(The John L Wehle Gallery opened in August 2012 following extensive renovations.)
Discover one of the best privately held collections of historic clothing in the country plus extraordinary wildlife and sporting art that spans four centuries—from the 1600s to the 1900s—at Genesee Country Village & Museum's art gallery.
On display for the first time will be some of the 3,000 items from the Susan Greene Costume Collection—rare, mostly 19th-century garments and accessories earlier purchased from Greene, a well-known authority in American costume study.
New display units will showcase elements of the collection on a rotating basis.
Karen Augusta, appraiser for the Antiques Roadshow, describes the collection “a gem” that “stands alone as one of the finest collections of its kind in North America.
In addition, the historic collection of wildlife and sporting art features works by such distinguished artists as John James Audubon, Robert Bateman, Frederic Remington, Carl Rungius, Maud Earl, Bob Kuhn, Allan Houser and Bruno Liljefors.
The collection of notable paintings and sculptures traces profound social, artistic and ideological changes in the interaction between humans and animals. Shifting perspectives are dramatically portrayed among the works—animals as prey, as servants, as companions, and as subjects of curiosity and scientific inquiry.
Intrigued with the wildlife and sporting art genre, John L. Wehle, Genesee Country Village & Museum founder, an avid sportsman and conservationist, began collecting representative works—acrylic, oil and watercolor paintings, prints and bronze sculptures—to fill the gallery. Today, visitors of all ages enjoy and are inspired by this internationally recognized collection.
In addition to the rooms that feature specific themes, the gallery hosts traveling shows and exhibits that draw from the historic village collection. Self-guided tours allow you to tour the gallery at your own pace. Knowledgeable guides stationed throughout the gallery are happy to answer questions about the collection.