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The Dalis Foundation Galleries of European Art
Chrysler completes renovation of Early European Galleries

NORFOLK, Va. - Thanks to a generous grant from The Dalis Foundation, the Chrysler has recently completed a sweeping reformation of its seven early European Galleries, which range from late medieval devotional paintings and sculpture to the refinements of the 18th-century rococo. Featuring major masterpieces by Paolo Veronese, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Francois Boucher, and a host of other artists - theses Galleries contain collections that are the very heart and soul of the Museum. This handsome makeover will now allow viewers to see Old Masters in a dramatic new light.

The project encompassed a multiplicity of interrelated projects, all of them designed to enhance the viewer's enjoyment and understanding of the Museum's European art. Behind the scenes the climate control system has undergone a complete upgrade, while more impressive changes are evident in the newly finished walls and floors that better showcase the art. Each painting and sculpture has been reinstalled with its own new and explanatory label. Additionally, the curatorial staff viewed the renovation as an opportunity to retrieve and display works that were formerly in storage, while the Museum's conservator worked to clean and restore a number of paintings before they returned to view.

Thanks to a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts the Museum's brilliant silver collection has been cleaned and re-lacquered to go on view beside works of art in the new Galleries. Two state-of- the art cases, courtesy of Mr. Allan L. Segal in memory of Joan Sue Segal, will also house several pieces of silver. The stable environment inside these cases will help preserve the very finest of these works for years to come.

Over the last three years the Museum has renovated several areas within the Permanent Collection. The McKinnon Galleries of Modern Art opened in February 1998 along with the James H. Ricau Gallery of American Neoclassic Sculpture and the Alice and Sol B. Frank Photography Galleries. The Museum's 19th- and early 20th-Century Galleries underwent a similar restoration in 1999, reopening in September of that year. The eight-month renovation of The Dalis Foundation Galleries of European Art represents the most ambitious of these projects to date. Visit the Chrysler this summer and view the seven newly transformed Galleries highlighting the best of the Museum's distinguished Old Master collection - the metamorphosis is breathtaking.

For More Information or Images Please Contact the Chrysler at (757) 664-6200 or museum@chrysler.org

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