The Hyde Collection announced the gift
of an extensive collection of 19th century
French etchings, lithographs, engravings,
woodcuts, and books.
Donated by Tobin A. Sparling, in memory
of his parents Leon H. and Marie Buttlar
Sparling, the gift includes works by Pierre
Bonnard, Félix Bracquemond, Jules
Chéret, Eugene Delacroix, Maurice Denis,
Henri Evenepoel, Jean-Louis Forain,
Théodore Géricault, Henri-Gabriel Ibels,
Alphonse Mucha, Paul Serusier, Théophile-
Alexandre Steinlen, Henri de Toulouse-
Lautrec, and Félix Vallotton, among others.
“We are so very appreciative of this significant
gift to the Museum,” said Hyde Director
Charles A. Guerin. “As a child, Tobin
remembers coming to The Hyde with his
parents on a regular basis. They instilled
in him the love of art which makes this
generous gift even more meaningful for us.”
The donation is the second major gift
made by Sparling. In 2008, he donated 30
“old master” prints surveying the major
printmaking styles and techniques in
northern and southern Europe from the
15th to the 18th centuries. The prints
were featured in an exhibition “Old Master
Prints from the Sparling Family Collection”
in 2009.
In 2012, Sparling loaned 23 such 19thcentury
prints to the exhibition “Toulouse-
Lautrec & Company: Prints from the Belle
Époque.” A majority of these works are
included in this gift, museum officials said.
“It is a pleasure to donate to The Hyde,
which not only evokes wonderful childhood
memories, but also goes from strength to
strength and gets better and better,” said
Sparling. “I hope this gift will encourage
others to support what I believe is one of
the crown jewels of upstate New York.”
Originally from South Glens Falls, Sparling
currently lives in Houston, where he is
a professor of law at South Texas College of Law, specializing in legal research and
writing. A graduate of South Glens Falls
Senior High School, Dartmouth College,
and Columbia University, Sparling also
holds graduate degrees in library science
and art history. Before obtaining his law
degree, he worked in the rare books departments
of the Yale Center for British
Art and at the print collection of the New
York Public Library, where his interest in
French prints developed.
The Hyde Collection is a historic house
and art museum complex with a distinguished
collection consisting of works by
American and European artists. The Museum
provides changing exhibitions in two
gallery spaces, lectures, concerts, family
activities and school programming.
Photo Courtesy The Hyde