Dorothy and Herbert Vogel were never casual about collecting, so naturally, there’s nothing casual about how they’re giving pieces of their remarkable collection away. Dorothy, 73, worked for the Brooklyn Public Library; Herbert, 85, spent his career in the Postal Service.
Despite their middle-class means, the couple acquired a staggering array of works by notable artists beginning in the early 1960s, with a particular strength in minimalist and conceptual art.
The National Gallery of Art has acquired more than 800 pieces from the Vogels since 1992, but a new gift initiative the gallery announced with the couple last week will dwarf even their previous generosity.
Titled “Fifty Works for Fifty States,” the program will help 2,500 works from the Vogel collection find their way to those who would see them: Fifty museums, one in each state, will receive gifts of 50 pieces each. The gallery has also collaborated with the Vogels on a Web site to educate the public about the works and their new homes. Check it out at vogel5050.org.
If you go
National Gallery of Art
Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Admission: Free
More information: 202-737-4215 or nga.gov
