NOTE: The Art Gallery will close for the summer after May 12. It will reopen on August 21.
The Widener University Art Collection includes the Alfred O. Deshong Collection of 19th and 20th century American paintings, 19th century European paintings, and 18th and 19th century Asian art. The Widener University Collection includes American Impressionist paintings and African and Oceanic pottery.
Alfred O. Deshong, a wealthy Chester industrialist, acquired his collection at a time when Japanese art and design began to strongly influence the style of Western artists. His holdings include Japanese carved ivory figures, Chinese carved hardstone vessels, Japanese and Chinese lacquerware and numerous large bronze vases.
Paintings Restored
Thanks to a generous grant from the Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund, the entire Deshong Collection of paintings was restored. The paintings in Deshong's collection reflect his era with genre scenes of contemporary life and romantic glimpses of customs in distant lands. The artists he favored were mostly European, trained in the academies of Germany and Italy.
Not only is Alfred O. Deshong’s extraordinary art collection a part of the Widener community, but one Deshong family home is now a women’s residence hall. Old Main, which houses Widener's administrative offices, is built on land that once belonged to the Deshong family; in addition, part of the Widener's physical education facilities stand on the site of one of the Deshong's family businesses.
Exhibitions
The Art Gallery exhibits the work of contemporary artists from September through May. Generally, selected paintings from the permanent collection are displayed during the summer months. Please check the exhibitions page for exact dates and hours.
Admission is free. The gallery is handicapped accessible. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.