In addition to its book collection, the Providence Athenæum possesses an eclectic art collection of nearly 150 art objects, which range from an eighteenth-century neoclassical figural group to a late-period print by Édouard Manet.

These artworks—either donated by Athenæum members or purchased by subscription—track developments in art and art collecting from the institution’s founding to the present. Together they provide a narrative of the Athenæum’s cultural significance to Providence. There is supporting material in the Archives for Art Collections.