American Beauty: The Osher Collection of American Art

The 19th and 20th centuries were an exceptionally dynamic time in American culture. This exhibit at the De young museum illustrates the ways American artists have sought to define and declare American styles and sensibilities through reflecting a multiplicity of voices and perspectives. Anchored by Impressionist and Realist artworks, the show spans the years 1848 to 1960, presenting a variety of artistic responses to this complex period. Included in the exhibition are works by John Singer Sargent, Georgia O’Keefe, Winslow Homer and Alexander Calder. The historic sweep of these paintings, drawings, and sculptures is reflected by several recurring themes, including the adventurous spirit of artists abroad, enduring allure of Impressionism, intimacy and immediacy of portraiture, and beauty of America’s landscapes and seascapes. 

Now emeritus, Jim Kohn was a professor in the English Department at San Francisco State University from 1975 to 2013.  He taught courses in social variation of language, in second language acquisition, in post-colonial literature and in training English teachers.  With his wife Elaine, he has taught overseas in China, Taiwan and Switzerland.  His retirement gives him the opportunity to enjoy his present avocation as docent at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.  Jim has been a docent at FAMSF since 2006, giving tours in both the Legion of Honor and the DeYoung Museums, and giving lectures in the community about current exhibitions.   

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) are comprised of two iconic sites in San Francisco’s beautiful parks- the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and Legion of Honor Museum in Lincoln Park. As the largest public arts institution in the western United States, the Museums house a world-class collection of 151,000 artworks that span more than 5,000 years.   

The JCCSF and FAMSF have collaborated for over a decade, and we are grateful that FAMSF graciously shares the beauty and history of their collections with the community through inspiring educational docent talks.