About the Collection
The notable strengths of the American collection are American modernism, art of the American West, and prints. It features work dating from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century. The development of American artistic traditions can be traced from portraiture in the late eighteenth century, to the rise in prominence of landscape painting in the 19th century, the popularity of genre scenes, as well as the academic figurative traditions of history and large-scale society paintings. The collection reflects the influence in naturalism stemming from European artistic traditions. Represented artists include: Winslow Homer, Sanford Robinson Gifford, Gilbert Stuart, John Singleton Copley, Fitz Henry Lane, George Inness, Eastman Johnson, William Merritt Chase, Robert Henri, and others.
American art of the southwest includes the Taos School from the first quarter of the twentieth century, early Western modernism from New Mexico, and depictions of the present-day “New West.” A newly defined area emphasizes the cultural history of Arizona and the greater Southwest. Represented artists include Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, Frederic Remington, Eanger Irving Couse, Walter Ufer, Ernest Martin Hennings, Maynard Dixon, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Lew Davis, Philip Latimer Dike, Ed Mell, Paul Pletka, Howard Post, and Louisa McElwain.
American and Western American
The American and Western American collections feature art dating from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Through the objects on view, we can trace the development and evolution of American artistic traditions through the early interest in portraiture to the prominence of landscape painting, and beyond.
More
Contemporary
The contemporary art collection features cutting-edge contemporary works by living artists, from the mid-20th century to today. Representing works by artists working all over the world, the collection features diverse perspectives that illuminate the contemporary human experience.
More
Fashion Design
The fashion design collection features nearly 6,000 objects of couture, accessories, and ephemera. Spanning nearly five hundred years, from the historical to the ultra-contemporary, the fashion design collection is one of the most unique of its kind in the world.
More
Latin American
The Latin American art collection features more than 1,000 works from across North, Central and South America. From Spanish Colonial to contemporary works by living artists, the collection explores artistic traditions that are especially meaningful to our shared experience in a border region.
More
Photography
Through a landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, Phoenix Art Museum presents three annual exhibitions of photography to its community, drawn from the CCP’s unparalleled collection of historical and contemporary photography.
More
Thorne Rooms
The Thorne Rooms provide a glimpse into replications of rooms found in America and Europe, at an exacting 1:12 scale. A beloved favorite of visitors of all ages, they have been painstakingly preserved for nearly a century.
MoreEXHIBITIONS
On view for a limited time, exhibitions present art from across the centuries and the globe, from iconic fashion to Old Master paintings, contemporary photography to historical objects of Asia.
MORECOLLECTIONS
Featuring more than 20,000 objects, the collection spans the globe, bringing the world to our city, and our city to the world.
MORE