The Barnes Foundation, established by scientist, entrepreneur, and
educator Dr. Albert C. Barnes in 1922, is home to a legendary art
collection. Barnes assembled one of the world's largest and finest
groups of post-impressionist and early modern paintings, with holdings
by such luminaries as Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Rousseau,
Modigliani, Soutine, Manet, Monet, Seurat, Degas, Van Gogh, and Gauguin.
The Foundation's collection also holds significant examples of American
art, including works by Demuth, Glackens, and the Prendergasts; African
sculpture; Native American ceramics, jewelry, and textiles; Asian
paintings, prints, and sculptures; medieval manuscripts and sculptures;
Old Master paintings by El Greco, Rubens, Titian, and others; ancient
Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art; and American and European decorative
arts and metalwork.
The presentation of the collection reflects Barnes's educational and
aesthetic approach: symmetrical "ensembles," or wall compositions,
combine works of different periods, mediums, cultures, and styles for
the purpose of comparison and study.
Texts by Judith F. Dolkart and Martha Lucy explore the Barnes
Foundation's collection, educational mission, ensembles, and individual
works. Large color plates, little-seen archival photographs, and
numerous gatefolds illustrate 150 of the greatest hits of the collection
and twenty gallery ensembles.
