Anschutz collection

Founded by Philip Anschutz, the collection reflects his goal of amassing artwork that reflects the history of the American West. The collection spans nearly 180 years, and has over 650 paintings and drawings with more than 200 artists represented from early 1800s to the present. Anschutz made all acquisition and de-accesion decisions himself but had three key advisors. In 1989, the Collection toured the Soviet Union with great acclaim. Anschutz made his money from oil exploration, real estate, and railroads, and in 1992 purchased the Southern Pacific Railroad. He began the collection in the early 1960s when he was near graduation from the University of Kansas. He was much influenced by his mother, Marian Pfister Anschutz, who encouraged him to have wide interests. Source: "The Anschutz Collection" by Joan Carpenter Troccali.