Violet Oakley (1874–1961), Study for The Rising of Dorcas by Saint Peter, c. 1946, Charcoal with white heightening on toned paper. Preparatory drawing for “Great Woman of the Bible” murals at the First Presbyterian Church in Germantown. Collection of La Salle University Art Museum. Gift of the Violet Oakley Memorial Foundation.

Featuring about 25 drawings, watercolors, and pastels by a range of American artists from the 18th through the 20th centuries, La Salle University Art Museum’s winter exhibition, American Originals: Works on Paper from the Permanent Collection, will be on view from Dec. 16, 2015 through March 4, 2016.

Co-curated by Assistant Professor of Art History Catherine Holochwost, Ph.D., American Originals draws upon the strengths of the Art Museum’s collection, with holdings that illuminate the rich art history of the Philadelphia region and the role of prominent art schools such as the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia Museum School of Art (now the University of the Arts).

The exhibition underscores the historical importance of life drawing in the 19th century, the evolving opportunities for women and minority artists, and the role of American art within the transatlantic artistic currents of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. It also addresses issues of identity and difference across time, the importance of artistic imagination, and the interest in defining American qualities of American art.

For further information on the exhibition and the Art Museum, call 215.951.1221 or visit lasalle.edu/ museum.