"The Barnes Foundation houses one of the finest collections of French Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and early Modern paintings in the world, including an extraordinary number of masterpieces by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (181), Paul Cézanne (69), and Henri Matisse (59). The collection also includes important works by Pablo Picasso (46), Chaim Soutine (21), Henri Rousseau (18), Amedeo Modigliani (16), Edgar Degas (11), Vincent van Gogh (7), Georges Seurat (6), Edouard Manet (4), and Claude Monet (4).
Although renowned for its late 19th- and early 20th-century European paintings, the Foundation's collection also includes important examples of American paintings and works on paper, including works by Charles Demuth, William Glackens, and Maurice and Charles Prendergast; African sculpture; Native American ceramics, jewelry, and textiles; Asian paintings, prints, and sculptures; Medieval manuscripts and sculptures; Old Master paintings, including works by El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, and Titian; ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art; and American and European decorative arts and metalwork." (http://www.barnesfoundation.org/c_main.html)
Although renowned for its late 19th- and early 20th-century European paintings, the Foundation's collection also includes important examples of American paintings and works on paper, including works by Charles Demuth, William Glackens, and Maurice and Charles Prendergast; African sculpture; Native American ceramics, jewelry, and textiles; Asian paintings, prints, and sculptures; Medieval manuscripts and sculptures; Old Master paintings, including works by El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, and Titian; ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art; and American and European decorative arts and metalwork." (http://www.barnesfoundation.org/c_main.html)
Dr. Barnes hung the paintings in a salon style based on style, color, subject, etc. rather than by artist or time period. Therefore, you have masterpieces that would never be hung in the same room of a museum hanging next to each other or one below the other. For example, there was a painting by the school of El Greco hanging across from a Renoir with two Van Goghs hung in between. We split up into groups of six and had a docent led tour through the museum. Our docent was so great! She is a retired art history teacher and had a way of spinning the information and anecdotes together to make a very enjoyable experience.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to see all of the collection because HBO was shooting a documentary and their film crews and sets were occupying some of the rooms. The director of the documentary came down and gave us a quick talk about the foundation and ended with a stern "request" not to make any noise while they were shooting. Such sacrifice for the sake of entertainment...
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