Indigenous Art of the Americas

This exhibition is no longer on view at the National Gallery.

Overview: The display of the Robert Woods Bliss collection of the previous year was redesigned and reopened, with new cases, rearrangements, and additions of small objects in gold, silver, alabaster, and jade. Frequent changes occurred, as Mr. Bliss would often arrive in the registrar's office with new treasures tucked in his pocket to add or to exchange as better examples. The collection and the area of installation expanded over the years until his death on April 19, 1962. In July 1962, the last 547 objects were sent to Dumbarton Oaks, to be housed in the new pavilion designed by Philip Johnson for the pre-Columbian collection.