WASHINGTON, DC.-The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art is the recipient of one of the world's finest known collections of traditional African Art-the Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection-, which is made up of over 525 objects. As a preview to the inaugural exhibition that will open Feb. 2007, an intimate display of over 15 sculptures, made of wood, ivory and beadwork, will be on view.

Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, donated one of the world´s finest known collections of traditional African art—the Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection—to the National Museum of African Art in 2005. First Look offers a glimpse of this remarkable collection of 525 objects that encompasses most major styles of African art. An inaugural exhibition showcasing 80 masterpieces will open in 2007.

New York real estate developer Paul Tishman and his wife Ruth, built the collection, acquiring their first African sculptures in the late 1950s with the purchase of two extraordinarily accomplished works from the Benin Kingdom—an ivory figure and a bronze helmet mask. The confidence displayed by these early acquisitions continued over the next 20 years. Though primarily interested in masks and figures—a collecting practice typical of the time—the Tishmans were drawn to large, powerful works that reflected the diversity of African art. The couple clearly appreciated color and sought works in a variety of media—wood, ivory, metal, ceramic and fiber. The result was an outstanding collection known for its high quality and broad range.

The Walt Disney Company purchased the collection from Paul and Ruth Tishman in 1984 and made the works accessible to the public through loans, special exhibitions and publications. Disney´s donation of the collection to the National Museum of African Art is a milestone for the museum. The works contained in the Walt Disney-Tishman collection are unsurpassed in rarity and uniqueness, exemplifying the creativity and aesthetic excellence of African works of art and the artists who create them.