82R19336 BPG-D
By: Naishtat H.R. No. 1125
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, One of the oldest museums in the Lone Star State, the
Elisabet Ney Museum in Austin is marking its 100th anniversary on
April 6, 2011; and
WHEREAS, German-born sculptor Elisabet Ney earned
international renown in the 19th century with her portraiture,
including busts of Arthur Schopenhauer and Otto von Bismarck and
statues of Texas heroes Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, which
stand today in the State Capitol; after moving to Texas, she served
as a powerful advocate for arts, culture, and education; her
neoclassical studio in Hyde Park became a gathering place for
influential citizens who went on to found The University of Texas
Art Department, the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Texas Fine
Arts Association, and museums and art schools throughout the state;
and
WHEREAS, On April 6, 1911, the Elisabet Ney Museum was
founded on the grounds of the late artist's former studio by more
than 100 of her friends and admirers, among them governors,
senators, and the president of The University of Texas; the
institution has since welcomed millions of visitors and built a
worldwide reputation for excellence; the National Trust for
Historic Preservation selected it for its prestigious Historic
Artists' Homes and Studios program and the White House designated
it as an official project of the Save America's Treasures program in
2003; moreover, it was featured in a celebrated Ney retrospective
at the Stadtmuseum Munster in Germany; and
WHEREAS, Furthering Ms. Ney's vision for the arts and
education, the museum is visited by schoolchildren from all over
the state and is a resource for their studies of early Texas
history; scholars in many fields use the museum in their research,
and its programming and exhibits serve diverse community groups and
have garnered numerous awards from such organizations as the Texas
Alliance for Education and the Arts and the Texas Historical
Commission; and
WHEREAS, The Elisabet Ney Museum has enriched the lives of
innumerable people over the past century through the uplifting
power of art, nature, and beauty, and it is indeed fitting to
recognize its vital contributions to our state's cultural heritage;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of the Elisabet Ney
Museum and extend to all those associated with this exceptional
institution sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the museum as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.