Brief guide : $b National Gallery of Art

"Brief guide : National Gallery of Art" by National Gallery of Art is a comprehensive guidebook published in the late 20th century that provides an overview of the renowned museum in Washington, D.C. This type of book serves as an informative resource for visitors, detailing the history of the gallery, its founding, architectural details, and its extensive collections of art from various periods and regions. The book explores the National Gallery's role in preserving and showcasing significant works of art, underscoring its importance to the cultural heritage of the United States. The content of the book is organized into sections that cover the history and establishment of the National Gallery of Art, followed by a detailed description of its collections. The guide highlights various art styles and movements, including Florentine, Venetian, Dutch, Spanish, French, and American art, providing insights into specific pieces and their significance. It emphasizes important donations that have shaped the gallery's collection and outlines the special features of its architectural design. Through vivid descriptions and illustrations, readers are encouraged to appreciate the masterpieces displayed within the gallery and understand the cultural context of the works exhibited. Overall, it serves as both a practical guide for visitors and a scholarly resource for art enthusiasts. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The National Gallery of Art is an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in 1937 for the American people by a joint resolution of the United States Congress. Andrew W. Mellon donated a substantial art collection and funds for construction. The core collection includes major works of art donated by Paul Mellon, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, Lessing J. Rosenwald, Samuel Henry Kress, Rush Harrison Kress, Peter Arrell Browne Widener, Joseph E. Widener, and Chester Dale. The Gallery's collection of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals, and decorative arts traces the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile created by Alexander Calder.