American Folk Art

Revisiting the Collection of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

By Starr Figura and Lydia Mullin

American Folk Art: Revisiting the Collection of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller brings together forty exceptional works, from painted portraits and stenciled still lifes to weathervanes and wooden toys. This engaging and richly illustrated volume explores Abby Aldrich Rockefeller’s extraordinary collection of nineteenth-century American folk art and its foundational connections to The Museum of Modern Art.

In tandem with championing modern art as a cofounder of MoMA in 1929, Rockefeller played a pivotal role in recognizing American folk art as integral to the nation’s artistic traditions. She was among the earliest collectors to appreciate the vital links between folk art and modern art. The book’s introduction and select commentaries highlight these resonances and illuminate the individual and community-based artistic practices of folk art’s makers.

Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2026, hardcover, 8.1 x 10.1 inches, 72 pages, 50 illustrations.