Museum becomes magnet for ‘Frolic’ tributes

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George A. 'Frolic' Weymouth is being remembered as a peerless visionary, conservationist, philanthropist, and sportsman. Photo courtesy of the Brandywine Conservancy

As tributes to the late co-founder of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art pour in from around the globe, the museum will open a special exhibition in memory of George A. "Frolic" Weymouth, starting on Friday, April 29.

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art is mourning the passing of George A. 'Frolic' Weymouth, its co-founder.
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art is mourning the passing of George A. 'Frolic' Weymouth, its co-founder.

A selection of landscapes and portraits by Weymouth, an acclaimed tempera artist who died on Sunday, April 24, will be displayed in half of the Andrew Wyeth Gallery, marking the first time that paintings by the two artists, who were close friends, are displayed together, museum officials said.

For nearly 50 years, Weymouth, recognized as a visionary conservationist, helped the conservancy grow from its initial preserved swath of 47 acres. “It is all thanks to Frolic that we have been able to protect over 62,000 acres of land and present the public with beautiful works of art,” a conservancy statement said.

Weymouth was also well-known in the Brandywine Valley for his work as a philanthropist and as a "whip" or four-in-hand carriage driver. He enthusiastically led the parade of antique carriages that is a highlight of Winterthur's annual Point-to-Point races.

This weekend, the public is invited to visit the Brandywine River Museum of Art, which houses a celebrated collection of Wyeth and American art, share remembrances of Weymouth in special memory books, and enjoy the museum's breathtaking views of the Brandywine – vistas Weymouth worked tirelessly to protect.

Admission proceeds on Friday and Saturday will benefit the Frolic Weymouth Endowment Fund. Weymouth’s family has requested contributions to the fund in lieu of flowers. Sunday’s admission is free due to the existing PNC Arts Alive First Sundays for Families program, museum officials said.

The public can also share any memories of Frolic on the museum’s website, where the beloved environmental pioneer is being remembered for his convivial spirit, his myriad kindnesses, and his lasting legacy.

James H. Duff, who retired in 2011 after nearly 40 years as director of the Brandywine River Museum of Art, left this message:

“Frolic wanted preservation of the land and art he loved. He wanted boundless beauty and humor in the world. Just as he gave a great part of his life to art – making it and preserving it – he gave art to his life, to his unique, generous personality. It is often said, ‘There is no one like Frolic.’ Indeed, in the midst of his many vital commitments and amazing accomplishments, his greatest achievement was himself – the man we love … Because the highest tribute we can pay now is not grief but gratitude, I will thank him over and over for the years to come.”

 

 

 

 

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