Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Abby loved beautiful art. She traveled to many lands. This helped her learn about art. She met a man named John. They got married in a big party. Abby and John had six children. Abby helped start a big art museum. She also liked old things made by hand. She gave many of her things to the museum. This helps us see art today. Do you like to look at art?

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller loved art. She was born in Rhode Island. Her father was a leader in the government. As a young girl, Abby traveled to many places. She visited many art galleries in Europe. This helped her learn about different styles.

In 1894, Abby met John D. Rockefeller Jr. They married in 1901. They had six children together.

Abby was a very important art leader. She helped start the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA. She worked with three other women to make it. Her husband did not like modern art very much. Because of this, Abby used her own money to help the museum. She also asked other people to give money.

Abby also loved folk art. Folk art is art made by regular people. She collected things like quilts and pottery. She even had a center for veterans to use art. This center helped 1,485 people after World War II. After she died, people named parts of the museum after her. This keeps her work alive today.

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller was a famous American art lover and helper. She was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on October 26, 1874. Her father, Nelson W. Aldrich, was a powerful senator from Rhode Island. Because of her father, Abby met many important leaders when she was young. She went to Miss Abbott's School for Young Ladies to study many subjects. She learned French, German, and art history there. In 1894, she took a long trip to Europe. She visited many art galleries in places like Italy and France. These trips helped her learn how to pick beautiful art.

In late 1894, Abby met John D. Rockefeller Jr. in Providence. He was the son of a very wealthy man named John D. Rockefeller Sr. They walked together on Sunday afternoons for many years. They finally got married on October 9, 1901. Their wedding was a huge event with one thousand guests. They lived in a very large mansion in New York City. They also had homes in Maine and Virginia. Together, they had six children, including Nelson Rockefeller. Nelson later became the 41st vice president of the United States.

Abby was a leader who helped start the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA. She worked with three other women named Lillie P. Bliss, Mary Quinn Sullivan, and Abby herself. They wanted a place to show new kinds of art. Her husband did not like modern art very much. This meant Abby had to find her own money for the museum. She asked many people and companies to help pay for it. She served as the museum's treasurer for many years. She even used her own money to buy new paintings.

Abby also loved collecting folk art made by regular people. She collected things like quilts, pottery, and even old weather vanes. She worked with people like Edith Halpert to find these items. Sometimes, her helpers found art in old attics or shops. In 1932, she helped put on a big show of folk art. This show traveled to six different cities across America. She also started a center to help 1,485 veterans use art after World War II. This was a way to help them feel better through creativity.

Abby died on April 5, 1948, in New York City. She was 73 years old. She left many special gifts to the museums she loved. She gave famous paintings by Vincent van Gogh to MoMA. She also left many small art pieces to the Fogg Museum. Today, many places are named to remember her hard work. There is an Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Print Room at MoMA. There is also a Folk Art Center in Colonial Williamsburg. Her love for art still helps people learn today.

Abigail Greene Aldrich Rockefeller was a significant American socialite and philanthropist. She is best remembered for her leadership in the art world. She played a central role in establishing the Museum of Modern Art, known as MoMA, in New York City. Rockefeller was also a dedicated collector of folk art. Her work helped people recognize the value of both modern and traditional art. Her influence shaped how museums collect and display pieces today.

Abby was born on October 26, 1874, in Providence, Rhode Island. Her father was Nelson W. Aldrich, a powerful United States Senator. Because of her father's political status, she met many important leaders as a child. She attended Miss Abbott's School for Young Ladies in Providence. There, she studied subjects like art history, French, and German. In 1894, she traveled extensively through Europe. She visited many art galleries in countries like Italy, France, and Germany. These trips helped her develop a sharp eye for art.

In late 1894, Abby met John Davison Rockefeller Jr. in Providence. He was the son of the Standard Oil co-founder, John D. Rockefeller Sr. The two began a long courtship involving many Sunday afternoon walks. They married on October 9, 1901, in a massive social event. About one thousand elite guests attended the wedding at her father's home. The couple eventually lived in a nine-story mansion in Manhattan. They also owned homes in Maine and Virginia. They had six children, including Nelson Rockefeller, who became the 41st vice president of the United States.

Abby became a major patron of modern art starting in 1925. She collected works by famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. In 1928, she used the art deco style to decorate her home. She created the Topside Gallery to display her growing collection. This gallery was on the seventh floor of her residence. Visitors used an elevator to reach the art. This setup allowed her to host curated exhibitions for guests. Her interest in modern art encouraged many other collectors to follow her.

Rockefeller was a co-founder of the Museum of Modern Art. She worked with Lillie P. Bliss and Mary Quinn Sullivan to create the institution. They gathered support from leaders like Anson Goodyear and Paul J. Sachs. The museum's first director was Alfred H. Barr Jr. Rockefeller served on the board of trustees starting in 1929. She held several roles, including treasurer and First Vice-president. Because her husband did not support modern art, she had to find her own funding. She raised money from the public and various corporations. She even used her personal funds to buy new paintings for the museum.

Abby also focused heavily on American folk art. This is art made by everyday people rather than professional artists. She collected items like quilts, pottery, and weather vanes. She worked with art dealer Edith Halpert and curator Holger Cahill. In 1934, Cahill searched the southern United States for new pieces. He found items in attics and carpenter shops. One important find was a watercolor titled "The Old Plantation" in South Carolina. In 1932, she helped organize a successful traveling exhibition of folk art. This show visited six different American cities.

Her commitment to art extended to helping others through creativity. During World War II, she helped create the War Veterans' Art Center. This center aimed to rehabilitate veterans through the practice of art. The center served 1,485 veterans before it closed in 1948. Rockefeller died on April 5, 1948, at age 73. She left a massive legacy through her will. She bequeathed famous works by Vincent van Gogh and Georges Seurat to MoMA. She also left her Oriental miniatures to the Fogg Museum. Her estate was valued at over $1.1 million at the time of her death.