A Perpetual Invitation:

150 Years of Art at the Concord Free Public Library

BY ANKE VOSS

In a significant collaboration, the Concord Free Public Library, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and the Concord Museum are pleased to present “A Perpetual Invitation: 150 Years of Art at the Concord Free Public Library,” hosted by the Concord Museum and on view March 24 through September 4, 2023.

The exhibition features a selection of over twenty-five objects, including some on public display for the first time. Visitors will learn that through the vision of William Munroe, the founding benefactor of the Concord Free Public Library, the Library has been a destination for a unique art collection, as well as books, manuscripts, and other printed material, from its beginnings in 1873.

Snell and Gregerson, Architects. Architectural Drawing No. 7 1/2. Ink on paper. Commissioned by William Munroe, 1875.

All images courtesy of the Concord Free Public Library

Munroe’s vision for Concord was exceptional in an era noted for the founding of cultural institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Boston Public Library. Rather than viewing museums and libraries as separate institutions with distinct goals, Munroe sought to combine them into a single public space where the community of Concord could experience art and culture. He even had plans drawn up for an expansion which would include a dedicated art museum.

Maria Louisa Lander (1826-1923). Bust of Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1858. Gift of the Hawthorne Children, 1873

All images courtesy of the Concord Free Public Library

Munroe hoped to offer artists, donors, and visitors a “perpetual invitation” to explore and expand the Library’s art collection. Many of the earliest objects donated to the Library came directly from William Munroe himself, but others were gifts from community members. Early donors included Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar, Edward W. Emerson, and Anna Alcott Pratt. Eventually, local artists donated their pieces directly to the Library. Thus, the collection was not the result of a single collector’s vision but reflected the numerous people involved in making, acquiring, and donating objects to the Library.

Interior Floor Plan, Concord Free Public Library extension, Snell & Gregerson, Architects, 1875.

All images courtesy of the Concord Free Public Library

Over the past 150 years, the Library’s collection has continued to develop and evolve in an ongoing collaboration with the Concord community. Exhibition stories and themes will highlight Concord’s art community, local art collectors, the history of institutions promoting public access to works of art, the role of women art dealers, collectors, and artists, and the stories of specific artists, including May Alcott Nieriker, Alicia Keyes, Elizabeth Wentworth Roberts, and others who lived and worked in Concord.

Edward Waldo Emerson (1844-1930). Wreck on Coffin’s Beach. Oil on canvas. Gift of the artist, 1893

All images courtesy of the Concord Free Public Library

William Munroe wished to ensure the future of the Library and its collections by establishing the Library Corporation, a charitable corporation created by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1873 for the purpose of forming and maintaining a public library in Concord. Each year the Library Corporation contributes for building and grounds, and funded solely through private philanthropy, supports the mission of the William Munroe Special Collections, including its art collection. Most recently, the Corporation completed an extensive expansion of the Library, adding a new children’s wing, workshop, and lecture space in the Goodwin Forum.

Abigail May Alcott Nieriker (1840-1879). Lake Avernus: The Fates and the Golden Bough Watercolor on paper. Bequest of William Munroe, 1909.

All images courtesy of the Concord Free Public Library

Today, the Concord Free Public Library’s Special Collections holds over 200 pieces of art, including sculptures, paintings, and lithographs, from various artists from Concord and beyond. The collection’s focus is works of art associated with the Town of Concord, whether via the subject, donor, or artist. From portraits of Emerson, Thoreau, and Alcott to visions of Concord’s buildings, byways, and bridges, the collection supplements the extensive manuscript and photographic holdings of Special Collections. The Library also continues to promote the visual arts through a variety of spaces and programming, including rotating exhibitions of community artists in its second-floor art gallery and a new maker space, built in 2022, where local artists can work with a variety of media.

David Scott (1806-1849). Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1848. Gift of E. R. Hoar, Elizabeth Hoar, and R. N. Rice, 1873

All images courtesy of the Concord Free Public Library

Alongside the exhibition, both the Concord Free Public Library and the Concord Museum are also offering multiple programs including lectures, workshops, gallery talks, and tours of the Library. Please visit their websites for more information. concordlibrary.org concordmuseum.org

Anke Voss is curator of the William Munroe Special Collections at Concord Free Public Library.