Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931), Lebanese-born artist and writer, is best known for authoring The Prophet, a collection of short philosophical essays that became one of the top-selling books
of the twentieth century. In 1895, Gibran, age twelve, immigrated to Boston with his family. Through a series of important connections stemming from the recognition of his creative talents at
a local settlement house, the aspiring artist met Mary Haskell, the headmaster of a Boston girls’ school. Despite ten years separation in age, the two formed an important lifelong
relationship that culminated in Haskell’s patronage and provided Gibran with the security to pursue his career. In 1950, Haskell (who became Mary Haskell Minis in 1926) donated her personal
collection of nearly one hundred works of art by Gibran to the Telfair Museum of Art.
This exhibition catalog features the museum’s collection of work by and about Gibran, the largest holding in the United States. The collection spans Gibran’s career from his first exhibition
at photographer Frederick Holland Day’s studio in Boston in 1904 to works created during the last years of his life. It includes photographs of Gibran and his New York studio and a portrait
of the young artist painted by Lilla Cabot Perry. In addition to discussing the visionary artist’s creations, this catalog addresses Gibran’s relationship with Haskell and the development of
her personal collection, which makes up the majority of the Telfair’s Gibran holdings.
