The late philanthropist Bruce Dayton — father of current Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton — left a vast array of his personal art collection to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Who are the household names included?
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts already boasts one of the nation’s top permanent collections of art from all periods and cultures. Its collection got another major boost when it was announced in late January that the institution had received numerous donations — a five-page roster, in fact — from the private collection of Bruce Dayton, who passed in November at age 97.
Among the artists included are household names: Rembrandt, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, and Pissarro. In addition to a robust Western collection, Dayton also left a host of Chinese earthenware dating back nearly 1,000 years. Minnesota Public Radio News reported, “Through more than seven decades as a MIA trustee, Bruce Dayton contributed 2,000 pieces to the state’s premier art institute. The 91 pieces being conveyed have been displayed throughout Dayton’s home in Wayzata. All but 13 will be given to MIA soon, with the rest remaining with his wife, Ruth Stricker, until she passes it along or her own death.”
Continuing, MNPR noted, “Dayton’s zeal for the arts was well-documented and his connection to MIA ran deep. He was recruited for the museum’s board in 1942 by Chinese art collector Alfred Pillsbury. Dayton acquired his own taste for Asian art, once telling MPR that he didn’t bother setting an annual budget for art spending because he figured he’d exceed it.”
To learn more, visit Minnesota Public Radio.
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