History of the Graphic Arts Loan Collection
The collection began in 1958 under the direction of Professor Herwin Schaefer, who believed that the best way to foster an appreciation of art is for students to live with original prints for a semester.
He declared that the University could assemble a collection of works touched by the hand of the artist and make them available to students, which would support a meaningful extension of the university's art teaching program.
Funding for the nucleus of the collection was provided by the Columbia Foundation and the International Graphic Arts Society, and the works themselves comprised a survey of art movements and artists — from Impressionism to Cubism, and from Rembrandt to Miro.
Art for the Asking: 60 Years of the Graphic Arts Loan Collection
This website for the exhibition in the fall of 2018 celebrating 60 years of the GALC contains pages on printmaking processes and sections on printmaking as resistance and the city in print. Prints in the GALC that no longer circulate and which were a part of this exhibition also have a featured section on this website. You will find a little more on the history of the GALC here too.
Graphic Arts Loan Collection FAQ
Have questions about the GALC? Please see our Frequently asked questions.
Share your experience with the Graphic Arts Loan Collection!
We would love to hear about your experience living with a piece from the Graphic Arts Loan Collection. Add your story to the GALC Experiences page.