Collector Kirk Edward Long Donates One of the Largest Gifts in FAMSF History
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), comprising the de Young and Legion of Honor, has received a transformative donation of 1,600 artworks from Bay Area collector Kirk Edward Long. The gift, one of the largest single-owner contributions ever made to the museums’ Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, significantly expands FAMSF’s holdings of early modern European prints and decorative arts.
Long’s extensive collection features rare works from Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, including prints, paintings, antiquities, and decorative pieces. Notably, he also donated a 19th-century Prometheus Chained by Gustave Moreau and a bronze-and-onyx bust titled Sudanese Man in Algerian Costume by Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier.
A Landmark Addition to the “Gifts of Art” Campaign
The Long donation is part of FAMSF’s ongoing multiyear initiative, “Gifts of Art,” launched in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of the merger between the de Young and the Legion of Honor, and the 100th anniversary of the Legion of Honor in 2024. Since the campaign began, the museums have added over 2,000 works from 275 donors across multiple departments.
Among the newly acquired pieces are paintings by Canaletto, Angelica Kauffmann, Georgia O’Keeffe, John Singer Sargent, Camille Pissarro, and Marie-Guillemine Benoist. Important drawings by Elisabeth Louise Vigée-LeBrun, Mary Cassatt, and Henri Matisse also joined the collection. The campaign additionally brought contemporary works by Ruby Neri, Rashaad Newsome, and Maria Guzmán Capron.
In a statement, FAMSF Director and CEO Thomas P. Campbell praised the collective effort behind the campaign: “The Gifts of Art campaign is a significant milestone in the history of the Fine Arts Museums. I am humbled and inspired by the generosity of donors committed to making extraordinary works accessible to our creative and engaged Bay Area audiences.”
Highlights from the Long Collection
Among the notable works from Long’s donation are:
Ugo da Carpi, after Parmigianino — Diogenes (1527–30): A four-block chiaroscuro woodcut depicting the Greek philosopher Diogenes, a fine example of early Italian printmaking.
Giorgio Ghisi, after Giovanni Battista Bertani — The Judgment of Paris (1555): A detailed engraving illustrating the mythological beauty contest that sparked the Trojan War.
Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier — Sudanese Man in Algerian Costume (1856–66): A bronze and onyx bust exemplifying Cordier’s ethnographic portraiture of the 19th century.
Gustave Moreau — Prometheus Chained (ca. 1869): A haunting oil painting of the mythic figure bound to a rock, symbolizing suffering and endurance.
Other Major Gifts Through the Campaign
In addition to Long’s contribution, the campaign has brought numerous museum-quality works to FAMSF:
Canaletto — Venice, the Grand Canal Looking East with Santa Maria della Salute (1749–50): Donated by Diane B. Wilsey in honor of Ann Getty, this $6–10 million painting showcases 18th-century Venice in luminous detail.
Georgia O’Keeffe — Front of Ranchos Church (1930): A serene depiction of the iconic Southwestern church, now a centerpiece of the FAMSF collection.
Angelica Kauffmann — Celadon and Amelia (Summer) and Palemon and Lavinia (Autumn) (ca. 1781): Two mythological paintings purchased through joint donor funding.
Camille Pissarro — Jeanne Reading (1899): Acquired via an anonymous donor to celebrate the Legion of Honor centenary.
Marie-Guillemine Benoist — Psyche Bidding Her Family Farewell (1791): A Neoclassical masterpiece purchased with the support of multiple donors.
Elisabeth Louise Vigée-LeBrun — The Little Eugène de Montesquiou-Fézensac Asleep (1783): A delicate pastel portrait made possible through the Heidi Chipp Living Trust.
Mary Cassatt — The Long Gloves (1886): A pastel study of a young woman dressing, donated anonymously.
Rashaad Newsome — Thirst Trap (2020): A vibrant mixed-media collage by the contemporary Bay Area artist, acquired through a $1 million Svane Family Foundation grant supporting local artists.
Celebrating Generosity and Cultural Legacy
With the addition of Kirk Edward Long’s 1,600 works, FAMSF continues to expand its global art footprint while honoring its Bay Area roots. The Gifts of Art initiative not only commemorates the museums’ landmark anniversaries but also reaffirms their mission to preserve and share art across centuries, cultures, and communities.