Introducing: The Gwynne McDevitt Collection

Lauren Kraut

Nov 28

Last spring, the National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) was the recipient of an extremely generous bequest by Gwynne McDevitt. Over 80 paintings, works on paper, sculptures, and a weathervane by a range of artists were received. Our cup runneth over!

Robert K. Abbett (American, 1926–2015), Gwynne at Doubledee Farm, 1989, oil on board, 23 7/8 x 36 inches
National Sporting Library & Museum, Estate of Gwynne McDevitt, 2023

You may recall that Romantic Bronzes from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which opened in April, was a one-gallery exhibit. This allowed us to keep the large upstairs gallery closed to the public, and we could use it as a processing area for the McDevitt Collection that was scheduled for arrival in May. And arrive it did.

Thankfully, being the start of the summer season meant the start of internships and we had three wonderful interns, Jensen Frey, Remy Patterson, and Krissa Thorndike, to catalogue and photograph all the artwork. It would have been nearly impossible to have done it on my own.

Curatorial interns Remy, Jensen, and Krissa cataloguing the McDevitt Collection

There were artists I was already familiar with, like John Emms (English, 1844–1912), Maud Earl (British/American, 1863–1943), Alfred Munnings (English, 1878–1959), and Edmund Osthaus (German/American, 1858–1928). There were also a few I was meeting for the first time, like Robert Abbett (American, 1926–2015), Arthur Davis (British, 1824–1900), Charles Masson (French, 1822–1894), and Edwin Penny (British, 1930–2016).

Charles Masson (French, 1822–1894), Recumbent Setter,
19^th century, bronze, 6 ¾ x 15 ½ x 7 ⅛ inches,
National Sporting Library & Museum, Estate of Gwynne McDevitt, 2023

Mrs. McDevitt commissioned several paintings, and one bronze, of her own dogs from Robert Abbett. As seen in his work, she had an affinity for Gordon Setters. She trained them at Doubledee Farm and Kennels in Newtown Square, PA and won several trials.

Below are a sample of her beloved dogs:

From left to right: Dodger, c. 2002, oil on board, 11 ½ x 15 ¾ inches; Daisy, 20^th century, oil on board, 15 ¾ x 21 inches; Diana, 2003, oil on board, 20 x 25 inches. All Robert K. Abbett and from the Estate of Gwynne McDevitt, 2023.

Abbett also completed a bronze bust of Dare. What we particularly love about this sculpture is that we have the preliminary studies Abbett made and gave to Mrs. McDevitt. It gives us insight into the artist's process.

For those that saw the Romantic Bronzes loan exhibition last spring (and if you missed it, click here to watch the Coffee with the Curator with Dr. Sylvain Cordier, Paul Mellon Curator and Head of the Department of European Art), you might remember a row of pheasants by Antoine-Louis Barye (French, 1795–1875). Beautiful in their own right, one was a master model, and the others were used to show the steps for the sand-casting process.

Installation of pheasants from Romantic Bronzes from the
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Imagine our excitement when we were reminded that a pair of Barye pheasants were on the list from the McDevitt estate.

Antoine-Louis Barye (French, 1795–1875), Pheasants, a pair, n.d., bronze, 5 ¼ x 13 ¾ x 4 ⅜ inches,
National Sporting Library & Museum, Estate of Gwynne McDevitt, 2023

Aren't they lovely?

We are also pleased to add to our weathervane collection! In the shape of a Setter, it still retains much of its original gilding.

American School, Setter Weathervane, 19^th century,
metal and gilding, 17 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches,
National Sporting Library & Museum, Estate of Gwynne McDevitt, 2023

It can be seen in the Library's Main Reading Room and is the only object from the McDevitt Collection currently on view.

Jensen, Remy, and Krissa were able to process each work of art, giving each one a thorough inspection and analysis and then completed high-res photography. Thank you to each of them!

An exhibition of this incredible collection will be forthcoming: make sure to stay tuned!