Pennsylvania in Watercolor: Revisiting Nick Ruggieri’s Bicentennial Series

Posted by on Dec 1, 2025 in | Comments Off on Pennsylvania in Watercolor: Revisiting Nick Ruggieri’s Bicentennial Series   In 1971, the Harrisburg Patriot-News commissioned local artist and newspaperman Nick Ruggieri (1908–96) to create a series of paintings depicting Pennsylvania scenes—both historic and contemporary — across all 67 counties. The project was intended to be the capital city newspaper’s contribution to the upcoming Bicentennial, a national celebration in which the Keystone State was expected...
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Editor’s Letter

Posted by on Dec 1, 2025 in | Comments Off on Editor’s Letter What comes to mind when you think of Pennsylvania? The features in this edition spotlight perspectives on commonwealth culture through a painter’s scenic landscapes, a sculptor’s three-dimensional portraits of historical and folkloric figures, the state animal, and a popular food product. In the early 1970s, artist Nick Ruggieri was commissioned by the Harrisburg Patriot-News to select a...
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From the Executive Director

Posted by on Mar 27, 2024 in | Comments Off on From the Executive Director   One of the many things we do at the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is support the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence at 2035 North Front Street in Harrisburg. We assist with exhibitions there, some of which feature selections from our art and decorative arts collections, others that highlight our historical objects. We also help facilitate loans from other institutions for...
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Ruggieri Exhibit: A Commemorative Portrait

Posted by on Nov 29, 2013 in | Comments Off on Ruggieri Exhibit: A Commemorative Portrait It’s as though Nick Ruggieri has compiled a family album for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, then passed it around for the state’s citizens to see and admire. Ruggieri, a widely acclaimed veteran artist, has executed the most comprehensive art collection ever assembled on Pennsylvania. It took four years of travel, work and research. He has painted – in oil, acrylic and watercolor...
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