Gray’s Degas Collection Goes on Display at Purdue Memorial Union
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University is now home to a rare and historic collection of 74 bronze sculptures by renowned French impressionist Edgar Degas. The collection, believed to be the only complete set of Degas’ bronze works currently on display, was generously donated by Purdue alumnus Avrum Gray (BS mechanical engineering, 1956). The exhibition opens to the public on September 18, 2024, at the Purdue Memorial Union.
Among the highlights of the collection is La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans (Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen), one of Degas’ most iconic and recognizable pieces. The entire collection, valued at over $21 million and with a potential market value of $52 million, represents the largest gift in the history of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts.
Arne Flaten, head of the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, emphasized the significance of the collection: “This would be a significant contribution to most museums or collections, and for us, it’s a game changer. These sculptures rank among the most important items in Purdue’s collection.”
The Degas bronzes feature themes central to the artist’s work, including dancers, bathers, and horses. The original sculptures were created during Degas’ lifetime in wax or clay and cast posthumously in bronze. Titles given to the works are descriptive of the figures or poses, which some art historians believe Degas used as studies for his paintings as his eyesight deteriorated.
David Reingold, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, hailed the donation as “transformational for Purdue Galleries and for this university.” He added that the collection elevates Purdue’s status in the art world, offering students, faculty, and the community a rare glimpse into Degas’ creative process.
The collection is now displayed in a newly established gallery on the second floor of the Purdue Memorial Union.
