Art Collections

The Zuckerman Museum of Art's (ZMA) permanent collection numbers comprises over seven thousand objects, including sculptures, paintings, and works on paper dating from the late 15th century to the present. This robust collection primarily focuses on American art ranging from the 18th -to 20th centuries while also including diverse works ranging from early 20th-century African sculptures to contemporary work by emerging artists of today. The collection is housed in the Leo Delle Lassiter Jolley Collection Research Center and will continue to expand thanks to the generosity of community donors and directed purchases.  

Three notable parts of the permanent collection include works by figurative sculptor Ruth V. Zuckerman, Italian-born Georgia artist Athos Menaboni, known for his drawings and prints of nature, and the archive of the Southern Graphics Council International, one of the largest and most significant printmaking organizations in America.  

Ruth V. Zuckerman, also often referred to as RuZu, as this was how she signed her works and worked in bronze and stone, as well as photography. She is best known for her fluid, figurative sculptures based on universal themes of family, love, and protection.  

Athos Menaboni, one of Georgia's most prolific artists, is well-known to Atlantans for his detailed and naturalistic paintings of American birds and botanicals. Menaboni designed murals for Swan House, the home of Emily and Edward Inman that is now part of the Atlanta History Center. That work led to additional commissions for private homes, public buildings, and places of worship. The ZMA has one of the largest assemblages (should be repositories)  of Menaboni's work in the country, thanks to the generous donations of Athos Menboni from Don Russell Clayton.  

The Southern Graphics Council International (SGCI) was co-founded in 1972 by Boyd Saunders, Bernie Solomon, and John O'Neil with the intent of joining artists together to advocate, celebrate, and collect contemporary printmaking in America. Through the help of Dr. Thomas Dewey and the University of Mississippi Museum of Art, the SGCI collection grew and flourished. In 2012, SGCI selected the ZMA to house the collection, which includes over 6,000 works on paper. This gift continues to expand each year as additions are made to the permanent collection from the SGCI annual conference.