Paul Mellon: In His Own Words

As a scion of the legendary Mellon family of billionaire philanthropists, Paul Mellon distinguished himself as one of the most prominent artistic benefactors in the world. As narrated by Joseph Krakora , Executive Officer for Development and External Affairs at the National Gallery of Art, this biographical profile pays reverential homage to Mellon with an overview of his life, from his childhood as dynastic heir through his remarkable achievement as an adult in founding, commissioning and overseeing the construction of the National Gallery in 1941. The program then uses time-lapse photography to provide a spectacular chronicle of the facility's evolution over the years, capped off by archival footage that depicts the dedication ceremony at the museum, where Mellon made his first public speech. (110 hr.)