Exploring Art Through the Ages: The Collections of the Fairfield University Art Museum

The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 2024, offers a rich tapestry of artistic expression spanning diverse cultures and historical periods. From European and American paintings to artifacts from Asia, Africa, and the Americas, the museum's collections provide a unique opportunity to explore the world through art. Located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, the museum aims to foster education and appreciation for the arts.

A Journey Through the Museum's Spaces

The FUAM comprises two main gallery spaces: the Bellarmine Hall Galleries and the Walsh Gallery, located in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

Bellarmine Hall Galleries: A Glimpse into History

Located on the lower level of Bellarmine Hall, the Bellarmine Hall Galleries house the museum's permanent collection alongside rotating special exhibitions. Bellarmine Hall itself is a sight to behold. Sitting on a hilltop with long-distance views of Long Island Sound, Bellarmine Hall-the forty-four room mansion built in 1921 for Walter B. Lashar, owner of the American Chain and Cable Company-was originally known as Hearthstone Hall because of its many fireplaces and chimneys.

The permanent collection includes European and American paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and historic plaster casts. The entrance hall to the museum contains highlights from the University's collection of plaster casts after exemplary works from Ancient Rome and Greece, including eight recently donated to the University by the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

The Meditz Gallery: Renaissance and Baroque Treasures

A highlight of the Bellarmine Hall Galleries is the Meditz Gallery, designed to resemble an early Christian basilica. This gallery showcases ten Italian Renaissance and Baroque paintings gifted to the University by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation through Bridgeport's Discovery Museum. These works offer a glimpse into the artistic styles and religious themes prevalent during these periods.

Walsh Gallery: Modern and Contemporary Expressions

The Walsh Gallery, with 1800 square feet of exhibition space, is located in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Performing Arts. The Walsh Gallery is used by the museum primarily for exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and hosts two to three special exhibitions annually.

Highlights of the Permanent Collection

The Fairfield University Art Museum stewards a rich and varied collection of paintings, sculpture, decorative art objects, and works on paper.

The Samuel H. Kress Collection: A Cornerstone

A core group of ten Renaissance and Baroque paintings from the Samuel H. Kress Collection forms a cornerstone of the museum's holdings. The Samuel H. Kress Foundation gifted these works to the University through Bridgeport's Discovery Museum. Martin van Meytens IIm’s Self-Portrait, ca. 1730, is one notable piece from this collection.

Beyond the Western Canon

The museum also boasts a diverse collection of non-Western art objects. These holdings include pre-Columbian figures and vessels, African masks, Chinese funerary objects from the Han and Tang Dynasties, and 19th-century South East Asian sculptures.

The Book of Kells Facsimile: A Rare Treasure

Among the museum’s treasures is a rare facsimile of The Book of Kells, an ornately illustrated manuscript produced by Celtic monks around AD 800.

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The James Reed Print Collection

In 2017, the Fairfield University Art Museum received a transformative gift of over 1200 prints from the artist, collector, and master printer James Reed. The James Reed Print Collection includes works by some of the preeminent artists of the French 19th century, including Théodore Géricault, Eugène Delacroix, Honoré Daumier, Édouard Manet, Odilon Redon, Maurice Denis and Henri Fantin-Latour. In addition, the collection includes Old Master engravings, etchings and woodcuts by northern European artists such as Maerten de Vos and Jost Amman, as well as a group of German Expressionist woodcuts and lithographs by artists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Max Beckmann.

Special Exhibitions: Exploring Specific Themes

The Fairfield University Art Museum hosts two to three special exhibitions each year in both the Bellarmine Hall Galleries and the Walsh Gallery. These exhibitions provide opportunities to delve into specific themes, artistic movements, or cultural contexts.

Out of the Kress Vaults: Women in Sacred Renaissance Painting

One notable example is "Out of the Kress Vaults: Women in Sacred Renaissance Painting," which explores representations of femininity and virtue in Italian Renaissance paintings of the Virgin Mary, female saints, and nuns. This exhibition is the first in the museum’s history to be co-curated with Fairfield University students. Taking inspiration from two paintings of the Madonna and Child in the museum’s own Samuel H. Kress Collection, students in Dr. DiMarzo’s art history seminar developed the exhibition by examining Kress collections at other institutions, with an emphasis on works typically held in storage. Lenders to the exhibition include the National Gallery of Art, the Samuel H.

Art in Focus: El Greco, The Holy Family

The FUAM also organizes focused exhibitions, such as "Art in Focus: El Greco, The Holy Family, ca." This allows for a deeper examination of individual works and their historical and artistic significance. Image: El Greco, The Holy Family with Saint Anne and the Infant John the Baptist, ca. 1595-1600, oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Samuel H.

For Which It Stands…

Looking ahead, the exhibition "For Which It Stands…" will run from January 23 - July 25, 2026, and will feature more than 70 works by diverse artists across art movements from the early 20th century to the present day, focusing on depictions of the American flag. The exhibition will include works ranging from Childe Hassam’s Italian Day, May 1918-lent by Art Bridges-to a new textile sculpture by Maria de Los Angeles, commissioned for the exhibition. Works by artists including Jasper Johns, Faith Ringgold, Robert Rauschenberg, Shepard Fairey, and Julie Mehretu will challenge viewers to consider who the American flag truly represents and whether justice is available to all. This exhibition is made possible by generous support from Connecticut Humanities, Art Bridges, Horizon Kinetics, Maximilian E. & Marion O. It aligns with the guiding themes from the state’s CT 250 initiative, especially those of “telling inclusive stories,” and “for the common good.” As the CT 250 guidelines state, “For much of our history, the United States has excluded people-women, free and enslaved African Americans, Indigenous people, immigrants, people with disabilities, the poor, and many others-from full participation and representation in the nation’s political, economic, and cultural life. This commemoration is an opportunity to continue the nation’s reckoning with the past, both its glory and its missteps and flaws.

Educational Programs and Events

The Fairfield University Art Museum is committed to providing educational opportunities for students and the community. A robust selection of programming has been developed to complement exhibitions, including gallery talks with contemporary artists whose work is in the show, lectures on topics ranging from artist Florine Stettheimer’s passion for Americana to a deep dive into the photograph The Soiling of Old Glory, and family-friendly events centered around flag-making and other topics. Dr. Regina A. Louis P. Historian Louis Masur examines Stanley Forman’s iconic 1976 photograph The Soiling of Old Glory (a print of which will be on view in the exhibition), which provides a compelling window into racial tensions in 1970s America.

Lectures and Talks

The museum hosts lectures and talks by curators, artists, and scholars, providing insights into the collections and special exhibitions. Lecture: The Paintings Conservation Program of the Samuel H. Bellarmine Hall, Diffley Board RoomPart of the Edwin L. Weisl, Jr. Bellarmine Hall, Diffley Board Room + streaming on thequicklive.comPart of the Edwin L. Weisl, Jr. Streaming on thequicklive.comPart of the Edwin L. Weisl, Jr.

Visiting the Museum

The Fairfield University Art Museum is easily accessible.

Location and Parking

The FUAM's main galleries are located on the lower level of Bellarmine Hall. Free parking is available in front of Bellarmine Hall.

Transportation

Take Metro-North, New Haven Line, to Fairfield Station (approximately 70 minutes from Grand Central Station).

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