The Barnes Foundation was established by Albert C. Barnes in 1922 to "promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture." The Barnes holds one of the finest collections of post-impressionist and early modernist works, with extensive holdings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Henri Rousseau, Amedeo Modigliani, Chaim Soutine and Giorgio de Chirico, as well as American masters Charles Demuth, William Glackens, Horace Pippin, and Maurice Prendergast, and old master paintings, important examples of African sculpture and Native American ceramics, jewelry and textiles, American paintings and decorative arts, and antiquities from the Mediterranean region and Asia. Discover why after every visit, you'll never stop seeing the Barnes.
External link for Barnes Foundation
2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Philadelphia, PA 19130, US
300 N Latchs Lane
Merion, PA 19103, US
We're so excited for this! 🥳👏
We’ve got big news. 📣 Saint Joseph’s University & the Barnes Foundation are teaming up to launch an online museum education graduate program—a first-of-its-kind collaboration in Philadelphia! 🎓 🖼 Now enrolling for fall 2024. Tap the link to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eTH-ZiY2
Imagine walking into Room 13 of the Barnes collection. The north wall greets you—a vibrant tapestry of paintings, metalwork, furniture, and textiles, each placed with purpose yet sparking endless curiosity. What do these objects say to each other? To us? Join us for a one-session art appreciation class where we’ll pull back the layers of this ensemble, and decode the connections, uncover hidden meanings, and guarantee you leave with a fresh perspective (and a newfound favorite detail). 🖼️✨ Afternoon with an Ensemble: Room 13 📅 Wednesday January 15 🕑 2PM – 4PM ET 📍 On-site (seats are limited!) 🎓 Scholarships available 🎟 Reserve tickets: https://bit.ly/3Osvn5a 📸 Ensemble view, Room 13, east wall, Philadelphia. © The Barnes Foundation
Unlock the secrets beneath Picasso’s brushstrokes! 🔍✨ The Barnes is home to 46 works by Pablo Picasso, ranging from iconic paintings to mysterious, lesser-known treasures. Our conservation and research teams have been on a fascinating journey, uncovering hidden images, shifts in palette, and untold stories etched into these masterpieces. Now, for the first time, we’re sharing our discoveries with you. Join instructors Christie Romano and Naina Saligram as they reveal what lies beneath the surface—literally! With case studies, deep-zoom technology, and fresh insights, this art class is your chance to see Picasso’s works in a whole new light. Picasso in Focus: New Discoveries at the Barnes 📅 Thursdays, January 9 – January 30 🕕 6PM – 8PM ET 💻 Online-only 🎓 Scholarships available 🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/3OtxJ3A 🔍 Left: Pablo Picasso. Child Seated in an Armchair (detail), 1901. The Barnes Foundation, BF128. © 2024 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Right: Infrared reflectogram of same painting, rotated 180 degrees.
Did you know Vincent van Gogh found both friendship and inspiration with his local postman, Joseph-Étienne Roulin? ✉️ Roulin’s steadfast presence during a tumultuous time in van Gogh’s life made him a frequent subject of the artist’s work— and the star of one of the most well-loved paintings in the Barnes collection—The Postman. In our next Close-Looking Immersion class, we’ll take 90 minutes to uncover the secrets of this iconic painting. Together, we’ll explore every detail, from Roulin’s expressive features to van Gogh’s masterful brushstrokes, gaining new insights through focused observation and thoughtful discussion. This immersive session is perfect for anyone ready to slow down, look deeply, and discover new perspectives on art. Close-Looking Immersion: Van Gogh’s The Postman 📅 Wednesday, January 8 🕕 6PM – 7:30PM ET 💻 Online-only 🎓 Scholarships available 🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/3CNbMdh 🎨 Vincent van Gogh. The Postman (Joseph-Étienne Roulin) (detail), 1889. The Barnes Foundation, BF37. Public Domain.
Take a deep dive into Mickalene Thomas’s "Tamika sur une chaise longue" with Emma Nell Jacobs, a doctoral candidate in the history of art at the University of Pennsylvania. In Focus Gallery Talks are 30-minute discussions that provide new interpretative approaches and intensive focus on individual works in the collection or current exhibition—in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s history of art graduate program. In Focus Gallery Talk: Mickalene Thomas: All About Love 📆 Monday, December 16 🕒 3PM - 3:30PM 🎟 Free with admission 🔗 Register: https://bit.ly/4izsnBO 🎨 Mickalene Thomas: All About Love, 2024. The Barnes Foundation, installation view. Image © Barnes Foundation
Step into a world of surreal visions and vivid scenes! Hieronymus Bosch’s fantastical creatures tempt and torment, weaving moral allegories in works like “The Garden of Earthly Delights”. Decades later, Pieter Bruegel, unexpectedly inspired by Bosch, brought humanity into sharp focus, capturing the rhythms of peasant life shown in “Netherlandish Proverbs” and “The Hungers in the Snow”. These two Dutch artists, separated by a generation, bridged the shift from the medieval to the modern world. Join us online as Larry Silver, the James & Nan Wagner Farquhar Professor Emeritus of the University of Pennsylvania History of Art Department, uncovers their stories and explores how Bosch’s imagination shaped Bruegel’s enduring legacy. Bosch and Bruegel 📅 Tuesdays, Jan 7 - Jan 28 🕑 2PM – 4PM ET 💻 Online-only 🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/3V2f7eP 🎨 Hieronymus Bosch. Death and the Miser (detail), c. 1485–90. The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. Samuel H. Kress Collection
"Inspiring" is used a lot to describe the work of Mickalene Thomas, and we wholeheartedly agree! Recently, Moore College of Art Design's Photo Department, The Wharton School's Art Club, and the AAMBAA at The Wharton School visited the Barnes to #SeeArtDifferently. It's inspiring to see the next generation take such an interest in the arts! Mickalene Thomas: All About Love is on view until January 12th, get your tickets today ➡ https://bit.ly/48SvaS9
One-day ONLY—Cyber Monday special: 20% OFF online classes! Elevate your appreciation for art and explore the rich tapestry of art history through our online classes. Don't forget, Barnes classes also make great gifts! 🎁 Take advantage of our Cyber Monday savings today ➡ https://bit.ly/3YSjbiF 🎨 Vincent van Gogh. The Postman (Joseph-Etienne Roulin), (detail) 1889, Oil on canvas. The Barnes Foundation, BF37.
Limited-time offer—Black Friday special: 15% OFF online classes! Whether you're an art enthusiast or just curious about the world of art, our classes are tailored to suit your interests at every level. Barnes classes also make great gifts! 🎁 Take advantage of our Black Friday savings today ➡ https://bit.ly/3CwfSWR 🎨 Vincent van Gogh. The Factory (detail), 1887. BF303. Public Domain.