Among Friends

Assembled in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by General Rush Christopher Hawkins and his wife Annmary Brown, the collection of paint-ings at the Annmary Brown Memorial represent a rare opportunity to enjoy a complete Victorian art collection in its original setting. Reflecting the dominant academic taste of the established cultural elite of the time, the Memorial's art ranges from medieval religious art to old master canvases to American genre paintings. For much of the 20th century academic art was out of favor, with most such collec-tions being dispersed or relegated to museum storage vaults, but because of the conditions set down by General Hawkins, the collection at the Annmary Brown Memorial remained intact. Even so, the building and its contents were little appreciated for many years.

In recent years, however, thanks to a new appreciation for academic art, the Annmary Brown Memorial is being returned to its former glory. The build-ing's interior has been restored and augmented with proper lighting, security and atmospheric controls. And now, through the generosity of private donors, attention is being devoted to the artwork itself. The University is grateful for financial support from the Brown family, Rozann Allyn Shackleton, and most recently, Kenneth and Amy Shaw.

Barrington residents Ken and Amy Shaw stumbled upon the collection at the Annmary Brown Memorial, and became enthralled. "Amy and I were walking around town, when we saw the Gorham doors at the front of the building. Intrigued by the doors, we decided to go inside," said Ken Shaw. "We received an impromptu tour of the building, and saw that much of the art was in great need of repair. With our love of art, and interest in preserving paintings, we offered to help."

So far, Ken and Amy Shaw have underwritten the restoration of four paintings in the collection: "Classical Landscape" by Phillipe Antoine Patel, the younger; "Crossing the Desert" (see image)by Edwin Lord Weeks; "Marriage of St. Catherine" after Titian; and, "River Landscape," a Dutch landscape formerly attributed to Jacob Ruisdael. The couple hopes to restore more paintings in the future.

Ken Shaw has been in the art and antique business for 24 years. He has worked with a variety of auction houses and consignors. He and Amy have owned Barrington Antiques and Auction Company for several years and have recently opened a new shop in Barrington, Rhode Island, specializing in the appraisal, consignment and sale of artwork and antiques.

"We've been looking for a way to do something of a charitable nature related to art. I hope we can continue to help restore the paintings, and will do so as long as our business continues to thrive," said Ken Shaw. "We really urge others to get involved with the artwork at the Annmary Brown Memorial. There are some real treasures."

In response to the generosity of Ken and Amy Shaw, the Friends of the Library have launched the "Adopt a Painting" program. Many of the Memorial's paintings need little more than cleaning, but others require more substantial restoration, from re-lining to canvas repair, in-painting and frame replacement. The cost varies from just a few hundred dollars to $5,000 in a few cases. Help Needed to Rescue Art Collection at Annmary Brown Memorial

If you are an art lover and would like to help in the restoration of the Memorial's artwork -- receiving a charitable deduction and due recognition as well -- please contact the Friends of the Library for more information. You may contact the Friends by telephone at (401) 863-1518, by email at FOL@ Brown.edu, or by mail at: Friends of the Library Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912.