From Library Journal
The Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore is a sort of mini-Metropolitan, with a collection that spans periods and genres, from Egyptian bronzes and Islamic metalwork to early Renaissance paintings and more. Johnston, associate director of the gallery, has written an excellent portrait of the father and son who assembled the collection and turned it over to the people of Baltimore and the world. He deftly traces the career of the elder Walters from his birth in the wilds of Pennsylvania in the early 19th century to success as a railroad baron. His son, Henry, born to wealth, expanded his father's collection and oversaw its transformation into a public gallery. Johnson skillfully handles both the complex business transactions of the Walters family and their varied interests in both the art of their day and in historical collecting. Highly recommended for larger collections and public libraries with an interest in the fine arts.AMartin R. Kalfatovic, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
