Eye of the Beholder The William Knight Zewadski Legacy

Beauty, as the saying goes, is in the eye of the beholder — that is, a matter of personal choice. The same holds true when establishing an art collection. The treasures displayed in this exhibition reflect a very personal passion for ancient Greek and Roman art and archaeology, ancient theater and architecture — as well as their reception in modern prints and photography. Culled from the collection of William Knight (“Bill”) Zewadski, the works on view reflect the zeal of an amateur — in the true sense of the word. In addition, the exhibition is a testament to his immeasurable generosity to the Tampa Museum of Art over a period of four decades. 

Eye of the Beholder is part of a series of exhibitions dedicated to the Museum’s permanent collection that have been on view since the Centennial Celebration. 

The photographs on view in this exhibition span the history of the medium itself from the early 19th century. As such, they reflect the emergence of a new artform developed from an initial documentary approach. Over the years, Mr. Zewadski has donated innumerable antiquities, prints and photographs to two dozen organizations, including the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Kinsey Institute, the Library of Congress, the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University (his alma mater), and the University of South Florida. Since 1980, he has enriched the Tampa Museum of Art with over 1,240 invaluable works of art. The objects on view in this exhibition represent but a small yet evocative selection of Mr. Zewadski’s passions and serve to celebrate his enduring legacy to the Tampa Bay community.