The Huntington acquires rare American, European, Chinese art

The Huntington has expanded its art collections this year with acquisitions of several rare and important sculptures, scrolls and paintings, the library, art museum, and botanical gardens facility in San Marino announced Thursday.

Enhancing The Huntington’s American, Chinese and European art collections are newly added works by Richmond Barthé, Antoine-François Callet, Helen Pashgian, Gu Qiao and others.

Six acquisitions were selected in 2024 by The Huntington Art Collectors’ Council, which has supported the permanent collection’s growth for the past 30 years, according to a statement from The Huntington.

The newly added art pieces include a scroll by Gu Qiao and a fan by an anonymous 12th-century Chinese artist, “both of which point to the significance of gardens in literati culture during the Qing and Song dynasties,” according to the statement. A painting by Andrew Morton and a decorative vase designed by William De Morgan highlight global cultures’ influence on British art in the 19th century, while sculptures by Harlem Renaissance artist Richmond Barthé and Light and Space movement artist Helen Pashgian “pay homage to Pasadena, California, as an important artistic hub for launching and fostering the careers of world-class artists.”

A recent donation from The Ahmanson Foundation — a large-scale masterpiece by 18th century French portraitist Antoine-François Callet, who was the official court painter of King Louis XVI — is an addition to The Huntington’s signature portrait collection.

“The generous support of the Art Collectors’ Council and The Ahmanson Foundation has allowed the Art Museum at The Huntington to bring extraordinary works of art into our permanent collection,” Huntington Art Museum Director Christina Nielsen said in a statement. “These new additions will delight, educate, and inspire visitors and scholars well into the future. They add luster to our already world-renowned collection, and they add new dimensions to the stories we can tell.”

Some of the new artworks will be on display in the art galleries in the coming months, and others will be featured in upcoming special exhibitions, museum officials said.

To view and read more about the newly added art pieces, visit huntington.org/news/huntington-acquires-artworks-that-expand-american-european-and-chinese-collections.