A piece of artwork from the Manoogian collection titled “The Window Seat” by Francis Davis Millet, 1883.

ESCANABA — Through the generosity of the Manoogian family, residents of the Upper Peninsula are being given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view an impressive collection of paintings currently on display at the Bonifas Arts Center.

“Visions of American Life: Paintings from the Manoogian Collection, 1850-1940,” is from the private Richard and Jane Manoogian collection.

Not only is Richard Manoogian a generous patron of the arts, his background with art organizations is impressive. He began collecting American art seriously in the 1970s after he became trustee of the Detroit Institute of Arts and also was appointed to the White House Preservation Committee and the Fine Arts Committee at the U.S. State Department.

But it is largely his background and life experiences that draw him to collect American art.

“Consciously or unconsciously, collecting American paintings is important to me in a special way,” Manoogian explained. “Those from an ethnic background like mine often have a great appreciation for America because of the opportunity this country has created for their families. The result is a deep love for one’s country and a particular appreciation for the period in which the country grew and expanded. A love for one’s country also instills a desire to give something back to it. I have lent paintings to many exhibitions. To some extent, my collection has been driven by wanting to share my paintings with others as a way of giving something back to the country that has been so good to our family.”

Richard Manoogian is chairman emeritus of Masco Corp., a leading manufacturers of brand-name home improvement and building products, including Delta Faucets and Behr Paint. He has served on the boards of JPMorgan Chase, Ford Motor Co., Henry Ford Health System, College for Creative Studies and many other civic, educational, non-profit and public companies.

He has long been involved in community service as well.

“Visions of American Life” is the latest traveling exhibit from the Manoogian collection and is organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts. According to the DIA, “Viewers will enjoy images of iconic and majestic views of the natural world, as well as glimpses of everyday life. Some of the featured artists are associated with the so-called Hudson River School.” The Hudson River School was a mid-19th century American art movement that included landscape painters whose aesthetic visions were influenced by romantics.

Over the four decades since their collection began, Richard and Jane Manoogian still continue to collect with the same passion and devotion toward great American art. Their collection is remarkable for its range and diversity. While it is principally 19th-century in date, it spans the period from the early 19th to the early 20th centuries and includes superb objects from every decade.

“I believe strongly that it is important for people to appreciate the unique character, diversity and quality of American art, and I hope that my collection will encourage others to both appreciate and collect American art,” Richard Manoogian has said.

The Bonifas Arts Center will host the Manoogian collection of early American paintings through May 23. This museum collaboration is made possible by Terra-Art Bridges, an initiative of the Terra Foundation for American Art and Art Bridges, Inc. Generous support has been provided by the Richard and Jane Manoogian Foundation.

The exhibit is open free to the public, due in part to the sponsorship of the City of Escanaba and Bonifas memberships. For more information go to www.bonifasarts.org.