Marin Family Collection

January 19 – April 20, 2024

Since the early 1950s, the Marin family has served as champions of scores of artists, as well as numerous art museums in Maine and throughout the United States. As evidenced in this exhibition, the collecting interest of the Marin family features a diversity of art styles and media, and the family continues to share its collection with various arts institutions.  

The Marin family’s generosity is reflected in their significant gifts to the Zillman Art Museum, ZAM’s Museum of Art Alliance and the University of Maine at Machias, a regional campus of the University of Maine. The expressive watercolor A Bit of Cape Split, Maine, 1940 by John Marin was gifted by Norma and John C. Marin, Jr in 1957, and was an early gift to the Zillman Art Museum-University of Maine. In 1971, these philanthropists and art collectors donated ten additional works to the University of Maine Machias.  

Lisa Marin, granddaughter of famed painter John Marin, is the current steward of Marin’s body of work and the Marin Foundation. Over the years of her involvement with the Zillman Art Museum she has given a fine selection of important works on paper by John Marin, as well as works by other important contemporary artists such as Neil Welliver, Hunt Slonem, and R. B. Kitaj.  

In 2025, ZAM will mount a solo-exhibition of John Marin’s works, a second programmatic installment featuring gifts of art from the Marin Family. 

 

  • Jonathan Taylor Arms (American, 1887 – 1953). Church, 1935. Etching. Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin, AA2005.1.23
  • R. B. Kitaj (American, 1932 – 2007).
    • London By Night, 1970. Color screenprint. Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin, AA2005.1.31
    • The Caliph’s Design, 1970. 4-color screenprint. Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin, AA2005.1.30
  • Bernard Langlais (American, 1921 – 1977). Nice Figure, 1960. Abstract wood relief on plywood. Museum of Art Alliance purchase with funds provided by Norma B. Marin, AA2007.1
  • Louis Lozowick (American, 1892 – 1973). Both works: Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin
    • Hebrew Alphabet, 1959. Lithograph. AA2005.1.25
    • Relics of Old Rome, 1958. Lithograph. AA2005.1.24
  • Robert Mangold (American, born 1937). Green Column-Figure, 2003. Woodcut and etching. Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin, AA2005.1.27
  • Rose Marasco (American, born 1948). Circle Number 8, 2002. Cibachrome print. Museum purchase with funds from Norma Marin, 2005.5
  • John Marin (American, 1870 – 1953), A Bit of Cape Split, Maine, 1940. Watercolor. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Marin Jr., 57.20.P
  • Susan Shatter (American, 1943 – 2011). Melting Rock, 2006. Watercolor. Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin, AA2006.1
  • Hunt Slonem (American, born 1951). Lories, 1989. Oil on canvas. Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin, AA2005.1.29
  • Max Weber (American, 1881 – 1961). Summer, 1928. Lithograph. Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin, AA2005.1.28
  • Neil Welliver (American, 1929 – 2005). All works: Museum of Art Alliance, Gift of Lisa Marie Marin
    • Cedar Water Pool, 1977. Color lithograph on Chrisbrooke handmade paper. AA2005.1.34
    • Moose, 1981. Aquatint on Rives BFK. AA2005.1.38
    • Night Scene, 1981-1982. Woodcut on Torinoko paper. AA2005.1.36
    • Trout, 1973. Etching on Arches Cover paper. AA2005.1.37
    • Wood Duck, 1984. Hand colored etching. AA2005.1.35

 

On loan from University of Maine at Machias. All works: Gift of John C. and Norma B. Marin

  • Oscar Bluemner (American, 1867 – 1938). Blue Golden, c. 1932. Oil on canvas.
  • Lyonel Feininger (American, 1871 – 1956). Merchant Ship on the Baltic Sea, 1950. Watercolor.
  • Paul Jenkins (American, 1923 – 2012)
    • 14th July Paris, 1957. Oil on canvas.
    • Phenomena Prevailing, 1964. Oil on canvas.
  • John Marin (American, 1870 – 1953).
    • Marin Spring #8, 1939. Oil on canvas board.
    • Marin Spring #13, 1939. Oil on canvas board.
    • Taos Indian River Hunt, 1929. Watercolor.
    • Weehawken Sequence, no 80, c. 1903. Oil on canvas board.
  • Reuben Tam (American, 1916 – 1991). The Margins of Everything, 1953. Oil on panel.
  • William Zorach (American, 1887 – 1966). Autumn Snow, 1960. Watercolor.