The Passions of Paul Mellon: Horses, Art, and Philanthropy

Pillar of the Turf Paul Mellon held a lifelong passion for horses and achieved lasting success as an owner and a breeder of thoroughbreds with champion racehorses including Hall of Fame members Arts and Letters and Fort Marcy. He became an avid art collector in his forties and went on to donate thousands of works to notable institutions including the National Gallery of Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and Yale Center for British Art. He was also one of the greatest American philanthropists of the twentieth century and his legacy connects many institutions and foundations today. The exhibit features selections from the Museum’s collection and archive gifted by Paul Mellon along with objects from other institutions that he impacted.