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 paintings and lithographs of birds and botanicals, 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 did decorative painting at the Swan House, the home of Emily and Edward Inman which is now part of the Atlanta History Center. This work led to a variety of unique commissions in public buildings, as well as in private residences before he became famous for painting birds. The ZMA is one of the largest repositories of Menaboni's work in the country, thanks to generous donations from Russell Clayton and others.  

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.