The M&G Collection focuses on paintings by the great painters from the 14th to the 19th centuries. This time period includes what are commonly referred to as Old Masters—paintings by great artists from the 1500s to the early 1700s. Our collection offers a startling and beautiful representation of these works through 30 galleries and over 400 paintings. The late Dr. D. Stephen Pepper, recognized as a leading authority on Italian Baroque art, clearly articulated his respect for the collection by noting that “when one considers that the…Collection concentrates exclusively on religious art of the past centuries, its breadth and depth strike one as truly extraordinary….The Collection…provides a continuous overview of European art from its origins to the XVII century.”

Sign up for a tour that surveys the highlights, or have a tour tailored to meet your specific needs for an additional cost. Either way you’ll learn valuable information that’s sure to whet your appetite for more.

Highlights of the Collection
Take a journey through time and see art by the Old Masters beginning with the Gothic period and moving through the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and the 19th century. Discover the stories behind the paintings and little-known facts that will increase your appreciation of the masterpieces in the M&G collection.
(This tour is available for Jr. High to adult audiences.)

Behind the Scenes: The Processes of Art
Viewing a work of art often stimulates curiosity about how it was physically crafted. Exactly how did the artist choose, gather, and combine materials in order to create a beautiful masterpiece? M&G’s process tour endeavors to explore the methods of creating wood panel paintings, stained glass, tapestries, and etchings.
(College students and above)

If Paintings Could Talk
Every painting has a story to tell, but are you quiet enough to hear and take note of its narrative about its past life? From Josephine Bonaparte’s collection to the halls of an orphanage to auction sales at Christie’s, discover how M&G’s Old Master paintings were first commissioned, where they were once exhibited, and about their travels through the centuries from famous (and infamous!) European collections and finally to Greenville, South Carolina.
(College students and above)