Wilhelmina Holladay

Wilhelmina Cole Holladay (née Cole; October 10, 1922 – March 6, 2021) was an American art collector and patron. She was the co-founder of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2006.

Early life Holladay, known as "Billie", was born in Elmira, New York, on October 10, 1922. Her father, Chauncey Cole, worked as a businessman; her mother, Claire Elisabeth née Strong, was a housewife.

Career

The Holladays began collecting art in the 1950s. On a trip to Europe during the 1970s, they saw and admired paintings by Clara Peeters at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and the Museo del Prado in Madrid. They ended up collecting 500 works by 150 painters and sculptors. In 1987, the museum acquired a former Masonic temple in Washington, D.C. as its permanent facility. The museum houses a permanent collection of art, presents changing special exhibitions and performances, maintains a library and research center, publishes exhibition catalogues, and offers educational programming.

Personal life Holladay married Wallace F. Holladay in 1945. They remained married until his death in 2012. Together, they had two children: Wallace "Hap" Jr. and Scott Cole, who predeceased her. before being conferred a National Medal of Arts the following year. and a Foremother Award from the National Center for Health Research. Holladay also received two foreign honors: the Legion of Honour from the French government and the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.