19 Organizations Unite to Honor Paul Mellon and His Philanthropy

Nineteen institutions, including the Hermitage, in St. Petersburg, Russia; the Royal Academy of Arts, in London; and Cambridge, Oxford, and Yale universities, have joined to mark the 100th birthday of the late philanthropist Paul Mellon, The Washington Post reports.

The Yale Center for British Art, which Mr. Mellon’s donations helped create, is leading the celebration effort. Exhibitions, lectures, and receptions will also be offered in Mr. Mellon’s honor by the institutions, which include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, in Richmond, and the National Gallery of Art, in Washington.

Mr. Mellon, who died in 1999, guided the Washington museum for 58 years and gave it $218-million and 900 paintings from his collection. He was also a prolific donor of money and art and a board member at many of the other institutions participating in the centennial.

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