The
National Museum of American Illustration was founded in 1998 by Judy
Goffman Cutler and Laurence
S. Cutler primarily to house their art collection from the 'Golden Age of American Illustration,' (1895-1945).
 The
National Museum of American Illustration is proud to have the
support of The National Arts Club (NAC) as
its founding institution.
The NAC was founded in 1896 by Charles de Kay, literary critic for The New York Times, to stimulate
public interest in the arts and to foster a creative association between
artists and art lovers. Among the one thousand charter members were some
of the foremost collectors, sculptors, painters, musicians, patrons, and architects
of the turn of the century, including J. Pierpont Morgan, Henry Clay Frick,
Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French, Stanford White, Victor
Herbert, Ceclia Beaux, and Frederic Remington.
Many founding charter members of the NAC had Newport connections:
Thomas Hastings & John Carrére, architects of Vernon Court; Honorable
William Watts Sherman and Honorable George Wetmore, owners of adjacent properties; John La Farge; Cornelius Vanderbilt, owner of The
Breakers; and George Ruggles, developer of Gramercy Park in NYC.
Women were offered full membership from the beginning, reflecting the
Club's progressive outlook. Located in the former residence of Samuel
J. Tilden on Gramercy Park, The National Arts Club continues to maintain
working studios and residences for writers and artists. It also, bestows numerous
awards, grants, and scholarships; and hosts a variety of exhibits and
events relating to a wide spectrum of the arts and letters.
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