Fralin Catalog (6-21-23) - Flipbook - Page 17
Building an American
Art Collection
I
t is hard to pinpoint exactly when the art catalogues began to
pile up on the old coffee table at our lake house or on the top of
Heywood’s very tall bureau in town, but looking back, it seems
that those were early signs of this collection taking form. The
truth is, when we were married twenty-nine years ago, we never
dreamt that this collection would someday exist. While Cynthia
recalls speaking about the importance of common interests early in
our courtship and a shared appreciation of art came up, that early
acknowledgment seemed little more than a passing conversation
at the time. It certainly did not amount to a plan. This collection,
it seems, is actually the culmination of seeds planted throughout
our lives, relationships, and experiences with friends and family, as
well as a representation of our love for American art, which we feel
honored to be able to share.
In 1983, when Heywood was forty-three years old, a close
childhood friend contacted him and provided an early glimpse
into the art world. Heywood’s friend was a direct descendant of
Susan Macdowell Eakins, the wife of Thomas Eakins. The friend’s
grandmother, who had recently passed away, owned several
original Thomas Eakins paintings, and some of these paintings were
going to be auctioned off at Christie’s in New York. An invitation
was extended to Heywood to attend the sale. One of the family’s
paintings was prominently displayed on the front insert of the
Christie’s catalogue, and it brought a record price for a watercolor
by an American artist. This experience played an important role in
Heywood’s early interest in American art and collecting.
Cynthia Fralin
2022 CHAIR, WOMEN’S LUNCHEON
TAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART
Heywood Fralin
VICE CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CHAIR, COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE
TAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART
Many years later when we were newly married, friendships and
family relationships helped to further foster our knowledge
and appreciation of American art. We took trips to Boston and
Gloucester, Massachusetts, to visit friends and accompanied them
to New York, where they took us to galleries and introduced us to
gallery owners. We also developed a relationship with Debra Force,
a gallery owner on New York’s Upper East Side. Debra is an expert in
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