The Gift from the UnumProvident Corporation

	The Exhibition
	The Gift from UnumProvident
	Worcester Art Museum Decorative Arts
	Paul Revere
	Exhibition Home

The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary of UnumProvident Corporation gave the Worcester Art Museum a gift of 56 pieces of Paul Revere silver, as well as prints made by Revere, and a selection of early American furniture. The Museum's collection now spans Revere's entire career.

When announcing the gift to the Worcester Art Museum, UnumProvident Chairman, President, and CEO, J. Harold Chandler, said: "UnumProvident wanted to allow scholars and the general public greater access to these works, which had been seen by invitation only for nearly four decades. Because the Worcester Art Museum's facilities for the display, study, and conservation of works of art are clearly the best in Central Massachusetts, it is the premier place to feature these magnificent works that represent the early years of American history."

In addition to the Revere works, UnumProvident donated four pieces of early American furniture to the Museum's decorative arts collection. The furniture from UnumProvident are a cherry Chippendale secretary desk, a Queen Anne high chest with corkscrew finials, a Federal sideboard with serpentine front, and an Aaron Willard tall case clock. Revere made labels for the Willard Clock Company, and this clock has such a label.

According to David R. Brigham, curator of American Art, "We are extremely grateful to UnumProvident for donating its prized collection to the Worcester Art Museum, which already possessed world-renowned holdings of Revere works. It is our pleasure to enable the public to enjoy and study these works, particularly the recent gifts which were largely inaccessible to the public for nearly 40 years."

UnumProvident also donated $30,000 to the Worcester Art Museum to build a new elevator that will replace one that was built more than a century ago. Due to be operational when the exhibition opens on April 17, 2000, this elevator will ensure that all visitors, including those with physical disabilities, have easy access to the American Art collection and other items in the Museum's second and third floor galleries.