Florida - Sarasota, John Ringling Mansion and Museum of Art

Corner of Court of  Ringling Art Museum, Sarasota, Florida

The John and Mabel Ringling  Museum of Art holds a rare collection of original paintings and sculpture collected over a period of 35 years by the late Mr. and Mrs. John Ringling.  The inner court is filled with stone and bronze reproductions of many of the best known pieces of statuary from old Greek and Roman masters to comparatively modern times including the Discus Thrower, Atlas, Dying Gaul, the Laocoon, Perseus and many others.
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Looking East In Ringling Art Museum, Sarasota, Florida
Both nature and man have combined forces to make the Ringling Museum of Art one of the nations's most beautiful spots.  In the long galleries that border this lovely court, out-standing works of some of the world's most famous artists are displayed.  The 76 life size statues surmounting the building represent characters from ancient history and mythology.  An atmosphere of old Europe prevails throughout the entire visit to the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art.
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Famous Fountain of Turtles at Ringling Art Museum, Sarasota, Florida
Representing the consummation of an ideal, there has been builded by Mr. and Mrs. John Ringling one of the largest Art Museums in the U.S.  The building has 22 side lighted galleries from 40 to 110 ft. long.  For the most part the 450 original paintings from every important school from the 13th century to the 19th hang in separate period rooms.  76 life size statues overlook the garden or patio.  The Famous Fountain of Turtles from Rome was restored by Alexander VII, Pope of Rome, and brought to the U.S. to become an art treasure here.

From a set of 12 postcards in a booklet.
The inside of the front cover reads:

The John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art
located in the city of Sarasota, Florida, houses one of the outstanding art collections in America and said to be next to the Louvre in Paris for its representations of the Old Masters works.  The collection represents thirty-five years of untiring efforts on the part of Mr. and Mrs. John Ringling, seeking out only the bet of Flemish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, French and English masters and their outstanding paintings.  Well known names are well represented thruout the entire collection.  Other items of art works are well represented too, the Inner Court with its well arranged statuary, fountains and ancient columns in a setting of a terraced Italian sunken garden with tropical shrubs and flowers.  Wishing to leave a Memorial, Mr. Ringling left this entire Estate of thirty acres, his three million dollar Mansion and the estimated fourteen million dollar Art Museum to the State of Florida which now carries on in ownership and management.  The State of Florida intends to make this gift one of the most famous of Art Museums, from a standpoint of education, America could ever hope for.  The Museum building is detailed in Italian Renaissance and a visit to Europe is your by taking a tour thru this Museum.

The inside of the back cover reads:

The John Ringling Mansion ... a Venetian Palace, is situated back of the Art Museum on the shore of Sarasota Bay.  This was the home of John and Mabel Ringling for many years and it too houses outstanding objets d'art.  Period furniture, massive bed-room suites, mural ceilings, imported floor coverings, tapestry hangings and an inventory of choice collector's items abound in every room.  A visit thru this Mansion convinces one of the cultured life John and Mabel Ringling enjoyed.  This Estate named Ca'D'Zan (the house of John) is one of the outstanding tourist attractions in Florida and a stop here will convince the most critical, he has seen the best America has to offer in this line of sightseeing adventure.