September 3, 2025
CLARK ART INSTITUTE’S LIBRARY PRESENTS INSTALLATION ON 250 YEARS OF ART IN MASSACHUSETTS
Paginations: Back Bay to the Berkshires opens September 26
(Williamstown, Massachusetts)—The Clark Art Institute continues its new series of year-round public installations, Paginations, featuring works drawn from the Clark library’s extensive holdings and curated by members of the library staff. The installations are featured in a newly designed space located in the Manton Research Center’s reading room, just outside the entrance to the Clark’s library and are on view for free during all open hours.
On view September 26 through November 16, Back Bay to the Berkshires: Celebrating 250 Years of Art in Massachusetts looks at some of the artists and artistic innovations associated with the Bay State through their relationships with book illustration, printing, and publishing. This display is held in conjunction with MA250, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the American revolution and highlights the revolutionary spirit upon which the state was founded.
The Clark’s library is widely recognized as one of the most important art history collections in North America, holding nearly 300,000 volumes in over 130 languages. The library’s encyclopedic collection includes a number of special collections, including rare books, artist’s books, decorative arts, photomechanical reproductions, and the world’s only collection of ephemeral materials from the Venice Biennale. From its opening in 1962, the library has grown and changed to accommodate teaching spaces, visual resources, new programs and initiatives, and a never-ending array of new technologies. The library—one of the few remaining open stack art history libraries in the nation—is open to the public Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 5 pm (detailed information on hours is available at clarkart.edu/library). The library is housed in the Manton Research Center building and serves a wide array of patrons, including scholars, students, and researchers. Appointments can be arranged to explore special collections materials and library staff members are always happy to assist visitors in finding specific items of interest.
ABOUT THE CLARK
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of nearly 300,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday from September through June, and daily in July and August. Admission is free to all from January through March. From April through December, admission is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors (65+), $10 for young adults (18–25) and college students, and free for all visitors under 18. Admission is free year-round for Clark members. Free admission is also available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.
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