After Church’s daughter-in-law died in 1964, having preserved Olana for decades with her husband Louis Palmer Church, her heirs put Olana on the market. An option granted by the Sally Church estate set the race for funds against a ticking clock. David Huntington, a junior professor at Smith College, led the effort, beginning with the restoration of Church’s reputation. Huntington’s group prevented the sale from going forward, raised funds for its purchase, and eventually persuaded Governor Nelson Rockefeller to sign legislation permitting the state to acquire it.

Professor of Art History, Graduate Center, City University of New York, Katherine Manthorne, focuses on Cayambe by Frederic Church. She speaks about Frederic Church’s close study of nature and how he forged a tradition of traveler-art that spans from the 19th century to today.

Olana’s Director of Collections and Exhibitions William L. Coleman, Ph.D. focuses on Tropical Orchid by Martin Johnson Heade. This painting testifies to the complex friendship between artists Martin Heade and Frederic Church and served as inspiration for the upcoming exhibition, Cross Pollination, opening in 2021.

A brief history of Frederic Church’s OLANA.