Myers Home // Myers as a Collector
Myers as a Collector
George Hewitt Myers (1875-1957) was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of John J. Myers and Mary Butterfield Ware Hewitt. He attended Yale University’s Forestry School and was a member of the school's first graduating class in 1902, earning a Master’s degree. Throughout Myers' life, forest management remained an important part of his business interests, and nature conservation was his passion. He was actively involved with the National Parks Association and Boy Scouts of America. In 1908, Myers married Louise Stoddard Chase (1879–1960). They had three daughters: Persis Chase (1909–1958), Mary Hewitt (1913–1959), and Louise Chase (1916–1960).
Myers’ real obsession was collecting textiles and inspiring others to appreciate textiles as art. While a student at Yale, Myers purchased his first rugs to decorate his lodgings. By 1915, he was a serious collector who was acquiring rugs and textiles from dealers in the United States and Europe. The family decided to settle in Washington, D.C., and in 1912 Myers purchased land in Kalorama Heights, and commissioned renowned architect John Russell Pope to design his home. Shortly after moving into his new home in 1913, Myers bought the building next door to accommodate his collections. These two buildings now house The Textile Museum.
Once established in Washington, D.C., Myers became a presence in arts circles, frequently hosting gatherings and after-theater or post-concert dinners. His extensive contributions to the arts included service on the Smithsonian Fine Arts Commission, on the Washington board of the American Federation of the Arts and as honorary textiles curator at Yale University Art Gallery. Myers also founded the Independent Schools Art Instructors Association. But his largest contribution to the arts was the establishment in 1925 of a museum that he named The Textile Museum.
Read more about:
Myers' Collecting Philosophy
Myers as an Educator
How Myers Collected
|
