How do you capture 250 years of American art in a single exhibition? The task is complex — if not impossible — so the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC turned to its own deep holdings, from iconic artworks to rarely seen works, to commemorate the country’s semiquincentennial this year.
“Dear America,” features more than 100 works on paper, including photography, lithographs and artist books, to show a broad view of what it means to be American.
Some of the most famous include an Andy Warhol screenprint of Marilyn Monroe, depicting her as both icon and commodity, and Ansel Adams’ timeless image of Wyoming’s shimmering Snake River against the mountainous backdrop of the Tetons,…