Monday, November 16, 1998

Eyes of Texas on art

The University of Texas at Austin announced last week the acquisition of the Suida-Manning Collection of more than 700 European paintings and drawings valued at nearly $35 million for the school's Blanton Museum of Art. UT President Larry R. Faulkner called it a great occasion "in the cultural life of the university, the state of Texas and the art community." The prized collection includes works from the Renaissance through the Rococo period and by Old Masters such as Rubens, Poussin, Lorrain and Correggio.

Abilene's Grace Museum can't be expected to keep pace with such a sizable and expensive addition to its holdings. Yet acquiring a major piece of art would enhance the museum's value and benefit to the community and give the institution a distinctive profile it otherwise lacks. It's a goal worth working toward.