The R.E. Mansfield Collection, 949 works in all, was divided between the University of Oklahoma’s Fred Jones and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
OU MUSEUM OF ART RECEIVES NATIVE AMERICAN TREASURES
The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art has acquired another major collection – 476 works by some of the world’s most celebrated Native American artists. The R.E. Mansfield Collection, 949 works in all, was divided between the University of Oklahoma’s Fred Jones and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. The gift, which includes ceramics, paintings, beadwork, sculpture and textiles, will augment the OU museum’s already strong collection of Native American art.
The terms of the gift were unusual. R.E. Mansfield stipulated that it was his desire to see his collection divided evenly between the two museums he felt would be in the best interests of his Native American masterpieces. Mansfield chose the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and the University of Oklahoma’s Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. The task of amicably dividing the nearly 1,000 works was left to the directors and staff of each museum.
Dr. Mansfield was an American citizen who was a dedicated collector of Native American art. He considered Norval Morrisseau to be the greatest Indian artist on the continent. His donated collection of almost 1000 works of North American Indian art and pottery included quality authentic Morrisseau paintings and prints along with several “questionable” Morrisseau paintings.The two American Museums split their take on one day and then went back to the business of educating the World about Indians and their Art.Purported Morrisseau artwork acquired by the Fred Jones Jr. Museum and the Smithsonian from Dr. and Mrs. R.E. Mansfield in 2003 that in my studied opinion are forged pieces includeStoryteller of the Ages , dated 1980 – Fred Jones Jr. MuseumEarly Shaman, dated 1973 – The SmithsonianLily of the Mohawk, dated 1979 – The SmithsonianMother To All Things, dated 1980 – The SmithsonianThe Wanderers, dated 1985 – The Smithsonian (On tour in Australia)Authentic Morrisseaus donated by Dr. and Mrs. R.E. Mansfield includeTime Track / Causal Plane , date created 1990 – Fred Jones Jr. MuseumPsychic Space, date created 1996 – The SmithsonianMeeting with Thunderbird, date created 1994 – The SmithsonianTogether We are All One Spirit, date created 1992 – The Smithsonian
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