REVIEW: Riley exhibit frames century of artistic transitions

By Diana Nollen

CEDAR RAPIDS - A breathtaking exhibit spanning 100 years of Impressionistic and post-Impressionistic artwork opens to the public Saturday, May 22, 2010, at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.

You have four months to discover and explore three galleries of drawings, inks and oils from the private collection of Tom and Nan Riley of rural Marion. Do not wait. If you need an extra incentive, admission is free on opening day.

The Rileys have emptied their walls to loan 46 stunning pieces by Monet, Picasso, Renoir, Miro, Dali, Matisse, Seurat, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec , as well as Americans Marvin Cone, Grant Wood and Mary Cassatt.

Many pieces are little-known or early works by these masters, but their emerging styles are instantly recognizable.

Museum curator Sean Ulmer has taken extraordinary care to group the pieces so viewers can compare, contrast and come away with a greater understanding of the evolution of the European art movements from 1870s to 1970s.

“You'd have to go to Chicago or St. Louis or Minneapolis to see works by these artists all in one place,” Ulmer said as we strolled among the giants Friday morning. “This is the foremost private collection in Iowa of French Impressionism and post-Impressionism, in terms of quality, breadth and depth.”

Included is the first piece the Rileys purchased, a small, signed print by Raoul Dufy they found in Boston in the 1970s.

So many of the works immediately draw your eye, especially the beautiful dark blues in Maurice de Vlaminck's farmhouse and his still life bouquet that immediately evokes Van Gogh.

A delicate trio of Renoir's bathers hangs opposite of Hippolyte Petitjean's bathers, in which he uses pointillism's soft, vibrant dots of color to create his serene scene.

A print of Picasso's “The Dance of Youth” lures you into a strikingly spare, yet joyous circle of flight around a dove of peace. The Spanish bullfights, Cassatt's lovely women, Cone's clouds - all carry their own special appeal and speak in different visual languages.

This exhibition holds so much to study, love and adore. The Rileys' willingness to share such beauty is beyond measure.

FAST TAKEInformation: www.crma.org

What: “From Monet to Picasso: The Riley Collection”

Where: First floor galleries, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

When: May 22 to Sept. 19, 2010; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, extended hours and free admission 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday

Admission: $5 adults; $4 college students and seniors ages 62 and over; free ages 18 and under

Opening day specials: Admission free all day Saturday, May 22, 2010; Family Fun Day: Meet the Masters activities for children of all ages, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.