Painting a Connection to the Land

Join curator Ryan Polk as he discusses the role of art in the history of American land conservation by examining the art collection of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. The Billings and Rockefeller families were patrons of the arts and great collectors, but the collection they assembled goes beyond an expression of taste; it reveals the moral and cultural values of the people who helped shape the modern ideas of conservation and preservation. Through a discussion of the artists and works represented, the collection can be a valuable tool to trace the contribution of aesthetics to preservation, and the place art has in preserving our natural and cultural resources today.