Book excerpt: This is a survey of the history of American art as well as the history of the collection of American Masterpieces in the National Gallery of Art. This enlarged edition reflects the changes in the collection since 1980. The Newly acquired works include Rembrandt Peale's Rubens Peale with Geranium, Hick's Peaceable Kingdom, Cassatt's Little Girl in a Blue Armchair and Hopper's Cape Cod Evening and others by Homer, Eakins, Whistler, Prendergast, O'Keefe and Marin.