Bijutsukan

The Reeves Center

The Reeves Center for the Research and Exhibition of Porcelain and Paintings
 
The Reeves Center houses collections of 17th, 18th, and 19th century ceramics given to Washington and Lee University in 1967 by Mr. and Mrs. Euchlin D. Reeves of Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Reeves received his law degree from the University in 1927. He married Louise Herreshoff, a descendant of John Brown of Providence. She was a gifted artist, and her paintings and watercolors hang throughout the Center.
 
The original Reeves gift of over 4,000 pieces has been augmented and enhanced by donations from interested friends. Especially rich in Chinese Export porcelain, the collection boasts pieces made to order for the European and American markets – including services owned by, or associated with, George Washington and Robert E. Lee. English and Continental ceramics complement the Export wares and illustrate its impact on Western technology and culture.
 
The adjacent Watson Pavilion is an addition to the Reeves Center and was a generous gift from the late Elizabeth Otey Watson in memory of her husband, William C. Watson '29. The Pavilion houses the Watson collection of Asian art as well as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese ceramics from other donors. It was Mrs. Watson's wish that the Pavilion and the art displayed there be used to educate students and visitors about East Asia.