The Hyde Collection announced Tuesday it received the largest donation since Charlotte Pruyn Hyde bequeathed her home and artwork to establish the Museum in 1952. The gift is also believed to be one of the largest gifts to any Capital Region arts institution in over a decade.

Art collector, architect, and Schenectady resident Werner Feibes provided a major bequest of art and cash totaling more than $11 million. With the gift, The Hyde will create a new 1,500 square foot gallery dedicated to the display of Modern and Contemporary art. Named in honor of the donor and his late partner, the Feibes & Schmitt Gallery, will open to the public in the summer of 2017.

The leadership donation by Werner Feibes also aims to inspires others to give to The Hyde Collection. This August, the Museum will kick off a major fundraising initiative, which is designed to match a portion of his cash gift to support the new gallery space. Funds raised will expand The Hyde’s reputation as the leading visual arts institution in the region, positioning it to present the “art of our time” alongside its Old Masters and distinguished works of European and American art.

For more than four decades, Werner Feibes and the late James Schmitt built a world-class art collection that aligned with their personal tastes and interest in non-objective art, Pop art, abstract art, and Minimalism. Building on Mr. Feibes' previous donation of 55 Modern and Contemporary works to The Hyde in 2015, the bequest includes the remainder of the collection (105 works). Combined, the Feibes and Schmitt gift more than doubles The Hyde's holdings of Modern and Contemporary art, situating the Museum as a regional hub for Post-war art. 

"Jim Schmitt and I always considered Art as Ideas expressed through a visual medium. So a collection of art is a collection of ideas; therefore, an exhibition of art is actually an exhibition of ideas," noted Mr. Feibes. "For more than four decades, we collected these ideas, and it gives me great pleasure to share them with The Hyde and with the public."

"On behalf of The Hyde, I want to express our profound gratitude for Werner's generosity and his confidence in the Museum. To say this is a transformational gift is an understatement," said Erin Coe, Director of The Hyde Collection. "His gift of art and his donation offers the greater Hyde community an unprecedented opportunity to view, study, and engage with Modern and Contemporary art. The gifted works will have a tremendous impact on the educational and programming opportunities we provide as well."

Mr. Feibes and Mr. Schmitt began collecting in the 1950s. Their collection of paintings, drawings, prints, mixed media, and sculpture includes work from some of the best known and most respected artists of the twentieth century, including Josef Albers, Jean Arp, Grace Hartigan, Keith Haring, Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, Robert Motherwell, George Rickey, Louise Nevelson, Bridget Riley, Robert Rauschenberg, and David Smith.  

"The depth and breadth of the Feibes & Schmitt Collection both compliment and strengthen The Hyde's permanent collection," added Coe. "It extends Mrs. Hyde's legacy by adding significant work from artists of our time, which is something Mrs. Hyde did herself during the first half of the twentieth century."

Beyond the artwork, the cash donation comes at a time when the Museum is experiencing growth and success. The recently completed Marquee project bolstered the visitor experience by adding additional gallery space for the permanent collection, providing more visitor amenities (such as Wi-Fi in the museum, admission desk upgrades, and Lobby renovation), and updating the security system and gallery lighting.  

"Werner's gift is a vote of confidence in the Director's vision and the progress the Museum has made over the last year," added Karl Seitz, Chairman of The Hyde's Board of Trustees. "It is a testament to the energy, excitement, and momentum the Museum is experiencing at this moment. The Hyde isn't just a hidden gem, it's a cultural hub, and the future is bright."

"Werner has made a gift of a lifetime," Coe said. "Like Mrs. Hyde's founding gift that established the Museum and Charles Wood's gifts to the Education Wing and gallery that bears his name, Werner and Jim's philanthropy will increase access to the fine arts and bolster our community's reputation as a cultural destination." 

The Museum will begin work on the Feibes & Schmitt Gallery this fall, with a target date of completion of June 2017.