Two Centuries of American Still-Life Painting: The Frank and Michelle Hevrdejs Collection traces the history of American still-life painting in the United States over the course of nearly 200 years, from the early 19th century to the present day.

The majority of the works on view—which come from the private, Houston-based collection of Frank and Michelle Hevrdejs—have never before been seen by the public. The exhibition brings together 60 of the most influential American luminaries of the genre, including William Merritt Chase, Georgia O’Keeffe, James Peale, John F. Peto, Wayne Thiebaud, Max Weber, and Andrew Wyeth.

These masterpieces show why still-life painting has captivated American artists, collectors, and audiences for two centuries. The extraordinary range of artistic styles and subject matter illustrates the rise and development of the still-life genre in post-revolutionary America, from European-influenced realism and trompe l’oeil to Impressionism, Modernism, Pop Art, and beyond.

► Publication
Accompanying the exhibition is an illustrated catalogue published by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and distributed by Yale University Press. The catalogue is available through the MFA Shop (713.639.7360) and the Museum’s Hirsch Library (713.639.7325).