A Nation of Artists
A Nation of Artists at PAFA marks a special moment—the reopening of the Historic Landmark Building, a masterpiece of 19th-century architecture by Frank Furness and George W. Hewitt. As the first structure in the U.S. designed specifically for both exhibition and art education, its legacy as a museum and school for artistic innovation continues.
At PAFA, the exhibition is curated thematically, grouping artworks as never before assembled to explore new ideas, connections, and interpretations of American art. Through these dynamic juxtapositions, visitors will see centuries of American art through a powerful, new lens.
The installation will also include contemporary art from the 21st century, placing today's most exciting living artists in dialogue with those of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Throughout 2026 and 2027, artist talks and public programs will further enrich the experience of the exhibition, offering opportunities to engage with the artists shaping American art now.
Featured Artwork: "Flag," Jasper Johns, 1960-66. Encaustic and printed collage on paper laid down on canvas, 17 1/2 x 26 3/4 (framed 34 3/4 x 44 inches), 1894.4. The Middleton Family Collection.
The exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts will collaborate with a simultaneous presentation at the Philadelphia Art Museum in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Across the two museums, A Nation of Artists will feature more than 1,000 works, including more than 100 iconic paintings and decorative arts from the Middleton Family Collection. Together, these works will offer fresh perspectives on the evolving story of American art and experience.
Exhibition Themes at PAFA
Guided by five core themes, A Nation of Artists at PAFA reimagines what American art has been—and what it can become. It’s an invitation to reflect, to question, and to see the evolving story of this nation through the eyes of its artists.
- Prosperity, Abundance, and Inequity
Discover how prosperity and inequality have shaped American art—from early portraiture and elite patronage to powerful reflections on labor, migration, and resilience. - Internationalism and Global Exchange
Follow American artists abroad and at home to see how global influences shaped their work. From World Fairs to Paris Salons, visitors can explore how artists were influenced by cultural curiosity, artistic exchange, and lifelong learning. - Looking West
Visitors feel the tension of American western expansion, colonization, and cultural interchange—revealing how art shaped and challenged our visions of the western frontier and communities. What was the west? - Horizons: Landscapes and Spaces Between
From the sublime to the surreal, artists have long turned to the land for inspiration. Examine how nature—real and imagined—has been a place of personal, spiritual, and environmental meaning throughout American art. - Geometry, Industry, and the Modern Imagination
Trace how medicine, technology, and modern design transformed visual expression. From geometric cityscapes to abstract patterns, explore how artists engaged with the changing environment and the possibilities of the modern world.
Artwork (Selects)
Press
MEDIA / PRESS: Please email marketing@pafa.org for access to a folder of graphics and related information.
EXHIBITION SUPPORT
A Nation of Artists is organized by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia Art Museum.
This exhibition is made possible by The Middleton Family.
Major support is provided by Constance Hess Williams and Sankey Williams, the Connelly Foundation, and The Victory Foundation.
Significant support is provided by The City of Philadelphia and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, Schoelkopf Fine Art Advisors, and Grace and Andrew Schoelkopf.
Additional support is provided by the 25th Century Foundation, Mr.* and Mrs. John A. Nyheim, an anonymous donor, and other generous supporters.
This exhibition is sponsored by
Funding for the publication is generously provided by the Wyeth Foundation for American Art.
PAFA’s HVAC Challenge, generously made possible by a major matching grant from an Anonymous donor, is supported by the following: Arcadia Foundation, Estate of William C. Buck, Donald R. Caldwell and Linda Aversa-Caldwell, Charles E. Chase and Wendi S. Chase, Elliot H. Clark, Marianne Dean, Kevin F. Donohoe and Betsy Donohoe, William P. Hankowsky and Rosemary Hankowsky, Ro King and Martin King, Robert Kohler, Valentine J. Link and Katherine Link, Anne E. McCollum, McLean Contributionship, Laura and Kenneth Mitchell, Save America’s Treasures, Henry B. DuPont Smith and June Smith, Timothy P. Speiss and Judite Morais, Richard c. von Hess Foundation, and the William Penn Foundation.
The presentation of A Nation of Artists at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is made possible by significant grants from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Richard C. Von Hess Foundation, the Terra Foundation for American Art, the William Penn Foundation, and generous individual donors.
All exhibitions at the PMA are underwritten by the Annual Exhibition Fund. Generous support is provided by Andrea Baldeck, M.D.; Julia and David Fleishner; Robert Hayes; and Mark W. Strong and Dana Strong.
Special exhibitions at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2025 – 2026 are generously supported by Aliya and Reginald Browne; Ro and Martin King; Jannie Lau and Todd Longsworth; J. Brien and Maggie Murphy; Vesna Todorovic Sacks and Howard J. Sacks; Linda Seyda and Robert Boris; Timothy P. Speiss and Judite Morais; and anonymous.
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