The Rhode Island School of Design announced last week that philanthropist David Rockefeller pledged $1 million to the school’s Asian art galleries at The RISD Museum.
The donation is part of a six-year-old comprehensive capital campaign, the first in the history of the school. The gift brings the total to $80 million of the $85-million goal. The end of the campaign is slated for next December.
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Rockefeller’s mother and aunt – daughters of the late Rhode Island senator Nelson Aldrich, who served in Congress from 1881-1911 – both donated to the collections in the museum between the 1930s and 1950s.
His aunt, Lucy Truman Aldrich, gave a collection of Asian textiles that also includes what has been dubbed one of the finest assemblages of Noh theater robes outside Japan.
Rockefeller’s mother, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, donated a collection of nearly 700 Japanese woodblock prints – half of the collection in the gallery named for her that was opened in 1953.
The money is slated to be used for the restoration, reinterpretation and reinstallation of the two galleries and will include new cases, lighting and increased visitor amenities.
“Mr. Rockefeller’s generosity will honor the legacy of Mrs. Rockefeller and Miss Aldrich and allow us to show our fine Asian collections in appropriate and beautiful new galleries,” said Hope Alswang, director of the museum.
Funds from the campaign also are pegged for facility and technology improvements, scholarships and academic support.
The museum at RISD was founded as part of the school in 1877. The permanent collection contains nearly 80,000 objects from all over the world.
