Masterworks from the Indiana University Art Museum

Adelheid M. Gealt is Director of the Indiana University Art Museum and co-author (with George Knox) of Domenico Tiepolo: A New Testament (IUP, 2006). She lives in Bloomington, Indiana.At the Indiana University Art Museum, Diane M. Pelrine is Associate Director for Curatorial Services and Curator, Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; Adriana Calinescu is Thomas T. Solley Curator of Ancient Art; Judith A. Stubbs is Pamela Buell Curator of Asian Art; and Jennifer A. McComas is curator of Western Art. All live in Bloomington, Indiana.

"Until relatively recently, the Indiana University Art Museum was a collection without a building. In 1941 president Herman B. Wells first conceived of the collection, which slowly grew out of the generosity of alumni and collectors until a museum facility was completed in 1982. Like all university art museums, its main purpose is to serve as a teaching museum; thus the collection focuses on the best examples from each medium, location, and historical period. Some readers may be less than impressed with the size of certain collections, but the quality of the art they contain cannot be disputed. This catalogue is particularly interesting for its African, Pacific, and South American collections, the quality of which may be attributed directly to eminent African art historian Roy Sieber, who served as curator for the collection from 1962 through the 1980s. Not surprisingly the largest amount of space is given over to this collection, with ancient and Asian collections running a close second. By contrast, the museum's Western art collections would seem almost like an afterthought, if it weren't for the engaging essays that accompany each piece. This catalogue would best serve the needs of college, university, and museum libraries with large art museum publication collections. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above."— M. Miller, Metropolitan Community College—Longview Campus Library, Choice, September 2008"This catalogue is particularly interesting for its African, Pacific, and South American collections, the quality of which may be attributed directly to eminent African art historian Roy Sieber, who served as curator for the collection from 1962 through the 1980s. . . . Recommended.September 2008"—M. Miller, Metropolitan Community College—Longview Campus Library"Within this distinguished museum community the Indiana University Art Museum is considered a leader, with an important collection of world art housed in an outstanding building."—Evan M. Maurer, Director Emeritus, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

• Foreword and Acknowledgments Adelheid M. GealtIntroduction and History Adelheid M. GealtCollectors and Collecting Adelheid M. GealtAfrica Diane M. PelrineAncient Western World Adriana CalinescuAsia Judith A. StubbsAncient Americas Diane M. PelrineSouth Pacific Diane M. PelrineWest before 1800 Adelheid M. GealtWest after 1800 Jennifer A. McComas