UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State is preparing to close the last of its fall 2018 special exhibitions on Dec. 16.

"Object Lessons: American Still-Life Painting in the Nineteenth Century," which highlights the rich tradition of still-life painting in the United States, with an emphasis on Pennsylvania’s influential role in that history, will close at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16. The exhibition brings together a rich and distinguished group of American artists who excelled at still-life painting during the height of its era.

"Object Lessons" has received extensive regional and national recognition in several major publications, such as American Fine Art Magazine, and has been groundbreaking for the museum in its interdisciplinary and innovative use of technology and programming. "Object Lessons" was made possible with generous support from Art Bridges.

Also closing on Dec. 16 is the intimate, yet exuberant, "Instinctive Gestures: Recent Gifts from the Fishman-MacElderry Collection." The exhibition spotlights 12 vibrant works from the important gift of contemporary paintings, works on paper, and prints donated to the Palmer in 2016 and 2017 by Marilyn Fishman and James MacElderry.

“We encourage everyone to stop by the Palmer to see these two special exhibitions before they close,” said Erin Coe, director of the museum. “The majority of paintings on view in 'Object Lessons' are on loan from private collections and are rarely seen.”

The Palmer will be closed for winter break from Dec. 22 through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, but will open three new exhibitions for the spring in January and early February.