Explore the Toledo Museum of Art’s 2024 Acquisitions

The Toledo Museum of Art announced Dec. 5 that it acquired 264 artworks throughout 2024. This large number of acquired pieces is part of the museum’s expansive reinstallation project scheduled to be completed in 2027. The works added to the museum’s collection throughout this year span the 12th to 21st centuries and were sourced from six different continents.

With engaging exhibits, educational programs and one of the finest glass collections in the world, the acquisitions further reflects the museum's dedication to displaying pieces that tell stories of connection and share the history of art from around the globe.

“Our team’s acquisitions from this past year highlight the museum’s dedication to showcasing the full spectrum of human creativity,” Adam Levine, Edward Drummond and Florence Scott Libbey president, director and CEO of the Toledo Museum of Art said in a Dec. 5 press release. “These works reflect our belief that a rigorous pursuit of quality across chronology, geography and culture results in a truly global and inclusive art history.”

While each work is a significant addition to the museum's collection of over 25,000 pieces, here are three from this year’s slate of acquisitions that we are excited to see. 

Baga Nimba Shoulder Mask: Representative of what an ideal woman in the Baga society of Guinea might look like, this mask’s exaggerated features are meant to represent nurturing qualities. This 20th-century piece would have once been used in biannual performances that aligned with the growing and harvest seasons. Today, Nimba masks can be found at events like weddings and funerals, but also gatherings such as sporting events.

Qusuquzah Une Tres Belle Negresse #4: Artist Mickalene Thomas is known for creating works that merge the practices of painting and photography and feature a vibrant color palate. Thomas often garners her inspiration from works of art that came before her, bridging historical references with her contemporary practice. The maid figure in “Olympia,” an 1863 painted by Edouard Manet, served as the inspiration for “Qusuquzah Une Tres Belle Negresse #4.”

Untitled: It is often said that less is more, and that is just the case in this untitled work by Virginia Jaramillo. The work created in 1969 is one of  Jaramillo’s “Curvilinear” paintings inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Ma, which is a focus on the way color, lines, space and forms work together. The result is a work that is both abstract and minimalist but also creates a curiosity that draws the viewer deeper into it. 

For more information on the Toledo Museum of Art, visit toledomusuem.org

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