Syracuse University enjoys the distinction of being the first institution of higher education to confer Baccalaureate of Arts degrees. The founding trustees recognized the importance of the arts and in 1873, George Fisk Comfort was appointed dean of the new College of Fine Arts comprised of the departments of Architecture and Painting. The university allocated funds sufficient for procuring basic supplies and Comfort recruited volunteer faculty from the region. The first class, of 1873, had 15 students, all but one of which was enrolled in Painting.

Over the nearly 150 years since its founding, the program has evolved, reflecting different aesthetic sensibilities at different times in its history. One constant has been a talented group of faculty who strive to provide the best possible learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. This exhibition presents a sampling of the work by select former faculty in the permanent art collection.

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