Businessman and philanthropist William T. Walters and his son Henry were unusual art collectors for the 19th century, making extensive purchases of the art of their own time, as well as works from various key artistic periods. Illustrated with 150 color photos and reproductions, this book presents highlights of the Walters Art Museum collection, including sculpture and decorative arts, paintings by such Romantic masters as Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Eugène Delacroix, landscapes by Barbizon school pai

In the early 20th century collecting art was primarily a way for individuals to decorate their homes, but by midcentury many artistic works were being acquired by collectors eager to establish museums and galleries of their own. Sotheby's chairman James Stourton explains that it was an era of art dynasties, including the Guggenheims, Rockefellers, and the Gettys, all of whom felt that their holdings should be on public view. As seen in this book's dozens of color photographs, the collectors' tastes encompas