Henry Clay Lewis Art Collection Presentation
Brittany Gemmill, archivist of the Holbrook Heritage Room at the Branch District Library, presents the history of the Henry Clay Lewis Art Collection on Friday, January 8, at 5 p.m. at Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater. Photos, the 1875 gallery catalogue and paintings will be on display.
Brittany Gemmill walks through the history of Henry Clay Lewis and the Lewis Art Gallery. Alongside the talk, you can see photographs, the original 1875 gallery catalogue and some of the paintings.
The collection was once considered the largest and best gallery west of New York, and it was housed in Coldwater. Lewis willed it to the city, but the city didn't want it, so the pieces were scattered. Some of the priciest ones ended up in places like the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., while Tibbits and the Branch District Library got several too. Part of the collection at Tibbits is on permanent loan from the University of Michigan art collection.
A reception follows the presentation, with time for questions and a closer look at the pieces housed at Tibbits.
The collection was once considered the largest and best gallery west of New York, and it was housed in Coldwater. Lewis willed it to the city, but the city didn't want it, so the pieces were scattered. Some of the priciest ones ended up in places like the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., while Tibbits and the Branch District Library got several too. Part of the collection at Tibbits is on permanent loan from the University of Michigan art collection.
A reception follows the presentation, with time for questions and a closer look at the pieces housed at Tibbits.
This description was prepared from source information with AI assistance. Check the organizer’s latest details before heading out.
Source: Tibbits Opera House ↗
Last successful source check: Nov 11, 2026, 7:02 AM
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