A Portrait of the League

This exhibition presents a multi-faceted portrait of the Art Students League over the last 150 years. Depictions of the League’s directors, instructors, members, and staff as well as the studios and common spaces where these artists gathered, show how the League has become the crucial institution of American art that it is today. Throughout 2025, the League will host exhibitions that highlight moments from our history, celebrating all the League has accomplished whilst pointing toward an equally illustrious future. Kicking off our anniversary year, A Portrait of the League shares an intimate view of an art school that has meant so much to so many.

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How does one create a portrait of an institution? Sculptures, drawings, prints, and paintings display the people, places, and things that have made the League so beloved. Across three gallery spaces are the faces of many instructors , artists who have helped shape future generations of artists. Peppered among these individuals are the executive directors, board presidents, and staff members who have shaped the League in its day-to-day.

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Accompanying these faces of the League are “portraits” of the League exterior and interior architecture. These works take you into the “belly of the beast,” where limitless creative expression is fostered. While some of these interior spaces, like the cafeteria or gallery, have changed their purpose since the building opened its doors in 1892, the facade of the League has remained unchanged. Built by architect Henry Hardenbergh in collaboration with W.C. Hunting & J.C. Jacobsen, it was designated a New York City Landmark in 1968 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The sketches and prints of this famous facade are  a testament to the League itself, which has been an uninterrupted beacon for artists near and far since 1875.  

This exhibition is curated by Ksenia Nouril, PhD, former Gallery Director and Curator, and Esther Moerdler, Curatorial Assistant. All works on view are from the Permanent Collection of the Art Students League of New York.