The Burrow Museum to Host Virtual Lecture on Monet & The History of Art

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — The Evelyn Burrow Museum at Wallace State Community College will host a special virtual presentation by Maggie Crosland, Ph.D., Curator of European Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art, exploring the life, art and enduring influence of Claude Monet, as well as his role in the history of art. 

The free lecture is being offered in conjunction with The Burrow Museum’s current exhibition, Nympheus Luminansis, Water Lilies of Light by French artist Laurence Saunois, inspired by Monet’s iconic water lily paintings and draws on the extraordinary Monet to Matisse exhibition hosted by the Birmingham Museum of Art this year.

The event will provide audiences with a deeper understanding of Monet’s artistic contributions, his influence on generations of artists, and the broader context of Impressionism on modern and contemporary art. Dr. Crosland will share insights into the development of and research for BMA’s Monet to Matisse exhibition, discuss Monet’s place within the evolution of art, and examine the significance of the artist’s renowned water lily series.

The presentation will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Aug. 7. To join in, visit www.burrowmuseum.org/register. 

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Crosland to Wallace State,” said Kristen Holmes, Vice President for Students and Museum Director. “Her expertise and passion for European art will enrich our visitors’ experience and provide valuable context for the exhibition currently on display.”

Nympheus Luminansis, Water Lilies of Light is the result of eight years of work and pays tribute to Claude Monet and the poetic world of his garden in Giverny while offering a contemporary and personal interpretation. Produced by David J. Wagner, LLC, the exhibition is on a two-year museum tour in the United States, with The Evelyn Burrow Museum as one of its six host institutions. 

The Alabama State Council on the Arts awarded the museum a $4,000 grant to fund the exhibition.

The exhibition brings together 10 large-format canvases in which light and color take center stage. In her approach, Saunois develops a pictorial language that she defines as a form of “real impressionism”: an alliance between figurative rigor and impressionist sensitivity. Each canvas thus becomes a contemplative immersion.

The founding painting, La danse de la lumiére (The Dance of Light), took more than 1,000 hours of work over four years to complete.

Inspired by a visit to Monet’s gardens, the artist confides, “My intention was to capture the vibration of light on the colors of nature and offer the viewer an immersive experience, as if they were opening a window onto the Giverny pond for each painting.”

Nympheus Luminansis, Water Lilies of Light will remain on display through Aug. 15. The Evelyn Burrow Museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information, visit www.burrowmuseum.org, email burrowmuseum@wallacestate.edu or call 256.352.8457.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.