as part of a bequest from the Weitzenhoffer family and is one of the most valuable pieces in the collection. “Portrait of Alexander Reid” was first put on display at the museum in 2001.

The piece survives as the only depiction of van Gogh’s Paris apartment, where he did most of his painting. In the background, other paintings can be seen and have been identified as works by Frank Myers Boggs, a friend of van Gogh. Allison Palmer, University of Oklahoma art history professor, said that there is a lot to be explored within the piece.

“It’s amazing how much history can be derived from a single piece of art,” Palmer said. 

Having a van Gogh piece is very important to the museum. After the piece was added, the museum saw an increase in visitation from 20,000 people in 1999 to almost 40,000 people in 2001. Eugene B. Adkins curator Dr. Hadley Jerman said that people come to the museum expecting to see the painting.

“For people in Oklahoma, if you wanted to see van Gogh, or any of the major names in French impressionism, there weren’t any private collections,” Jerman said. “You would have to go to Fort Worth or Kansas City to see artwork by these artists.” 

When the Lester Wing was built to house the Weitzenhoffer collection the size of the museum doubled. By having such a piece on display, the museum hopes more people will engage with art as a whole.

“The more people see the painting, the more they are interested in its history and get involved in its research,” Jerman said.

The Lester Wing opened in 2005. Wylodean and Bill Saxon Director of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Thomas Smith said that the new wing introduced a new era for the museum and it was a giant leap forward.

“The opening of the Lester Wing took the museum from a relatively small museum gallery, if you will, to a substantial art museum,” Smith said. 

The latest addition to the museum is the Stuart Wing, which opened in 2011. The Stuart Wing was built to house the Adkins collection that consists of Southwestern and Native American art. The museum’s Native American collection is one of the largest in the country and it made the museum famous, Palmer said.

The James T. Bialac collection was the largest donation the museum has received, consisting of over 4,000 works from indigenous American cultures, making up part of the Native American collection along with three other donations.

The museum is always rotating which pieces are on display and what exhibits are going on. They also lend pieces to other museums so people from outside the state and even outside the country can enjoy their collections. 

When the museum receives a gift or donation the pieces are presented to a collections committee that decides whether the pieces become a part of the museum’s collection. Smith says the vast majority of art at the museum has been donated and that they are very fortunate to be a place that donors want to give their art. 

“We have been very lucky to have been given these high-profile, large gifts, but that isn’t necessarily the norm,” Smith said. “We are given single artworks from people’s collections that come in and make a real difference in our presentation of art.”

There are other ways an artwork can be valuable besides monetarily, especially to historians and fellow artists. 

“Pieces are valuable in different ways,” Palmer said. “There’s monetary value, but there is also historical value, like how old it is, or how interesting it is. Some pieces are supposed to be beautiful, other works are unique.” 

Palmer likes to have her students do a project on any of the museum’s pieces. She encourages students to visit the museum so they can experience all it has to offer. 

Jerman said that the value from artwork for her comes from the cultural impact rather than anything else. As a policy the museum doesn’t disclose the exact value of their collections, but they hope people can find value in their art in other ways. 

FJJMA is currently showcasing a collection by Robert Rauschenberg, an artist known for combining the styles of painting and sculpting, until July 9 and the exhibit “Synesthesia” by Factory Obscura until June 4.

The museum also publishes YouTube videos that give more information on some of their most popular exhibits. Their series “Coffee with the Collection” consists of multiple art historians and museum employees talking about the significance and history of the museum’s most important collections.

For people who are unable to experience the museum in person, you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. FJJMA is free for everyone to experience. They are open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

This story was edited by Silas Bales and Emma Blakley. Nikkie Aisha and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.