Collection Management
As stated in Article 2 of The Phillips Collection’s Articles of Incorporation, a key purpose of the museum is “presenting and interpreting its permanent collection of modern art and its sources, and the modern art tradition that underlies the collection, to diverse local, national and international audiences.
“Modern art,” above, refers to the sort of independent artistic visual expression that came into its own in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and to subsequent works of art that are regarded as evolutionary descendants of such expression.” Founder Duncan Phillips wished for the museum to continue to collect contemporary art by living artists of the kind he favored.
Deaccessioned Works
The Phillips Collection is an irreplaceable entity, distinguished by its special character and exceptional quality. The purpose of deaccessioning is to refine and improve where possible the quality, distinction, and relevance of the Permanent Collection to better serve the museum’s mission. The disposal of an artwork, whether by sale or exchange, shall be conducted with a view toward maximizing the yield to benefit the institution. The museum’s policy complies with the requirements of the Association of Art Museum Director’s policy on deaccessioning and disposal set out in the AAMD Professional Practices in Art Museums document (2011 Edition, revised 2022).
2022
Milton Avery, Spring Landscape, 1953, Watercolor on paper, 22 x 30 in., Bequest of Marion F. and Norman W. Goldin, 2017 (2017.019.0001)
Howard Mehring, Untitled, 1962, Acrylic on canvas, 68 1/4 x 68 1/4 in., Gift of The Vincent Melzac Collection, 1978 (1348)
Howard Mehring, Untitled, n.d., Acrylic on canvas mounted on plywood panel, 20 ½ x 18 5/8 in., Gift of Henry A. Berliner, Jr., 1981 (1349)
2024
Milton Avery, Bird and Breaking Wave, 1944, Watercolor on paper, Framed: 32 ¼ x 39 ¾ in., Gift of Nora H. Lichtenberg, 1991 (1991.007.0001)
Richard Diebenkorn, Berkeley No. 12, 1954, Oil on canvas, 53 1/4 x 43 1/4 in., Gift of Judith H. Miller, 1990 (1990.006.0005)
Arthur Dove, Rose and Locust Stump, 1943, Wax emulsion on canvas, 24 x 32 in., Acquired 1944 (574)
Georgia O’Keeffe, Large Dark Red Leaves on White, 1925, Oil on canvas, 32 x 21 in., Acquired 1943 (1446)
Pablo Picasso, Head of a Woman, 1950, Bronze, cast 2, edition of 2, 11 x 16 ½ in., Acquired 1972 (1558)
Georges-Pierre Seurat, Sidewalk Show, 1883–84, Black conte crayon on textured, laid paper, 12 5/8 x 9 5/8 in., Acquired 1939 (1728)
2025
Anish Kapoor, Mountain with Sun and Moon, 2003, Carrara marble, 39 ¾ × 39 ¾ × 39 ¾ in., Gift of Tony Podesta, 2020 (2020.029.0002)
Leland Bell, Ulla, Temma, and Frank, 1978, Oil on canvas, 72 x 66 in., Gift of the artist, 1987 (1987.001.0001)
Georges Braque, Pot d’Etain et Assiette de Fruits, 1944, Oil on canvas, 13 ¾ 25 ½ in., Gift of Gertrude Gunn Davis, 1990 (1990.001.0001)
Morris Louis, Approach, 1962, Acrylic on canvas, 83 1/4 x 28 in., Gift of Judith H. Miller, 1990 (1990.006.0006)