Your Self-Guided Tour of Our Art Collection

The Newton Free Library has had the good fortune to acquire a significant collection of art works through the years, whether purchased or generously donated. These pieces are on permanent display throughout the building for the enjoyment of our patrons and visitors. We welcome you to take a tour of our art collection, whether virtually via our website at www.newtonfreelibrary.net or in person with this guide.

This self-guided tour begins outside the Homer Street entrance, moves through the lobby into New Books, then through the Reference Hall to Newspapers and Magazines. It continues back to the lobby at the foot of the Grand Staircase and goes up the Grand Staircase to the second floor. On the second floor, the tour continues to the right at the Teen Area and then proceeds to the left around the Atrium and into the Administration Area. It winds up the Grand Staircase to the third floor, then back down the Grand Staircase to the first floor and into the Children’s Room, Patio and concludes in Vanessa’s Café near the parking lot entrance.

 Front Entrance Outside 

The Reader	Sculpture		L'il Max	Sculpture
Bronze life-size statue by Nick Edmonds Acquisition Date: 1996 Donor: In memory of author Julia M. First, donated by her family Location: Front lawn, Homer Street Bronze statue by Tom Fitzgibbon Acquisition Date: 2004 Donor: In memory of Dot Fitzgibbon, donated by her family Location: Front lawn, corner of Homer and Walnut Streets
	First Floor Portrait of George H. Jones Painting Mr. Jones was the first president of the Library Board of Trustees and an early benefactor. He was one of the group who purchased the Library land. Acquisition Date: unknown Donated by: Jersey Stock Club Location: 1st floor, New Books

 First Floor 

Busts of Washington, Lincoln, Shakespeare These plaster casts are copies of famous existing works. Mr. Lino Giust of Giust Gallery in Boston told the Library in 1989 that he found these busts listed in his 1911 catalog from which the Library purchased them. Originals of the busts were in the following places:

George Washington Location: Monticello, VA Abraham Lincoln Artist: Leonard Wells Volk Location: unknown William Shakespeare Artist: Louis François Roubiliac Location: British Museum, London Acquisition Dates: unknown Donor: Purchased by Library Location: 1st floor, Atrium, on top of bookcases Bust of Alfred Lord Tennyson   Sculpture Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 1st floor, Atrium, on top of rear left bookcase Bust of Laughing Boy   Sculpture Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: Purchased by Library Location: 1st floor, Reference Hall Bust of Gandhi   Sculpture Artist: Fred Seifer Acquisition Date: 1995 Donor: artist Location: 1st floor, Reference Hall

 First Floor 

Six images Prints/Engravings

Acquisition Date(s): unknown    Donor(s): unknown     Location: 1st floor, Reference Hall above file cabinets

Alfred Lord Tennyson Sir Walter Scott, BAR Painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence P. R. A., engraved by John Henry Robinson, “ from the original Picture in His Majesty’s Gallery Windsor Castle, London, published 1833 by Moon, Boys & Graves, Printsetters to the King, 6, Pall Mall.” Lord Byron Painted by Thomas Phillips R. A., engraved by Robert Graves, London, Published by Hodgson & Graves, Feb., 1, 1836 William Jackson Newton, MA Ralph Waldo Emerson Engraved and published by S. A. Schoff, “from an original Drawing by Sam W. Rowse in the possession of Charles Eliot Norton, Copyright by S. A. Schoff, 1878” Unknown Copyright 1896 by Wm Sarlaim, N. York

 First Floor 

Newton, My City, (two works) Paintings by Judith Liberman Acquisition Date: 1998 Donor: artist Location: 1st floor, Reference Hall		Facts on File, Inc. Photograph Spring 1995 issue Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: Publisher Location: 1st floor, Reference Hall
Moses    Sculpture Bronze after Michelangelo Acquisition Date: 1995 Donor: Mr. and Mrs. M. K. Alkan in memory of Dr. Benjamin Sachs Location: 1st floor, Newspapers and Magazines Area	Plymouth Monument    Sculpture Statuette of the National Monument to the Forefathers at Plymouth. Lists female passengers on the Mayflower and signers of the Social Compact of 1620. Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 1st floor, Newspapers and Magazines Area	Laocoön and his Sons, detail Sculpture Copy of marble original in Vatican by Hagesandros, Atheno-doros and Polydoros of Rhodes, c. 175-150 BC Acquisition Date: 1990's Donor: Arnold Canner Location: 1st floor, Newspapers and Magazines Area

 First Floor 

Knight on Horse   by A. Tank, 1902 Print (?) Mr. Jones was the first president of the Library Board of Trustees and an early benefactor. He was one of the group who purchased the Library land. Acquisition Date: unknown Donated by: unknown Location: 1st floor, Newspapers and Magazines Area

Bust of Apollo Belvedere   Sculpture The original statue was found at Antium, Italy in 1503, in Rome’s Vatican Museum. Acquisition Date: 1913 Donated by: Estate of A. Lawrence Edmonds Location: 1st floor, Newspapers and Magazines Area

Daniel Webster   Engraving Painted by T.B. Lawson, engraved by C. E. Wagstaff & Joseph Andrews Acquisition Date: unknown Donated by: unknown Location: 1st floor, Newspapers and Magazines Area

Go up Grand Staircase to 2nd floor.

 Grand Staircase 

Lorenzo de Medici, Duke of Urbino    Sculpture Bronze statue by Michelangelo The original is located in the Medici Funerary Chapel in Florence. It was carved during the years 1524-34 by the sculptor and represents “vita contemplativa” in an idealistic conception. Acquisition Date: unknown Donated by: unknown Location: 1st floor, at the foot of Grand Staircase

Mayor Theodore D. Mann    Photograph Portrait by Bachrach Acquisition Date: 1994 Donated by: Bachrach Photography Location: Grand Staircase, between 1st and 2nd floors

 Second Floor 

Mercury      Sculpture Bronze reproduction of statue by Jean de Boulogne, 1567 Acquisition Date: 1994 Donated by: Jean Dietz Location: 2nd floor, near Grand Staircase

Francis B. Hornbrooke    Sculpture Marble bust by Cyrus Dallin (1861-1944) A prominent churchman and community leader, Dr. Hornbrooke was a minister from 1879-1900 at the Channing Unitarian Church. He spoke at the dedication of the Main Library addition on June 17, 1887. (The artist’s specialty was American Indians.) Acquisition Date: 1945 Donated by: Channing Unitarian Church Location: 2nd floor, Teen Area

Portrait of John S. Farlow     Painting by Jean Paul Selinger Mr. Farlow was an early president of the Library’s Board of Trustees and one of the benefactors who left money for the Farlow Reference Book Fund. Acquisition Date: 1889 Donated by: Jersey Stock Club Location: 2nd floor, Teen Area

 Second Floor 

Child Reading  Painting Acquisition Date: 2009 Donor: In Memory of Harriette Perkins Cohn by her daughter Sloan Nota Location: 2nd floor, near Fiction
Michelangelo in His Youth  Sculpture by Emilio Zocchi (1835-1913) The original was bought by Victor Emmanuel for the Pitti Palace in Florence. Acquisition Date: unknown Donated by: Donor: Mrs. N. P. Coburn, formerly Mrs. Silsbee Location: 2nd floor, near Fiction	Chinese Calligraphy  and accompanying plaque Calligraphy “The cultures of East and West merge. This item marks the exhibition hosted by the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association.” By: Calligrapher Yunlong Zhen Acquisition Date: winter 1996 Donor: Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association Location: 2nd floor, near Fiction

 Second Floor 

Replica of Renoir’s Dance at Bougival Life-sized Polaroid replica Acquisition Date: 2010 Donor: Ruth Parker Location: 2nd floor, near Music Scores	Books, Reading and Reader Collage by Phoebe Ann Erb Acquisition Date: 2010 Donor: artist Location: 2nd floor, near Music Scores	Portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt  Painting William Fiske Noyes Acquisition Date: August, 1991 Donor: The Furst Family in honor of Anna and Edward Davis Location: 2nd floor, near Music Scores
Portrait of Edwin O. Childs (1876-1950)  Painting Mayor of Newton, 1914-1929 and 1936-1939 by B. M. Keyes Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 2nd floor, near Music Scores	Oriental Rug      Rug Acquisition Date: 1991 Donor: Sokolowski family, Newton Oriental Rug Company, Needham Street, Newton Highlands Location: Back Staircase between 1st and 2nd floors	Newton Commemorative Quilt  Quilt by Rowena Fisher, coordinator, Robbie O’Rourke, designer, and 50+ volunteer quilters and other artists from Newton. This quilt describes the 13 villages of Newton and historical events. Acquisition Date: 1996 Donor: The artists Location: 2nd floor, near Back Staircase

 Second Floor 

Newton, My City Painting by Judith Liberman Acquisition Date: 1995 Donor: artist, in memory of Robert Liberman Location: 2nd floor, right corridor, near Grand Staircase	Diana    Sculpture by G.M. Benzoni (1809-1873) This work was sculpted in Rome in 1872. Acquisition Date: 1901 Donor: Mrs. Walter White, through one of the Trustees Location: 2nd floor, right corridor, near Grand Staircase	Portrait of Charles A. Read    Painting by James Harvey Young, 1883 Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 2nd floor, right corridor, near Grand Staircase
Continue to the right at the book stack, take the first left towards the restroom.
November 24, 1994 Newton vs Brookline Centennial Football Game  Photograph by Carol Stapleton, Newton Parks and Recreation department employee Acquisition Date: 1994 Donor: artists Location: 2nd floor hallway outside restrooms	Winter Scene      Print by Maxfield Parrish Acquisition Date: 2011 Donor: unknown Location: 2nd floor hallway outside restrooms	Covered Bridge II  Photograph by Monte Basbas of Newton District Court, 1981, former Mayor of Newton 1966-1971 Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 2nd floor hallway outside restrooms

 Second Floor 

City of Newton Commemorative Plate Porcelain Plate Scenes of City landmarks. This Heritage Plate is one of only 225 ever to be designed. The recorded group number is “87915”. Kettlesprings Kilns, Alliance Ohio 3110-5 Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: Richard T. Silvester Location: 2nd floor, outside Administration Office near Teen Area	Family  Sculpture by Estelle Mason Acquisition Date: 1988 Donor: artist, a former Library employee Location: 2nd floor, outside Administration Office
City of Newton Seal    Plaque A plaster model of a carving painted in full color by an artist from Lewis F. Perry’s Sons Company. Acquisition date: 1951 Donor: unknown Location: 2nd floor, outside Administration Office	Ohina Sama      Doll Collection King and Queen Dolls from the Heian Dynasty. Dolls are usually displayed in Japan during the month of February preceding The Janpanese Doll Festival, or Girls' Day or March 3. Acquisition date: 1992 Donor: Emi Motokura Location: 2nd floor, outside Administration Office

 Administration Office 

The Golden Book  Photograph by Paul I. Mann Acquisition Date: 1987 Donor: artist Location: 2nd floor, Administration Office	Mother and Child/ The Widow    Painting by Charles Sprague Pearce (1851-1914) Acquisition Date: 1951 Donor: niece of artist, Miriam Badlam Pearce Miller Location: 2nd floor, outside Administration Office
Newton the Garden City Tricentennial 1688-1988  Poster by © 1987 Newton Tricentennial Corp., Inc. Acquisition Date: 1987 Donor: City of Newton Location: 2nd floor, outside Administration Office	Deer Park    Photograph by Carol Stapleton, Newton Parks and Recreation department employee Acquisition date: 1990 Donor: artist Location: 2nd floor, Administration office over file cabinet

 Trustees' Room 

Hannah James 1869-1886 Copy by Bachrach	Elizabeth Peabody Thurston 1887-1915 Copy by Bachrach	Harold T. Dougherty 1916-1925 by Bachrach	Julius Lucht 1925-1942 by Bachrach
Harold A. Wooster 1942-1958 by Van Vorhis	A. William Kunkel 1957-1967	Henry E. Bates, Jr 1967-1970	Virginia A. Tashjian 1970-1993 by Burton Elliott Photography
	Kathy Glick-Weil 1993-2008 by Bachrach	Nancy Perlow 2008-2012 by Dom Miguel

 Trustees' Room 

Covered Bridge  Photograph by Monte Basbas Acquisition Date: 1981 Donor: Judge Monte Basbas of Newton District Court, former Mayor of Newton 1966-1971 Location: 2nd floor, Trustees’ Room	Bust of Mayor Theodore D. Mann  Sculpture by G. Weller Acquisition Date: 1992 Donor: artist and friends of the Mayor Location: City Hall Room 209. Donated to the City of Newton in April 2012 for dedication of the room to Mayor Mann.
Portrait of Theodore D. Mann Mayor of Newton, 1972-1994 Painting by Warren Prosperi Acquisition Date: 1988 Donor: Naomi R. and Saul B. Cohen in honor of Newton’s Tricentennial Celebration Location: 2nd floor, Trustees' Room	Newton Free Library  Mixed Media Painting by Jill Andrea Karlin Acquisition Date: September 1991 Donor: commissioned by the Friends of the Library Location: 2nd floor, Trustees' Room

Go up Grand Staircase to 3rd floor.

 Third Floor 

Boston Saturday Club  Photo-montage Society of Boston writers and intellectuals founded in 1855, met the 4th Saturday of every month at the Parker House Hotel on Tremont Street in Boston. Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 3rd floor landing, top of Grand Staircase	Portrait of John C. Chaffin  Painting Mr. Chaffin was an early benefactor of the Library and left money for the Chaffin Fund used today to purchase books. Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 3rd floor landing, top of Grand Staircase
Portrait of Abraham Lincoln  Painting by Estelle Mason Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 3rd floor landing, top of Grand Staircase	Sea Shell Collection   Collection Acquisition date: 1993 Donor: Judith V. Branzburg, collection and display case Location: 3rd floor landing, top of Grand Staircase

 Third Floor 

Eliot Hall about 1877	Drawing		Newton Free Library	Pen and Ink Drawing
by Edward Stetson Smilie Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: Harold Bertram Smilie, son of the artist Location: 3rd floor, near Grand Staircase			Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 3rd floor, near Grand Staircase
Portrait of Dr. Henry F. Bigelow	Painting		Japanese Gifts	Collection
by H. S. Holman Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 3rd floor, near Grand Staircase			Three cases of gifts to Newton children of colorful fans, scarves, balls, kites, dolls and masks. Acquisition Date: 1986 Donor: Japanese Children Location: 3rd floor, near Grand Staircase

 Third Floor 

Public Garden/ Boston Common Scenes

Swan Boats and Ducks	Public Garden, Boston	Boston Common	Swan Boat Outing, Boston
Portrait of William J. Doherty (1872-1951) Painting Newton Alderman from 1905-1910 Acquisition Date: 1958 Donor: Mrs. William J. Doherty Location: 3rd floor, outside Staff Room Public Libraries of Massachusetts Print Designed and drawn with pen and ink by George Hartnell Bartlett, Arlington, MA Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 3rd floor, outside Staff Room Portrait of Honorable J. Wiley Edmands Painting Mr. Edmands was a founder of the library. Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 3rd floor, outside Staff Room

Proceed down Grand Staircase or take the elevator to first floor.

 First Floor/Children's Room 

Picturebook Dollhouse  Dollhouse by Pam Bator and Amy McGregor-Radin Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: the artists Location: First Floor/Children's Room	Stone Owl  Sculpture by Nathan Fineberg Acquisition Date: 1993 Donor: Fineberg family, in honor of Library Director Virginia Tashjian's 50 years of service Location: First Floor/Children's Room
Macaw  Hanging Sculpture by Luiz Ayla Brizuela Paper-mache figure purchased from Pavo Real Gallery at Fânèuil Hall Marketplace Acquisition Date: 1991 Donor: Baer family in memory of Alexander Mosse Baer Location: First Floor/Children's Room	Laura's World  Painting by Judith Liberman Acquisition Date: 1996 Donor: artist Location: First Floor/Children's Room

 First Floor/Children's Room 

Children at Play Mixed-media by 5th grade class Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: Jane S. Morris, art teacher Location: 1st floor, Children's Room	Rose Map of Newton, the Garden City  Mixed Media by Judith Liberman Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: artist, in loving memory of her husband, Professor Robert Liberman of Boston University Law School Location: 1st floor, Children's Room	Boston 2002  Print 7/25 by Katya Bessmertnaya Acquisition Date: 2009 Donor: artist Location: 1st floor, Children's Room
II Pastorello    Sculpture by James Adams Jackson (1825-1879) An Abruzzi peasant boy with his goat. Artist was born in Bath, Maine, and died in Italy. Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: Family of John S. Farlow Location: 1st floor, Children's Room	Two Japanese Friendship Dolls   Dolls "I bring with me, the everlasting friendship and goodwill of the children of Japan. Doll presentation mission of Little Ambassadors & Ambassadresses of goodwill and friendship." Case made by Gregory M. Sullivan, Library Custodian, 1986 Acquisition Date: August, 1986 Donor: Mr. Hideo-Sogabe, 5/13, Takinomiya-cho, Nihama-shi, Ehime, 792, Japan and Miss Yukiko Kusunoki, 1-2 Nakamichi, Nakayada-cho, Kameoka-shi, Kyoto 621, Japan Location: 1st floor, Children's Room on top of bookcase

 First Floor/Children's Picture Book Room 

Adapted from Goodnight Moon  Print Illustrated by Clement Hurd, © 1947 Acquisition Date: 2010 Donor: Max, Daniel and Sarah Gelbert Location: 1st floor, Picture Book Room	Cow jumps over the moon  Clock Acquisition Date: unknown Location: 1st floor, Picture Book Room	Guess How much I Love You?  Print by Anita Jerman © 1994 Acquisition Date: 2010 Donor: Max, Daniel and Sarah Gelbert Location: 1st floor, Picture Book Room
Paddington at the Station  Print by Barry Macey Acquisition Date: 2010 Donor: Max, Daniel and Sarah Gelbert Location: 1st floor, Picture Book Room	From The Cat in the Hat  Print by dr. Seuss, © 1957/© renewed 1985 Acquisition Date: 2010 Donor: Max, Daniel and Sarah Gelbert Location: 1st floor, Picture Book Room	The Storyteller· La Cuentista  Print by Edward Gonzales © 2000 In Memory of Anna Bell Gesmer Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 1st floor, Picture Book Room

 Outside: Children's Patio 

Eeyore  Sculpture by Nancy Schön Character from Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. milne Acquisition Date: 1991 Donor: Arnold Canner & Wong families (latter in memory of son, Eric) Location: Outside, Children's Patio	Winnie-the-Pooh and the Hunny Pot  Sculpture by Nancy Schön Acquisition Date: 2002 Donor: Oliver Family & Newton community Location: Outside, Children's Patio
Dinosaur Footprint  Stone Believed to have come from the western part of the state, the fossil was formerly located in the wall of the main vestibule of the old Main Library. Acquisition Date: 1950 Donor: unknown Location: Outside, Children's Patio	Dinosaur Stone   Stone A large triangular piece of stone imprinted with dinosaur tracks (now broken in two). Acquisition date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: Outside, Children's Patio

Exit Children's Room and pause at copy machine in hallway.

Newton Landmarks    Print by William E. Beyer, 70/1000 Acquisition Date: unknown Donor: unknown Location: 1st floor, above copy machine outside Children's Room

 First Floor/Main Hallway 

Walk through the lobby down the Main Hall towards the parking lot entrance and stop in at Vanessa's Café for a refreshing break.

Library Patrons in Silhouette  Painted Mural by Dwight Jared Packard-Winkler Acquisition Date: 2011 Donor: artist Location: 1st floor, Vanessa's Café near parking lot entrance

Newton Free Library during construction  Photographs by Burton Elliott Photography, Waban, MA, show various phases of the construction process. Acquisition Date: 1991 Donor: artist Location: 1st floor, Vanessa's Café near parking lot entrance

Galleries and Display Cases

In addition to the permanent collection of art, the Newton Free Library has three art galleries and seven display cases.

• Located on the first floor, the Main Hall and Gallery feature juried art shows that rotate each month with works by New England area artists.
• Three standing display cases in the Main Hall and two recessed, book shelf style cases in the Atrium also rotate monthly. The cases house professional quality displays designed to inform, educate and enrich our patrons on a variety of interesting and enlightening topics.
• The Teen Gallery, located on the second floor, includes two display cases. Teen shows rotate every six months and feature works by Newton North and Newton South High School students.

Patrons are welcome and encouraged to browse the galleries and displays.

Main Hall and display cases

Gallery

Teen Gallery

 Index of Titles 

 Index of Titles