American Art from the Thyssen Collection Exhibition

American landscapes, still lifes and portraits have been brought together in a bold, innovative exhibition which is the result of the collecting activity of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza (1921-2002), art lover and visionary businessman who over the course of three decades assembled more than 300 American artworks. Today, the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum is home to his collection of American art, the largest outside the United States, which has now become a benchmark in Europe.

American Art from the Thyssen Collection is the result of a research project funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art, and offers a comprehensive approach aimed at encouraging deeper understanding of the complexities of American art and culture. This exhibition is part of the centenary celebrations of the birth of Baron Thyssen. .

The exhibition is divided into four main themed sections:

1. Nature celebrates the magnificence of America’s natural landscapes and changing sensibilities with regard to the environment.
2. Crossing of cultures refers to its highly diverse communities and the dialogues that arise among them.
3. Urban life is a reflection on modern culture and focuses mainly on the city, its inhabitants and their activities.
4. Material Culture analyses the renewed focus both on objects for mass consumption, and specifically indigenous creations, which convey their traditions, values and history.

The exhibition can be viewed on the first floor of the museum and consists of a selection of over 140 works belonging to the permanent collection, to the Carmen Thyssen Collection and to the Thyssen family.