Virginia Museum of Fine Arts – American Art, Richmond, Virginia, USA

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the leading comprehensive art museums in the United States. 1104

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: 200 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA 23220
Date Picture Taken: July 2025

Founded in 1936, it houses a vast collection that spans 5,000 years of world art, including masterpieces from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

This blog shows the American Art section.

The museum displays Colonial and Revolutionary-era American furniture that highlights the craftsmanship and elegance of the 18th century. These pieces—such as finely carved chairs, high chests, and writing desks—reflect regional styles from places like Philadelphia, Boston, and Williamsburg, featuring mahogany, walnut, and intricate inlays.

The American paintings at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts span from the Colonial period to the 20th century, tracing the nation’s artistic and cultural evolution. Early works include portraits and landscapes from the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, while 19th-century paintings feature Hudson River School landscapes, Realist scenes, and westward expansion themes.

The Gilded Age – Realism and Impressionism

Realism: Ashcan and Beyond

Antebellum Era – The Antebellum Era refers to the period in U.S. history before the Civil War, generally from the early 1800s to 1861.

Civil War and Centennial Eras – The Centennial Era in U.S. history generally refers to the period around 1876, when the nation celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Gilded Age – The Gilded Age spanned roughly from the 1870s to about 1900, a period of rapid industrialization, economic growth, and urban expansion in the United States.

Mid-Twentieth Century

Modern Art