I.

Calling of the Meeting to Order – Diane B. Wilsey, President

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco was held on Thursday, March 8, 2007, in the Piazzoni Murals Room, de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.  A quorum being present, the meeting was called to order at 3:25 p.m. by Diane B. Wilsey, President. 

President Wilsey presided; Mrs. Gough acted as Secretary.

II.

Calling of the Roll

Present:

Marion Cope, Vice President for Annual Support
Robert P. Morrow III
Marianne H. Peterson
Michael H. Podell
Louise H. Renne
Jeanne Robertson
Trevor D. Traina
Diane B. Wilsey, President

Excused:

Kermit H. Boston
Iris S. Chan
Penny Coulter
Randolph H. Scott, Vice President for Audience Development and Civic Affairs
Lonna Wais

Other Trustees in Attendance:

Richard W. Goss II
J. Burgess Jamieson
Paul A. Violich, Vice President for Finance

III.

Report of the President – Diane B. Wilsey

A. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Minutes of the January 25, 2007 Meeting of the Board of Trustees

There being no discussion among the Trustees or members of the public, the minutes of the January 25, 2007 meeting of the Board of Trustees, having been mailed in advance to all Trustees, were unanimously approved.

B. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Report of the February 28, 2007 Meeting of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation - George Hecksher, Vice President for Collections, and Chair of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation

In the absence of Chair Hecksher, Director Buchanan provided the report of the February 28, 2007 meeting of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation.

1. Purchases

Mr. Buchanan reported that the Acquisitions Committee at its February 28^th meeting recommended 5 American artworks, and 3 works on paper to the Board of Trustees for approval.  He particularly discussed the works of art presented for purchase approval, listed on page 2 of Appendix I of these minutes:

American Art

- Wall of Light Horizon, 2005, a monumental contemporary painting by artist Sean Scully, was generously funded by a Trustee and is installed in Gallery 16 at the de Young Museum.
- Columbus, Penelope, Dalilah, 2005, and Re-Classifying History IV, 2005, two photographs by Catherine Wagner, and Naco Modern:  The Tortilla Paintings, 2006, by Armando Rascon, were part of the de Young’s Collection Connections program featuring Bay Area artists.  A generous grant from the Annenberg Foundation funds this program, including the purchase of artworks mounted in the Connections exhibitions, which connect historic, traditional art to contemporary art.
- “Jazz Punch Bowlâ€, ca. 1931, by Victor Schrengost, was commissioned by Eleanor Roosevelt for her husband’s office.  Curator Timothy Anglin Burgard succeeded in bidding at auction for this iconic Art Deco ceramic object on view in the Fisher Gallery.

Prints and Drawings

- E Rates, 1946, by German modernist Kurt Schwitters, is a significant collage by this important artist.
- Illustrated letter to Miss Marion Cummings, 1907, and Valentine to Miss Marion Cummings, 1907, by American artist Percy Gray

2. Gifts Offered to the Museums

Mr. Buchanan discussed a major work of African art from a Trustee and his wife, Maternity scene, 12-15^th century, Djenne culture, Mali, Africa, which is on view at the entrance to the African Gallery at the de Young.  The following gifts were also noted:  a) 10 ceramic objects from New Mexico offered by the estate of a late Trustee; and b) a gift of 23 works on paper and 8 artists’ books by various artists from a Foundation.  The gifts offered to the Museums by the Fine Arts Museums Foundation are listed on pages 2 to 4 of Appendix I of these minutes.

3. First Step Deaccessioning

Four works of American Art were recommended by the Acquisitions Committee for first step deccessioning, as listed on page 5 of Appendix I of these minutes.

4. Purchases Reported for the Record

The 11 works on paper are listed on page 6 of Appendix I of these minutes.

Mr. Buchanan introduced the following resolution:

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby approve the February 28, 2007 report of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation, including approving the works of art acquired through purchase and donation as gifts to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco from the Fine Arts Museums Foundation; and approving first step deaccessioning.

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1618.  Mr. Buchanan advised that a working session of the Acquisitions Committee will be held on March 15, 2007 to informally discuss the growth and future direction of the Museums’ permanent collections.

C. Consideration and Possible Action to Change the Date of the Board of Trustees Meeting from June 14, 2007 to June 21, 2007

President Wilsey presented the following resolution changing the date of the June 2007 Board of Trustees meeting from June 14 to June 21.  The time and location of the meeting remain unchanged, namely 3 p.m., in the Board Room of the Legion of Honor.  She noted that a change in date would allow Trustees to conveniently attend the opening reception for the exhibition, From Rembrandt to Thiebaud:  A Decade of Collecting, immediately following the meeting.

RESOLVED, That the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees does hereby change the date of the June 2007 Board of Trustees meeting from June 14, 2007 to June 21, 2007, when the opening reception for the exhibition, From Rembrandt to Thiebaud:  A Decade of Collecting, will be held at the Legion of Honor and will honor donors of works of art; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the time and location of the June 21, 2007 Board of Trustees meeting remain unchanged, namely 3 p.m., in the Board Room at the Legion of Honor.

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1619.

 IV.

Report of the Director of Museums – John E. Buchanan, Jr.

A. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve Loan Requests

Mr. Buchanan presented the following loan requests:

1. From:  Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA

For:  Drawings by Claude Lorrain from the British Museum
California Palace of the Legion of Honor:  10/14/06-1/14/07
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA:  2/4/07-4/29/07
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.:  5/20/07-8/13/07

Claude Lorrain (French, 1600-1682)
View of Tivoli at Sunset, 1644
Oil on canvas, 39 ½ x 53 ½ (100.3 x 135.9 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation
61.44.31

Stipulations:The painting must travel on couriered shipment between venues and with FAMSF courier from Washington to San Francisco.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.

*****

2. From:  Royal Academy of Arts, London, England

For:  Impressionists by the Sea
Royal Academy of Arts, London, England:  7/7/07-9/30/07
The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.:  10/20/07-1/13/08
Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT:  2/9/08-5/11/08

Gustave Courbet (French, 1819-1877)
The Wave, ca. 1869
Oil on canvas, 23 x 31 (58.4 x 78.7 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum Purchase, Grover A. Magnin Bequest Fund and Roscoe and Margaret Oakes Income Fund
2006.58

Stipulations:    The painting must be accompanied by FAMSF courier to London and return from Hartford to San Francisco and must be part of a couriered shipment between venues.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.

3. From:  Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence, KS

For:  Aaron Douglas:  African American Modernist
Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence, KS:  8/16/07-12/2/07
Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN:  1/19/08-4/13/08
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.:  5/9/08-8/3/08
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York, NY:  8/30/08-11/30/08

Aaron Douglas (American, 1899-1979)
Aspiration, 1936
Oil on canvas, 60 x 60 (152.4 x 152.4 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum purchase, the estate of Thurlow E. Tibbs Jr., the Museum Society Auxiliary, American Art Trust Fund, Unrestricted Art Trust Fund, partial gift of Dr. Ernest A. Bates, Sharon Bell, Jo-Ann Beverly, Barbara B. Carleton, Dr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Coleman, Dr. and Mrs. Coyness Ennix, Jr., Nicole Y. Ennix, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Francois, Dennis L. Franklin, Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell C. Gillette, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Goodyear, Zuretti L. Goosby, Marion E. Greene, Mrs. Vivian S.W. Hambrick, Laurie Gibbs Harris, Arlene Hollis, Louis A. and Letha Jeanpierre, Daniel and Jackie Johnson, Jr., Stephen L. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lathan, Lewis & Ribbs Mortuary Garden Chapel, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Love, Glenn R. Nance, Mr. and Mrs. Harry S. Parker III, Mr. and Mrs. Carr T. Preston, Fannie Preston, Pamela R. Ransom, Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Reed, San Francisco Black Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco Chapter of Links, Inc., San Francisco Chapter of the N.A.A.C.P., Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Dr. Ella Mae Simmons, Mr. Calvin R. Swinson, Joseph B. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred S. Wilsey, and the people of the Bay Area
1997.84

Stipulations:  The painting will be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to Lawrence and return from New York to San Francisco and must be part of a couriered shipment between venues.  All related expenses, including special crating requirements, will be paid by the requesting organization.  The loan to the Schomburg venue is subject to the completion of construction and confirmation that exhibition space meets FAMSF standard requirements for security, climate, lighting, and storage of crates.

*****

4. From:  National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

For:  J.M.W. Turner
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.:  10/1/07-1/6/08
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX:  2/10/08-5/18/08
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY:  6/23/08-9/12/08

Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, 1775-1851)
View of Kenilworth Castle, ca. 1830
Transparent and opaque watercolor on wove paper
Sheet:  292 x 454 mm (11 ½ x 17 7/8 in.)
Frame:  533 x 673 x 32 mm (21 x 26 ½ x 1 ¼ in.)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Osgood Hooker
1967.4

Stipulations:  The watercolor will be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to Washington and return from New York to San Francisco and must be part of a couriered shipment between venues.  Will require anti-reflective, UV screening acrylic.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.

*****

5. From:  Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA

For:  Elihu Vedder’s Drawings for the Rubáiyát
Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA:  3/15/08-5/18/08

Elihu Vedder (American, 1836-1923)
The Sphinx of the Seashore, 1879
Oil on canvas, 16 x 27 7/8 (40.6 x 70.8 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3^rd
1979.7.102

Stipulations:  The painting will be accompanied by FAMSF courier to and from Chadds Ford to San Francisco.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.

*****

6. From:  The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

For:  Telling Tales:  American Genre Painting: 1760-1920
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY:  10/5/09-1/24/10
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA:  2/28/10-5/23/10

Thomas Pollock Anshutz (American, 1851-1912)
The Ironworkers’ Noontime, 1880
Oil on canvas, 17 x 23 7/8 (43.2 x 60.6 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3^rd
1979.7.4

Stipulations:  The painting will be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to New York and return from Los Angeles to San Francisco.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the six loan requests noted above.  There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the loans subject to the conditions stated.

V.

VI.

Meeting Schedule, Future Events and Current and Future Exhibits

A. 2007 Board of Trustees Meetings

B. 2007 Executive Committee Meetings

C. Future Events

D.Current and Future Exhibitions (*Exhibitions organized by FAMSF)[1]

Legion of Honor - Major Special Exhibitions

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
de Young Museum -  Major Special Exhibitions

 VII.

Adjournment – Diane B. Wilsey, President

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Gough
Executive Secretary

These minutes set forth all actions taken up by the Executive Committee on matters stated, but not necessarily in the order in which the matters were considered.