In honor of the institution’s 50th anniversary, often called the golden anniversary, Hillwood will celebrate the collection with an exploration into the complicated and captivating history of gold, as a material and as a color.

Gold (working title) will highlight some of the museum’s most iconic works of art, selecting from the hundreds crafted from gold by jewelers, goldsmiths, artists, and artisans. With historic objects presented alongside contemporary pieces, the exhibition will demonstrate the enduring fascination with gold, from the 1700s to today.

The Substance of Gold

The first metal discovered by human societies thousands or years ago, gold originated in space and migrated to the Earth's surface through geological movements and fragmentation. Humans harvested gold from riverbeds and extracted from mines as early as 4,000 BCE. Found almost worldwide, gold is a precious material, both for its association with myths, religions, and power, and for its splendor and economic value. Due to its beauty and unique practicalities, including chemical stability and malleability, gold soon became the focus of exploration, expeditions, and colonization, often associated with exploitation and violence. From antiquity through today, the easy-to-work metal has been used to craft jewelry, decorative motifs, threads, and other fascinating objects. 

Gold On View

When acquiring objects for her collection, Marjorie Merriweather Post sought pieces that were beautiful and finely crafted, leading to the procurement of many works of gold. From precious boxes, watches, and gilded pieces of furniture to objets d'art, jewelry, and fashion accessories, Hillwood's holdings demonstrate a variety of gold techniques and qualities. Additionally, a number of sacred objects speak to the religious symbolism of gold, while coins, medals, frames, and presentation pieces characterize the emblematic association of gold with power and wealth. 

Gold will also feature a selection of contemporary works, juxtaposed with those in Hillwood's collection, both in the exhibition and throughout the mansion. Artists include Giovanni Corvaja, Alfredo Jaar, Jeremy Scott, and more.