Volume CXXXI, Number 24 May 3, 2002 f

Docherty discusses art lover's life, museum
BRIAN DUNN
STAFF WRITER

The Association of Bowdoin Friends, an informal group of both alumni and members of the community, was founded in 1984 with the intent to bring together people who are interested in the in the programs and well being of the College.

Professor Docherty lectures about the contents and history of the Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston on Thursday. (Jim McDonald, Bowdoin Orient)

Since its beginning, the program has been made possible by faculty and staff presentations as well as student programs. Often times, these presentations run in conjunction with receptions and dinners as well as other special events on campus. The program even sponsors regular WHEELS bus trips to regional museums and historic sites.

The program focuses primarily on the exhibitions in the Museum of Art and the Peary-Macmillan Artic Museum. However on May 2, the focus was on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Associate Professor of Art, Linda Docherty, was the presenter on Thursday.

Professor Docherty guided the friends of Bowdoin, with great expertise, through a journey of both Gardner's life and her museum. Throughout the opening portion of the program, Docherty spoke primarily of the influences in Gardner's life such as death, beauty, religion, and friends. During the second part of the lecture, Professor Docherty began to speak of the museum itself and its grandeur.

She led the listeners through each room and most of the highlights in the museum. Giving a detailed explanation of the entire museum and stories behind each part of it will be a great help to the friends of Bowdoin as 40 of them will make the trek down to Boston in the coming weeks to visit the historic Gardner Museum. Sam Greene, an Amherst graduate of '49 who won't be able to go down to Boston, had been to the Gardner Museum before but wished he had heard Professor Docherty speak before his visit. "It was simply delightful, I just wish I could go down again," he said.

One thing is clear however, the popularity of the Bowdoin Friends program is steadily picking up momentum with each event it puts on. Peggy Schick Luke, Associate Director of Community Relations stated that "this is the biggest turnout we've had since our beginning." It was evident as the Main Lounge in Moulton Union was packed with over 80 attentive listeners. All in all, the Bowdoin Friends program, with the generous help of the Bowdoin community is looking at a very bright future.