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Fig. 1. Mr. Isaac D. Fletcher
Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/
collection/search/10846

Mr. Isaac D. Fletcher (1844-1917)

and Mrs. Mary E. Pickering Fletcher (1847-1914)

Lots 64 - 68

Mr. Isaac D. Fletcher (1844-1917) and Mrs. Mary E. Pickering Fletcher Reynolds, Rubens, Wyant, Corot, Daubigny etc. He also collected
(1847-1914) were prominent members of New York society at the stained glass, rare rugs, and ancient Egyptian and Persian pottery.
turn of the century and amassed a collection of notable European
paintings and sculptures, artifacts from the ancient Greece, Italy, and In his will, Mr. Fletcher left the couple’s mansion and $2 million art
Egypt, and ceramics from the Middle East and China. Mr. Fletcher collection to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, allowing the Museum
was born in the Bangor, Maine and began his working career in the to select what it most desired. This resulted in a gift of 251 artworks
paving and roofing industry, and later rose to be President of the coal thereafter known at the Museum as the Mr. and Mrs. Isaac D.
tar distillation firm Page, Kidder & Fletcher Co., which became New Fletcher Collection, which went on view in its entirety in 1918. Given
York Coal Tar Chemical Co. in 1872, and then Barrett Manufacturing his late wife’s commitment to building the collection, Mr. Fletcher
Co. in 1896. He and his wife commissioned the architect C. P. specified that the donation must always be referred to using both
H. Gilbert (1861-1952) to design a house at 79th Street and Fifth of their names. Besides the collection itself, the bequest included
Avenue, New York City. The resulting home was an asymmetrical a large sum of money to start a fund for the purchase of art. The
French Gothic-style limestone chateau featuring pointed turrets on Museum sold the Fletcher’s home to Harry F. Sinclair (1876-1956) in
the eave line, ornate dormers, and wide connected chimneys. His 1918 for over $3 million to augment The Fletcher Fund. The mansion
art collection included works by David, Gainsborough, Rembrandt, is now home to the Ukrainian Institute of America (Fig. 2). According

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