The at the University of Notre Dame announced a major gift from the Marten Charitable Foundation through the stewardship of Gini Marten Hupfer, foundation leader and member of the museum鈥檚 Advisory Council. The tandem naming and endowment gift was inspired by the legacy of Virginia Marten (1925鈥�2022), a long-standing former member of the Advisory Council and devoted museum supporter.
The gift will confer the name 鈥淢arten Family Gallery鈥� on the current east gallery of European Art through 1700. Works by Vincenzo Spisanelli, Claude Lorrain, Giuseppe Ribera and Bartolomeo Veneto, among others, are featured. With the renaming, a permanent feature, centered in the gallery, will be installed. Called the 鈥淢arian Court,鈥� it will be a display featuring Marian imagery from the Raclin Murphy鈥檚 extensive holdings to honor Virginia Marten鈥檚 particular devotion to Mary, the Mother of Christ, and her love of art. Currently, images based on Marian iconography, ranging from paintings by Francesco Francia to Hans Memling to Giorgio Vasari, are highlighted in this space.
Complementing the named gallery, the second part of the gift establishes the Marten Family Endowment for Marian Art. The new endowment will provide support for research, conservation, acquisitions, interpretation and programming to advance scholarship and appreciation of the traditions of Marian Art. A unique endowment to the institution, it underscores both the museum鈥檚 and the University鈥檚 commitment to research and inquiry.
"This gift is meant to honor my sweet mother, Virginia Marten鈥檚 love for both Notre Dame, the Blessed Mother and her passion for the arts. We believe we found the perfect space in which to do just that at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art. I know my mother would be thrilled and humbled by this," Gini Marten Hupfer said.
鈥淭he support of the Marten Family, beginning with Virginia and steadfastly followed by her children, is truly remarkable and inspiring,鈥� said Joseph Antenucci Becherer, director and curator. 鈥淭he Raclin Murphy Museum of Art and the University of Notre Dame are uniquely positioned to facilitate and celebrate the study and appreciation of Marian imagery, thus truly honoring the legacy of Virginia and her family. Their gift and endowment mark an exceptional moment when love, devotion and scholarship converge.鈥�
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Contact: Gina Costa, Communications Program Director, Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, 574-631-4720, gcosta@nd.edu