Museum Reception
The OBA will honor its judiciary at a private reception Friday, Feb. 20, at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The event, part of the association’s Centennial Celebration, will start at 5:30 p.m. Participants can tour the entire museum that is featuring “George Washington: A National Treasure,” organized by the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The focal point of the exhibition is the full length portrait of George Washington in the final year of his presidency painted by Gilbert Stuart. Event Chairperson Richard Ogden and the Centennial Task Force promise no long speeches, just food, art and fun.
Members of the federal and state judiciary will each receive up to two complimentary tickets. All OBA members are encouraged to attend. Cost is $25 per person for attorneys and additional tickets for the judiciary. Reservations are required to ensure we have plenty of food. See the RSVP form for sign up information.
About the Exhibit
The 207-year-old painting has a storied past. A fixture in Washington since 1968, the 8-by 5-foot painting actually belonged to a prominent British family until very recently. In Spring 2001 the National Portrait Gallery rescued the portrait from potential auction thanks to a generous $30 million gift from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, which has allowed for this first-ever national tour of the portrait.
The George Washington portrait, painted in 1796, is a true national treasure, one whose historical and cultural importance has been compared to that of the Liberty Bell and Declaration of Independence. This represents a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Oklahomans to see this famous icon – one of the most significant visual documents of the founding of our nation – first-hand.
The tour is traveling to eight cities across the nation through 2004. The tour has already stopped in Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Seattle and Minneapolis. After its stay in Oklahoma City, it will travel to Little Rock and New York City before making its permanent home in Washington, D.C.
In Oklahoma City the portrait is accompanied by a satellite exhibit of 18th and 19th century paintings, engraving, prints and documents that focus on various artists’ interpretations of Washington’s life. For more information visit the museum online at www.okcmoa.com. |
