 Philadelphia, PA—The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce a suite of ten paintings created for the School highlighting the seminal moments in the life of founder Joseph Wharton. The collection, commissioned through a gift by the late William Polk Carey, a 1953 graduate of Wharton’s undergraduate program, and the W. P. Carey Foundation, will be formally unveiled on September 20. It was painted by artist David Brewster, who received a graduate degree in Fine Arts from Penn in 1988.
Housed in the School’s Vance Hall building at 37th and Spruce Streets, the series of paintings illustrates significant events in Joseph Wharton’s career spanning the years 1846 to 1905. Visitors can see a young Wharton presented with his trademark anvil, Wharton serving as a mentor in the University’s Furness Library, scenes from the Wharton-owned Bethlehem Iron Company, and the days of an older Wharton spent in Marbella, Jamestown, RI. The paintings took a year to complete, and offer a distinct blend of realism and abstraction. “The Wharton School is honored to be home to such a unique collection of paintings,” said Wharton Dean Thomas S. Robertson. “This collection tells the important story of the School’s distinguished founder, Joseph Wharton, while also honoring the legacy of William Polk Carey, an alumnus who was extraordinarily dedicated to advancing excellence in business education.” Carey founded W. P. Carey & Co. LLC, an investment management company that provides long-term sale-leaseback and build-to-suit financing for companies worldwide. He also established the W. P. Carey Foundation in 1988, which has supported educational institutions around the country. Brewster is a Vermont-based alla prima oil painter, who has received recognition from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Taconic Berkshire Foundation. He has taught and exhibited his work along the East Coast, in California, and throughout Europe. About the Wharton School Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates ongoing economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 annual participants in executive education programs; and a powerful alumni network of 91,000 graduates. |
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