The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), which encompasses both the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor, has received one of the largest single-donor gifts in its history. Local collector Kirk Edward Long has donated an impressive collection of 1,600 artworks to the institution, marking a significant milestone for the museum's holdings.
The donated collection will be managed by FAMSF's Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, representing one of the foundation's most substantial single-owner acquisitions to date. Long's extensive collection is particularly renowned for its exceptional early modern European prints from Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Beyond prints, his donation also includes paintings, antiquities, and decorative arts pieces that have now joined the museum's permanent collection.
Among the notable individual works donated by Long are a 19th-century painting by Gustave Moreau titled "Prometheus Chained" from around 1869, and a striking bronze and onyx bust by Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier called "Sudanese Man in Algerian Costume" from 1856-66. The collection also features remarkable historical prints, including a chiaroscuro woodcut by Ugo da Carpi after Parmigianino titled "Diogenes" from approximately 1527-30, created using four blocks, and an engraving by Giorgio Ghisi after Giovanni Battista Bertani called "The Judgment of Paris" from 1555.
Long's generous contribution is part of FAMSF's ambitious multi-year "Gifts of Art" campaign, which launched in 2022 to commemorate two significant anniversaries: the 50th anniversary of the 1972 merger between the de Young and Legion of Honor that created FAMSF, and the 100th anniversary of the Legion of Honor in 2024. This comprehensive campaign has been remarkably successful, with the museum acquiring 2,000 works from 275 different donors across all of its collecting departments.
The campaign has brought numerous masterpieces into the FAMSF collection beyond Long's donation. Notable paintings acquired include works by renowned artists such as Canaletto's "Venice, the Grand Canal looking East with Santa Maria della Salute" from 1749-50, Angelica Kauffmann's paired works "Celadon and Amelia (Summer)" and "Palemon and Lavinia (Autumn)" both from around 1781, Georgia O'Keeffe's "Front of Ranchos Church" from 1930, John Singer Sargent pieces, Camille Pissarro's "Jeanne Reading" from 1899, and Marie-Guillemine Benoist's "Psyche Bidding Her Family Farewell" from 1791.
The campaign has also significantly expanded the museum's drawing collection with exceptional works by Elisabeth Louise Vigée-LeBrun, including "The Little Eugène de Montesquiou-Fézensac Asleep" from 1783, Mary Cassatt's "The Long Gloves" from 1886, and pieces by Henri Matisse. These acquisitions represent various artistic movements and time periods, creating a more comprehensive representation of art history within the museum's holdings.
Contemporary art has not been overlooked in this acquisition drive, with the museum adding significant modern works to its collection. These include pieces by Ruby Neri, Rashaad Newsome's mixed-media work "Thirst Trap" from 2020, and Maria Guzmán Capron. Newsome's work was among 42 contemporary artworks purchased using funds from a $1 million gift from the Svane Family Foundation, specifically designated to support acquisitions of works by Bay Area artists.
Thomas P. Campbell, FAMSF's director and CEO, expressed his enthusiasm about the campaign's success in an official statement. "The Gifts of Art campaign is a significant milestone in the history of the Fine Arts Museums and I am humbled and inspired by the exceptional generosity of donors set on a common goal: to make extraordinary works of art accessible to our creative, curious, and engaged Bay Area audiences," Campbell said. He emphasized how the succession of landmark anniversaries provided unique opportunities to reflect on the distinct identities and strengths of the museums' collections, as well as honor the profound legacy of thousands of supporters who have shaped these institutions through generous art donations over the years.
The success of this campaign demonstrates the strong relationship between FAMSF and the Bay Area collecting community, highlighting how private collectors like Kirk Edward Long play a crucial role in enriching public art institutions. These donations ensure that world-class artworks remain accessible to the public while building comprehensive collections that serve both educational and cultural purposes for future generations. The campaign's achievement in securing 2,000 works from 275 donors reflects the deep commitment of the San Francisco arts community to supporting these important cultural institutions.
