Peter Millett (American, b. 1949) Black Madonna

Provenance Note: Charles E. Balbach (1934-2024) was a respected Western New York civic leader, arts patron, and dedicated collector whose leadership left a lasting mark on the region’s cultural institutions. A graduate of Harvard University, Balbach combined intellectual rigor with a deep commitment to public service and philanthropy. He served for more than two decades on the board of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), including a term as President of the Board. During his tenure, he helped guide long-range planning initiatives and strengthen institutional stewardship at a pivotal moment in the museum’s evolution. A thoughtful and disciplined collector, Balbach believed strongly in public access to art and in the responsibility of collectors to support the institutions that sustain cultural life. His legacy reflects a lifetime of civic engagement, connoisseurship, and enduring dedication to the arts.

Peter Millett (American, b. 1949)
Peter Millett is an American sculptor best known for works centered on the human figure and the spatial relationships surrounding it. He earned his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1971, where his studies emphasized both figuration and the expressive potential of negative space. Raised in an artistically active household – with an architect father and a musician mother involved in community theater – Millett developed an early fascination with transformation and the creation of immersive worlds. Influenced by tribal and ancient art encountered through art history, his sculptures reflect a timeless, archetypal approach to the human form. He has lived and worked in Seattle since 1973.