Titan City found itself in the midst of a cultural and artistic boom during its early days in the 1920s. The feelings of hope and inspiration shared by so many citizens drew or created many ambitious young artists, all seeking to make a name for themselves and see where the muses would take them. The unfortunate consequence of this was that museum, private collection, and gallery space to display such works was quickly exhausted. Even with wealthy and influential people the nation over coming to find new and exciting works, it seemed that Alexandria simply did not have enough bare walls to accommodate its booming talent.
Enter Alexander Holt, an ambitious man with a vision. Taking out several loans with banks across the state, Alexander set about establishing a large collection to showcase--and sell-- the works of new artists. Holt was sure that given enough space and the proper motivation he could draw in a large crowd of wealthy investors hungry for young talent. If Holt happened to make a bit of money on the commissions, well so be it. Accordingly, he purchased a large building in the Library District, previously a private home gutted in the fire of 1908, restored the interior, and made a variety of acquisitions, particularly of late nineteenth and early twentieth century art.
Unfortunately Holt never lived to see his vision come to fruition. In 1928, just months after his display space opened, he perished in a mysterious fall into an open manhole. Police ruled it an accident, though rumors of foul play continue to swirl around Holt’s death to this day. To the great surprise of Holt’s heirs, his will provided that the collection be maintained as a museum after his death. The Holt Collection has been in operation as a museum ever since.
Today, the Holt Collection is one of the most important art museums in the city. While focused in scope, it is respected for its fine examples of nineteenth and twentieth century art, particularly Impressionism. Art critics praise the collection for its intimate atmosphere.
