These paintings were collected by
Paul and “Bunny” Mellon, two of the
world’s best known art collectors,
who chose what they liked based to
a large degree upon their personal
interests. Paul, one of the richest men
in the world through his Mellon
Bank, was introduced to art through
his famous father Andrew, who
donated the building for the National
Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
in order to make art available to all
Americans.
Paul became a noted horse breeder
and spent much of his life on the
family horse farm in Virginia with
his wife “Bunny,” who also was an
heir to a large family fortune that
originated with Listerine, hence their
art donations to the Virginia Museum
of Fine Arts. In addition to collecting
what they liked, the Mellons often
selected artistically experimental
works for their purchases. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Eleven of the
masterpieces from the Mellon Collection
at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will
be on display in the Hannah’s Gallery of
the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
until March 1, 2020. The museum is
at 255 Beach Drive N.E. in downtown
St. Petersburg, (727) 896-2667.
MAY/JUNE 2018 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 151
Top: The Beach at Trouville
was created by Eugène Boudin in 1864.
Bottom: This painting by Pierre Bonnard
called The Open Window
was done in 1919.
TRAVIS FULLERTON
KATHERINE WETZEL