Paul G. Allen, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, had a lifelong interest in the visual arts and believed that art should be accessible and shared widely to deepen our connections to art and to help us see the world with a fresh perspective. A Cultural Legacy showcases singular paintings of importance that connect to works in SAM’s collections and special exhibitions. The first in a series of three historically important works from the Allen Family Collection will be Large Interior, W11 (after Watteau) by Lucian Freud, followed by The Madonna of the Magnificat by Sandro Botticelli, and White Rose with Larkspur No. 1 by Georgia O’Keeffe.
The Allen Family Collection includes works spanning centuries, genres, and media. Paul took his role as a steward and custodian of these artworks very seriously as he expanded the collection to include noted masterworks, selections of which have been exhibited domestically and abroad, including at the Seattle Art Museum in the exhibition Seeing Nature in 2017.