Art: Cleveland to the Front

The Cleveland Museum of Art, long acknowledged a gem of tasteful beauty in its tree-shaded setting overlooking a lagoon, last week opened a $9,000,000 wing that more than doubled its size. The wing was hung with a raft of surprise acquisitions that clearly put Cleveland close behind the U.S.’s Big Three (New York’s Metropolitan, Washington’s National Gallery, Boston’s Fine Arts). On hand to celebrate Cleveland’s happy advance were collectors, art dealers and museum directors from as far away as Korea.

Lucky in Angels. In matters of art, Cleveland has been lucky in its millionaires; three big trust funds finance the museum. But far and away the kindest angel for the new wing was Leonard Colton Hanna Jr., nephew of famed President-Maker Marcus Alonzo (“Mark”‘) Hanna, and big stockholder in M. A. Hanna Co. (iron ore, coal, lake shipping, steel), who died last October at 67. Bachelor Hanna became an art collector soon after graduating from Yale (’13), early keyed his private purchases to the museum’s future needs. Over the years Hanna gave the museum 1,075 pieces, ranging from furniture, textiles and glass to such prime paintings as El Greco’s Christ on the Cross with Landscape, Degas’ Frieze of Dancers, Gauguin’s Tahitian-period The Call, Picasso’s La Vie.

When in 1954 it became clear to Director William M. Milliken, 68, that the museum was rapidly outgrowing its Grecian-style building, Leonard Hanna agreed to put up nearly $4,000,000 for a new wing—if the sum could be matched by private subscription. To Director Milliken’s delight, more money than was needed came rolling in. Closing the museum for eleven months, the trustees added a U-shaped wing in red and grey granite, enclosing a landscaped sculpture court and pool. But the real novelty is the wing’s intimate, informal interior. The corps of guards has been cut down (and an inconspicuous system of 33 slowly pivoting closed-circuit TV cameras substituted). Said Boston Director Perry Rathbone: “It reminded us of the atmosphere of a private collection. It gives us all something to shoot for.”

Final Fillip. To maintain the museum and help keep art flowing into Cleveland at a rate of about $1,000,000 worth a year, Hanna willed the museum $20 million in gilt-edged securities. And as a final fillip, last week the museum exhibited the 35 paintings Donor Hanna bequeathed from his own, never exhibited collection. Among them: Manet’s Berthe Morisot, Renoir’s The Apple Seller, and a late Van Gogh entitled Mademoiselle Ravonx—worth altogether more than $1.500,000.

For his part in all this. Benefactor Hanna wanted no fuss made, forbade naming the new wing or even any gallery for him. Said he, shortly before he died: “I’ve just done my share. Persons who gave $5 and $10 have done as much in proportion.”