The Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati is marking two significant milestones in 2026: the 175th anniversary of Robert S. Duncanson’s landscape murals and the 40th anniversary of the Duncanson Artist-in-Residence Program, one of the longest-running residency programs in the United States dedicated to community engagement and artists of color. The museum announced both anniversaries in March 2026.

Duncanson, an African American artist born in New York in 1821, painted a series of landscape murals in the entrance hall of what is now the Taft Museum of Art in 1850 and 1851. The eight panels, which remain in their original location, are considered among the finest examples of antebellum landscape painting in the country and are central to the museum’s identity.

Visual artist Ayana Ross has been named the 2026 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence, continuing the program’s 40-year tradition. Ross’s residency runs through spring 2026 and includes an exhibition of her work at the museum, public programs, teaching workshops, and visits to schools across Greater Cincinnati. The Duncanson residency is awarded through a competitive application and review process.

The Taft Museum of Art is located at 316 Pike St. in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood, housed in an 1820 Federal-style mansion that was once the home of art collectors Charles Phelps Taft and Anna Sinton Taft. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday. For information, visit taftmuseum.org.

Source: Taft Museum of Art