Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Painting Donation Given To Museum

A generous donor has given three oil paintings by early 20th century Pennsylvania painter Christian Walter to the Smith-Zimmermann Museum in Madison with the hope the Museum can sell the works and use the proceeds for facility upgrades. Rehfeld’s Gallery in downtown Sioux Falls has agreed to display the paintings in order to make them viewable to potential buyers. The three paintings are rural landscape scenes. Their subject matter is unusual compared to the work Christian Walter is known for at Penn State’s Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum where one of the largest collections of his work is housed. Many pieces in Penn State’s collection depict urban industrial scenes with factories, workers, and smokestacks which makes Smith-Zimmermann’s pieces unique and more fitting for display in a private home or business. Kara Dirkson, art appraiser with Artisia Fine Art Servicers in Sioux Falls, and Cynthia Mallory of the Smith-Zimmermann Museum, talked about the generous donation.