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FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO
Board of Trustees
April 16, 2009
I. Calling of the Meeting to Order - Diane B. Wilsey, President
A meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco was held on Thursday, April 16, 2009, in the Piazzoni Murals Room of the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. A quorum was present that being one-third of the number of Trustees in office. The meeting was called to order at 3:20 p.m. by Diane B. Wilsey, President.
President Wilsey presided; Mrs. Gough acted as Secretary.
II. Calling of the Roll
The following Trustees were present:
Adolphus Andrews, Jr.
Carol W. Casey
Barnaby Conrad III
Penny Coulter
Molly Murphy Crowley
Belva Davis, Vice President
Carlos A. Garcia
Frankie Jacobs Gillette
Janet W. Lamkin
Kathryn Lasater
Lawrence B. Low
Marianne H. Peterson
Jeanne Robertson
Venetta S. Rohal
Randolph R. Scott
Susan S. Swartz
Jeana Toney
Diane B. Wilsey, President
Lisa Zanze
On motion, duly seconded and carried, the following Trustees were excused:
Edward D. Baker III
Roger Barnett
Shelby W. Bonnie
Iris S. Chan
David H. S. Chung
Marion Moore Cope, Vice President for Annual Support
Juliet de Baubigny
Denise B. Fitch
Harrison S. Fraker, Jr.
Karen B. Francois
John A. Friede
Elise Friedman
Lauren Hall
Gretchen Kimball
David Lamond
Monica Maduro, Vice President for Audience Development
and Civic Affairs
Nancy McFadden
Carl Pascarella
Lisa M. Sardegna
Arlene Schnitzer
Jim Tananbaum
Trevor D. Traina
Lonna Wais
Robert T. Wall
David Winton
The following ex-officio Trustees were unable to be present:
Mayor Gavin Newsom
Lawrence Martin, President, Recreation and Park Commission
Other Trustees in attendance were:
Cheryl Bancroft
Richard W. Goss II
George Hecksher, Vice President for Collections
J. Burgess Jamieson
Stephanie MacColl
Gail Merriam
J. Alec Merriam
Paul A. Violich, Vice President for Finance
Florence Sue Wong
III. Closed Session for Conference with Legal Counsel for Anticipated Litigation
President Wilsey advised that this closed session item concerns existing litigation involving Robert Friede and Thomas Jaffe, brothers of John Friede, and pertains to their alleged interest in certain collateral owned by Marcia and John Friede.
President Wilsey welcomed Deputy City Attorneys Adine Varah and Donald Margolis, who were present to discuss the existing litigation as it relates to the Museums.
A. Public Comment on All Matters Pertaining to the Closed Session
President Wilsey stated that public comment would be taken at this time on matters pertaining to the closed session before the Board of Trustees votes to convene in closed session. There was no public comment on matters pertaining to the closed session.
B. Vote on Whether to Hold Closed Session to Confer with Legal Counsel
[San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.10(d)]
A motion to convene in closed session was made and seconded. There was no discussion among Trustees. There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to convene in closed session. Members of the public and all staff, with the exception of John Buchanan, Robert Futernick, and Judy Gough, were excused from the Piazzoni Murals Room.
C. Closed Session Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 and
San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.10(d)
Conference with Legal Counsel on Existing Litigation as Plaintiff - Deputy City Attorneys Adine Varah and Donald Margolis
1. City and County of San Francisco (Fine Arts Museums of
San Francisco) vs. Thomas Jaffe, Robert Friede, et. al.
(Civil Case No.: 08-479905) and Robert Friede vs.
City and County of San Francisco (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco) (as Third-Party Defendant) (New York Supreme Court Index No. 590982/2008)
President Wilsey called the closed session to order and introduced Deputy City Attorney Adine Varah and Deputy City Attorney Donald Margolis of the City Attorney's Litigation Division, who reported on the existing litigation.
D. Reconvene in Open Session
1. Possible Report on Action Taken in Closed Session [Government Code Section 54957.1(a)(2) and San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(b)(2)]
President Wilsey reconvened the meeting in open session and reported that no
action was taken by the Board of Trustees during the closed session.
2. Vote to Elect Whether to Disclose Any or All Discussions Held in Closed Session [San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(a)]
A motion was made and duly seconded not to disclose any or all discussion held
in the closed session. There was no discussion among Trustees. There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously not to disclose any of the discussion held in closed session.
President Wilsey advised that the closed session was concluded, and the
regular business before the Board of Trustees was then addressed.
IV. Report of the President - Diane B. Wilsey
A. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Minutes of the
January 29, 2009 Meeting of the Board of Trustees
There being no discussion among the Trustees or members of the public, the
minutes of the January 29, 2009 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 March 5, 2009 Acquisitions Committee Meeting - George Hecksher, Vice President for Collections and Chair of the Acquisitions Committee
Chair Hecksher provided the report of the March 5, 2009 meeting of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation.
Stricter Guidelines for the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art Established on June 4, 2008 by the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD)
Chair Hecksher reported that the Acquisitions Committee recommended the approval of AAMD's new Guidelines for the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art by purchase, gift, bequest, or exchange. Museums should not acquire a work unless provenance research substantiates that the work was outside its country of probable modern discovery before 1970 or was legally exported from its probable country of modern discovery after 1970. The Guidelines recognize the 1970 UNESCO Convention as providing the most pertinent threshold date for the application of more rigorous standards to the acquisition of archeological material and ancient art.
The Stricter Guidelines for the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and
Ancient Art, as listed in Appendix I of these minutes, were recommended to the Board of Trustees for approval.
2. Purchases
At the request of Chair Hecksher, John E. Buchanan, Jr., Director of Museums, and Martin Chapman, Curator of European Decorative Art and Sculpture, presented Breakfast Tea Service, "Déjeuner Chinois Réticulé", mid-19th century, marks for 1839 and 1842, by Sevres Porcelain Factory. This masterpiece was decorated by Pierre Huard, designed by Yacinthe Regnier, and supplied on the orders of King Louis-Philippe to Monsieur de Cambacérès, a French peer in 1842. This elaborately conceived breakfast set represents the French royal tradition of giving sumptuous diplomatic gifts made by the royal porcelain manufactory at Sèvres. These gifts were intended to be given by the king to foreign dignitaries or to French nationals as a reward for their service to the state.
Inspired directly by examples of Chinese openwork porcelain that were found in French collections in the 1830s, the service is decorated in the complex technique of reticulation where the outer shell of porcelain is pierced with delicate patterns. The painted decoration is elaborate as well. Derived both from Chinese porcelain and lacquer, it shows a wide variety of scenes and motifs from Chinese life in shaped cartouches on a black ground.
Other examples of this model are found in the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. However, this Breakfast Tea Service, is one of the finest to survive in terms of its early date, its completeness, and complex scheme of decoration. It was purchased in Paris at the February 23-25, 2009 Christie's auction of the Collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. Chair Hecksher acknowledged the special efforts of President Wilsey and Mr. Buchanan, which were instrumental to the acquisition of this masterwork.
In addition to the Breakfast Tea Service, Chair Hecksher advised that the Acquisitions Committee also recommended the following purchases to the Board of Trustees for approval: Harp-lute (korikaariye), early 20th century, Africa, Ivory Coast, Senufo people; Untitled, 1984, by Rick Grafton; Preliminary sketch for a Taiheki triptych, ca. 1860, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi; and Man's ceremonial wrapper (ukara),20th century, Nigeria, Cross River Region, Igbo people, Ekpe (Leopard) society.
These five artworks listed on page 1 of Appendix I of these minutes
were recommended to the Board of Trustees for purchase approval.
3. Bequest of a Collection of Pre-Columbian Art works (220 Objects)
At the request of Chair Hecksher, Kathleen Berrin, Curator of the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, addressed the bequest of a Collection of Pre-Columbian Artworks. Ms. Berrin noted that the donor, a former Honorary Trustee, and her husband were avid collectors devoting 35 years to developing an impressive collection of Pre-Columbian art. In 1975, the Museums mounted an exhibition of this Collection at the Legion of Honor. For more than 25 years, the de Young Museum has displayed pieces from this notable Collection; approximately 80 artworks from the Collection are presently on view in the Pre-Columbian galleries. Ms. Berrin presented two iconic works from the Collection, which were on view at the meeting.
The bequest of the Collection of Pre-Columbian Artworks (consisting of 220 records), listed on page 2 of Appendix I of these minutes, was recommended to the Board of Trustees for approval.
4. Gifts
Mr. Buchanan presented the bequest of a major painting, Vase of Flowers, 1901, by Odilon Redon (French, 1840-1916). Redon was considered the ultimate representative of the Symbolist movement. Though he worked alongside the impressionists, Redon was an independent minded artist who, instead of portraying the natural world, was more interested in portraying the dark hollows of the psyche. This particular painting represents the second half of Redon's career when he focused on light and color and created floating, dream-like imagery. The painting is one of the finest examples of Redon's flower paintings and is considered a masterpiece by this artist. This is the first Redon painting to enter the Museums' collection.
In addition to the Redon painting, Chair Hecksher briefly noted the following
gifts to the Museums: 1) 3 earthenware objects, each entitled Standing Figure with Headdress (remojada), Preclassic, from Mexico, Veracruz, and Pendant, Guatemala, Pre-Columbian; 2) 10 European Decorative Art objects; 3) a bequest of 10 works on paper; 4) 4 couture objects; and 5) Collection of bags (4)(kete).
Chair Hecksher expressed sincere appreciation to all the donors. The gifts offered to the Museums by the Fine Arts Museums Foundation are listed on pages 3 through 5 of Appendix I of these minutes.
5. First Step Deaccessioning
The 25 American artworks listed on pages 6 and 7 of Appendix I of these minutes were recommended to the Board of Trustees for first step deaccessioning.
6. Resolution to Sell a Work of Art on Loan to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in Accordance with the California Abandoned Property Statute
The artwork referenced in the resolution on page 8 of Appendix I of these minutes represents a loan to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco made over twenty-five years ago. California Civil Code Section 1899 adopted in 1983 established that any object left in the possession of a museum for over twenty-five years with no action taken by the owner to recover the property, or to declare their intent to preserve ownership of the property, will be considered abandoned property and will become the property of the museum.
Paysage de Voulangis, ca. 1932, by Henry Sugimoto (not artist Hiroshi Sugimoto), was recommended to the Board of Trustees to be sold as stated in the resolution on page 8 of Appendix I of these minutes.
The following resolution was introduced:
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of
San Francisco does hereby approve the appended March 5, 2009 report of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation, including approval of the Stricter Guidelines for the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art Established on June 4, 2008 by the Association of Art Museum Directors; the works of art acquired through purchase, donation, and bequest as gifts to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco from the Fine Arts Museums Foundation; first step deaccessioning; and the resolution to sell Paysage de Voulangis, by Henry Sugimoto in accordance with the California Abandoned Property Statute.
On motion, duly seconded, there was no further discussion among Trustees. There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1662.
C. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Resignation of Shelby W. Bonnie from the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
President Wilsey advised that Shelby W. Bonnie has submitted a letter of resignation from the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Business obligations preclude his active participation as a Trustee at this time.
On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among the Trustees. There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to regretfully accept the resignation of Shelby W. Bonnie from the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. President Wilsey expressed the hope that Mr. Bonnie might return to the Board to serve his third term of three years in the future.
D. Consideration and Possible Action to Change the Location of the October 8, 2009 Board of Trustees Meeting and the September 10, 2009 and December 10, 2009 Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees Meetings from the Piazzoni Murals Room at the de Young Museum to the Board Room at the Legion of Honor Due to the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs Exhibition at the de Young Museum
President Wilsey advised that parking at the de Young Museum will most likely be difficult during the run of the Tut exhibition, June 27, 2009 - March 28, 2010. Consequently, it has been proposed that the location of the October 8, 2009 meeting of the Board of Trustees, and the September 10 and December 10, 2009 Executive Committee meetings be changed from the de Young Museum to the Legion of Honor. She presented the following resolution:
WHEREAS, The Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibition opens at the de Young Museum on June 27, 2009 and runs through March 28, 2010; and
WHEREAS, The Tut exhibition is expected to attract large audiences to the
de Young Museum making it more convenient to hold the October 8, 2009 Board of Trustees meeting and the September 10, 2009 and December 10, 2009 Executive Committee meetings at the Legion of Honor in the Board Room, rather than the Piazzoni Murals Room at the de Young Museum; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees does hereby change the location of the October 8, 2009 Board of Trustees meeting and the September 10, 2009 and December 10, 2009 meetings of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees from the Piazzoni Murals Room at the de Young Museum to the Board Room at the Legion of Honor; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the time of these meetings remains unchanged, namely 3 p.m.
On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among the Trustees. There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1663.
V. Report of the Director - John E. Buchanan, Jr.
A. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve Loan Requests
Mr. Buchanan presented the following loan requests:
From:Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, England
For: Salvator Rosa (1615-1673): The Horrid Grace of Wilderness
Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, England: 9/15/10 - 12/5/10
Salvator Rosa (Italian, 1615 - 1673)
Landscape with Travellers, ca 1640
Oil on canvas
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum purchase,
Walter H. and Phyllis J. Shorenstein Foundation Fund and the
Roscoe and Margaret Oakes Income Fund
1987.10
Stipulations: The painting must be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to and from London. All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.
From: The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida
For: Venice in Canaletto's Age
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida:
10/08/09 - 1/10/10
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, Tennessee: 2/13/10-5/9/10
Pietro Longhi (Italian, 1702 - 1785)
The Music Lesson (The Bird Cage), ca. 1740 - 1745
Oil on canvas, 22 x 17 (55.9 x 43.2 cm)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Mortimer Leventritt
1952.83
Stipulations: The painting must be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to and from Sarasota. Courier required between venues. All relatedexpenses will be paid by the requesting organization.
From: Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
For:Georges Seurat: Figures in Space
Kunsthaus Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland: 10/2/09 - 1/17/10
Schim Kunsthalle Frankfurt, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany:
2/5/10 - 5/9/10
Georges Seurat (French, 1859 - 1891)
Study for "La Parade de Cirque", 1886 - 1887
Black crayon on laid paper, Sheet: 233 x 308 mm (93/16 x 12 1/8 in.)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum purchase, Archer M. Huntington Fund
Georges Seurat (French, 1859 - 1891)
Eiffel Tower, ca. 1889
Oil on panel, Sheet: 24.1 x 15.2 cm (9 ½ x 6 in.)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum purchase, William H. Noble Bequest Fund
1979.48
Stipulations: The artworks must be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to Zurich and on return from Frankfurt. A courier is required between venues. All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.
From: Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Mississippi
For: Whistler to Wedgwood: Western Art and the Influence of Japan,
1854-1918
Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Mississippi, 2/12/11 - 7/10/11
Charles Caryl Coleman (American, 1840 - 1928)
Azaleas and Apple Blossoms, 1879
Oil on canvas, 181 x 63.5 cm (71¼x 25 in.)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum purchase, Roscoe and Margaret Oakes Income Fund, gift of Barbro and Bernard Osher, J. Burgess & Elizabeth Jamieson Endowment Fund, and bequest of William A. Stimson
2008.9
Stipulations: The painting must be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to and from Jackson. All related expenses will be paid by the requesting organization.
A motion was made and seconded to approve the 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.
B. Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Acknowledging Funding Expended by the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums During the Period October 1 through December 30, 2008
The city's Sunshine Ordinance requires the Fine Arts Museums to disclose the amount and source of all gifts received. Mr. Buchanan presented the following resolution, which acknowledges funding expended by the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums for the period October 1 through December 30, 2008.
WHEREAS, The Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that exists to support the activities of the Fine Arts Museums of
San Francisco; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of
San Francisco does hereby acknowledge with gratitude funding in the amount
of $8,470,146 expended by the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums for operations during the period October 1 through December 30, 2008.
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 1664.
C. Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Acknowledging the Following Bequests of Funds Received During the Period October 1 through December 30, 2008
In accordance with the city's Sunshine Ordinance, bequests received by the Fine Arts Museums must also be disclosed. Mr. Buchanan introduced the following resolution acknowledging the subsequent bequests of funds received by the Museums during the period October 1 through December 30, 2008.
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby acknowledge the following bequests of funds received during the period October 1 through December 30, 2008:
Cornelia Myers Cogsdell 1998 Trust, $352.56
Myna B. Hughes Trust, $3,192
Hildegard Seidel Estate, $239,664
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 1665.
VI. Public Comment
Members of the public may address the Board of Trustees on items that
are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Speakers may address the Board of Trustees for up to three minutes; the President
or the Board of Trustees may limit the total comment to thirty minutes. There was no public comment.
VII. Meeting Schedule, Future Events, and Current and Future Exhibits
A.2009 Board of Trustees Meetings
Date Time Location
Thursday, June 11, 3 p.m. Board Room, Legion of Honor
Thursday, October 8, 3 p.m. Board Room, Legion of Honor
B.2009 Executive Committee Meetings
Date Time Location
Thursday, May 7, 3 p.m. Piazzoni Murals Room, de Young
Thursday, September 10, 3 p.m. Board Room, Legion of Honor
Thursday, December 10, 3 p.m. Board Room, Legion of Honor
C. Future Events
Date Event
May 16-24 Young at Art Festival:
June 1, 2009 Annual Donors' Luncheon Featuring
Keynote Speaker, Hesham Elnakib, Ph.D.,
Consul General of Egypt San Francisco
June 19, 2009 Opening Reception - Art and Power in the
Central African Savanna
June 23, 2009 Black Tie Opening Dinner - Tutankhamun
and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs
June 24, 2009 Black Tie Gala Opening - Tutankhamun
and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs
D. Current and Future Exhibitions
Legion of Honor - Major Special Exhibitions
Title Date
Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique - 02/07/09-05/31/09
John Baldessari: A Print Retrospective from the
Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His
Family Foundation - 07/11/09-11/08/09
The Art of Cartier: Masterworks from the Cartier Collection - 12/19/09-05/02/10
de Young Museum - Major Special Exhibitions
Title Date
Warhol Live - 02/14/09-05/17/09
Art and Power in the Central African Savanna - 06/27/09-03/28/09
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs - 06/20/09-10/11/09
Amish Abstractions: Quilts from the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown - 11/14/09-05/16/10
The dates of future exhibitions are subject to change
* Exhibitions organized by FAMSF
VIII. Adjournment- Diane B. Wilsey, President
There being no further business, President Wilsey adjourned the meeting at 4:13 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy Gough
Executive Secretary
These minutes set forth all actions taken up by the Board of Trustees on matters stated, but not necessarily in the order in which the matters were considered.
