American Moderns: The Legacy of Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest

Exhibition Website

Jun 2 2018 - Oct 21 2018


At the turn of the century, artists began to rebel against traditional modes of expression and exhibition. Although it is frequently associated with Impressionism, the Delaware Valley region launched some of the most important developments that transformed American art in the 20th century: the roots of the Ashcan School; the leading proponents of Precisionist painting; and some of the first artists to explore non-objective painting.

A remarkable gift from Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest in 1999 enabled the Michener Art Museum to highlight the significant contributions to the development of modern art in America as seen through the prism of our region. Artists such as Charles Frederick Ramsey, Louis Stone, Charles Evans, Lloyd Ney, and Charles Rosen were actively engaged in the artistic dialogue that resulted in major shifts in American art at mid-century. 

For the first time in thirty years, 33 of these works will be on view together in one gallery, underscoring the lasting contributions of our region’s artists to the evolution of 20th-century American art.


Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website
Image: Charles Evans (1907-1992) , Lady in Spots, 1937. Oil on board. 24 x 20 inches. James A. Michener Art Museum. Gift of Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest.


  • Painting
  • American
  • 20th Century
  • Modernism
  • Charles Frederick Ramsey
  • Louis Stone
  • Charles Evans
  • Lloyd Ney
  • Charles Rosen

Exhibition Venues & Dates