3663 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-977-6631
Free Admission; 2 hr. metered street parking or $15 lot
museumsandgalleries@slu.edu
Opened 2002
This Beaux Arts building was commissioned by the Saint Louis Club and built in 1900. It is said that the idea and consequently the planning of the 1904 World's Fair came about in this building. The property had several owners until St. Louis University acquired it in 1992 and used it for academic purposes. In 2002 the university turned the building into its Art Museum.
It is a gorgeous building outside and in. During its first 25 years the building was the center of the social life in St. Louis. Six U.S. presidents visited here and three stayed in the third floor suite. The beautiful marble winding staircase goes up to the fourth floor. All floors have art displays. When we visited, all of the fourth floor and most of the first were closed for remodeling for new exhibits.
The lobbies on each floor contain art works including this marble statue on the third floor. Slaughter of the Innocents was created in 1882 by a Pennsylvania sculptor who assisted Auguste Rodin at one time. This award-winning statue was on the artist's grave for a number of years, was removed, and then eventually donated by his granddaughter to SLU.
That statue sits outside the magnificent Jesuit Collection/Jesuit Archives. Originally this collection existed for almost 30 years on the grounds of the closed St. Stanislaus Seminary before moving to the newly-opened SLU Museum of Art where it occupies the entire third floor.
Upon entering the floor the first galleries are dedicated to the seminary which was founded in 1823.
These rosaries and crosses came from the seminary.
Several rooms are laid out to view what life was like in the seminary in the early days.
This carved chair is an example of the furniture brought from the seminary.
This is a Napkin Box! The numbered boxes held a cloth napkin for each member of the community and were placed at the entrance of the refectory.
Objects of daily use at the seminary.
The seminary included gardens and a vineyard. This contraption was used to bottle wine.
These water and wine cruets in matching dish date from France, 1838-1850, and are silver and silver plate. They were brought to the seminary by Father De Smet.
The next area of the museum is dedicated to Father De Smet (1801-1873) who first came to St. Louis in 1823. He eventually took many trips west establishing missions and baptizing Native Americans.
Several items associated with him are on display here including his grave stone.
This is a deerskin coat given to him by the Salish Indians and eventually displayed at the 1904 World's Fair.
This was his desk where he sat as administrator of the Missouri Jesuits and as a book author!
The next area has many beautiful items used in worship in the Catholic Church, such as these altar vessels.
Old Monstrances
This beautiful Monstrance is one of many Monstrances on display. It came from Italy, 1800-1840, and was used in the Old College Church starting about 1843.
This Monstrance is American, about 1950, and was used at the New College Church. Notice the illustrations.
This next gallery has many somewhat newer items on display.
A display of the altar
with beautiful carved angels.
This American-made Chasuble from about 1950 shows the style of contemporary vestments worn by priests.
Censers and Incense boats
Church Rattles - one of these dates to the last quarter of the eighteenth century.
This reliquary casket of Carrara marble was once beneath the high altar of St. Francis Xavier College Church.
A display of Crucifixes.
There are two organs on display on this floor. This one dates to late nineteenth century and was used at the Nez Perce Jesuit Mission Station. It was taken by wagon out West.
This pipe organ was built in St. Louis in 1845 by William Metz.
A final collection on the third floor is drawings by Nicolas Point, a Jesuit priest from France, who accompanied Father De Smet on a mission trip to the Northwest, 1840-1847. He documented this experience with hundreds of pencil drawings and water colors. The Jesuit Archives in St. Louis owns a few.
Wooded Mountains, a body of water, and a solitary tent on shore, ca 1840-1847
A view on the summit of the main chain of mountains separating the Pointed-Heart from the Flathead (Salish) territory, ca 1840-1847
The consecration of the arms before leaving for the hunt, ca 1844
Worshiping false idols, ca. 1841-1842
The second floor is all modern and contemporary art that are part of SLU's permanent collection. The works are displayed in many rooms filling the entire floor.
The collection includes four large Chihuly hand-blown glass pieces. Pheasant Machia, Set #8, 1994
Cobalt Blue with the Red Lip Wrap Series, 1994
Narcissus White Basket Set with Black Lip Wrap, 1991
Baghdad Blue Persian Set with Russet Lip Wrap, 1996
There are many other three-dimensional pieces of art on display. Chairman by Eric Nordgulen, 1985.
Daphne, by Robert Cremean, 1963
Meditating Girl, by Hugo Robus, 1958
Disc No. 2, by Arnaldo Pomodoro, 1964
Mother and Child, by Bill Keating, 1994
Vase with Two High Handles, by Pablo Picasso, 1953
The Shield, by David Regier, 2000
Flame of Friendship, by Leonardo Nierman, unknown date
There are many paintings on this floor. They include Inner Distance, by Gianfranco Pardi, 1967
Untitled, by William Fett, 1950
Pretty Trap, by James M. Smith
Charade, by Paul Henry Brach, 1957
Composition, by David Eisler, 1970
Seated Couple, by Noel Rockmore, 1966
Reclining Form, by Lynn Chadwick, 1969
Unemployment, by Christopher Gonzales, 1974
Kogarah, by Nancy Graves, 1985
One room is dedicated to etchings of Auschwitz.
The Prisoners, 1966
Over the Wall, 1966
Transgressing Death, 1966
There are also various forms of photography on display. This piece is a chromogenic print. Establishments, by Jim Dow, 1998.
This photograph is titled Stockholm Nights, by Ari Marcopoulus, 1999
Untitled Portrait of Pablo Picasso, by Alexander Liberman, 1995
Archival Digital Print titled Penance for Oshun, by Michael Harris, 2004
Most of the first floor was closed as they readied for a new exhibit but one small gallery was open.
The display had several hand-colored lithographs that were copied from paintings by American George Catlin. This one is called Ball Play, by John McGahey from England, 1844
Also on display were 19th century Native American sticks and balls like used in the painting.
Buffalo Hunt, Surround is by the same artist, same year, and again after a painting by Catlin.
This one is Buffalo Hunt, Chase.
Chon-Mon-I-Case, An Otto Half Chief by Alfred Hoffey, 1838, copied from painting by Charles Bird King
Hayne-Hudjihini, The Eagle of Delight, same artists and year
The Bear Dance again by John McGahey, copied from George Catlin, 1844
You will notice a dancer above is wearing a medal. Two such medals are on display - peace medals distributed by the US government.
Also on display is this headdress or roach, typical of what the men in the tribes often wore.
Before heading to the museum we had breakfast at a two-year-old restaurant called Turn, located in the Grand Center.
The chef came out and introduced himself and then gifted us a sample of his home-made biscuits - four kinds and all amazing.
All of our breakfast choices were excellent - L.E.O. - poached eggs, smoked salmon, caramelized onions, goat cheese, dill Hollandaise, capers on rye toast
Turn Scramble - Prosciutto, Asiago, seasonal vegetables with grilled crostini
Arepa - corn-cake with chorizo, over-easy eggs, avocado, cheddar, chili verde
Turn Breakfast with lots of choices
72-album display along the main wall
Comments: This was a morning full of surprises - a great new restaurant and a wonderful art museum new to all of us.
This is a large art museum, filling four floors. The Asian Art on the fourth floor was unfortunately closed as was most of the first floor yet we still spent two hours there enjoying the other exhibits.
The Jesuit Archives were especially interesting even to us Protestants! The museum offers tours for only large groups so we were unable to qualify. It would have been great to have had a tour particularly of this floor. We had so many questions! It was still beautiful and interesting. Everything was well labeled and that helped us to understand at what we were looking.
There were two guards in the lobby when we entered and beyond that we hardly saw anybody - no docents nor employees and very few visitors.
I would definitely return to this museum. They do have some rotating exhibits.
Parking was not perfect - there are suggestions on their website. We were able to meter park on the street in front of the museum but you are limited to two hours there.
The museum is open limited days and hours so be sure to check their website before visiting.
We loved the restaurant and we love that it is also open in the evenings before the Fox shows and the Symphony. Great food and great service.
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