by Marlin Bressi

Created on: September 03, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Featuring works which span a period of 6,000 years, the Cincinnati Art Museum is a must-see destination for every serious art enthusiast. Situated in the Eden Park area of the city, the museum contains over 60,000 works, making it the largest collection of art in the entire state of Ohio. Founded in 1881, it is also one of the oldest art collections in the United States.

The Cincinnati Art Museum boasts an outstanding permanent collection featuring work by some of history's most influential American and European artists. The American Painting and Sculpture collection is home to paintings by noted artists such as Childe Hassam, Grant Wood, and Winslow Homer. In this impressive and historic collection, visitors can delight in Whittredge landscapes, Peale portraits, and Hiram Powers sculptures.

The European Painting and Sculpture collection contains important works by influential painters such as Anthony van Dyck, Johann Eckstein, Edouard Manet, and Amedeo Modigliani. This collection is a wondrous journey through time where visitors can bask in the stunning beauty of original paintings by modern masters like Matisse, Picasso, and van Gogh, or experience 12th century frescoes and 13th century sculptures. Perhaps most impressive is "Judith With the Head of Holofernes"; one of the best surviving paintings by renowned 15th century Italian master Sandro Botticelli.

Asian and African art is also prominently displayed at the Cincinnati Art Museum. From 8th century sculptures to 12th century Yaozhou stoneware bowls, the Far Eastern collection displays exquisite works of important cultural significance. Ancient and modern wooden masks and figurines can be found in the Art of Africa exhibition.

The museum also has a world-class collection of photography, drawings, and watercolors. Civil War-era daguerreotypes capture the earliest days of photography, while gelatin silver prints from the 1930s capture the essence of photography's Golden Age. When it comes to drawings by contemporary artists, the museum is home to original works by C.F. Payne and Thom E. Shaw.

Some of the oldest works in the museum can be found in the Classical and Near Eastern Art collection, where visitors can experience sculptures and carvings from Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures.

Admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is free, making it an affordable destination for families as well as anyone interested in art. The museum, which is located on Eden Park Drive, is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11am to 5pm. Containing some of history's most important and priceless objects and paintings, a visit to the Cincinnati Art Museum is an adventure you will never forget.

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