Barnes Foundation

We were fortunate to be able to stop at the Barnes Foundation in Merion, PA (just outside of Philadelphia) to see the world famous collection of the late Dr. Albert C. Barnes. It is billed as the finest collection of French Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and early Modern paintings in the world. I believe it! It contains no less than 181 masterpieces of Renoir, 69 works by Cezanne and 59 works by Henri Matisse; just to mention three of the artists. It is said that the Foundation includes more works by these three artists than in all the museums in Paris! Total works of art in the Foundation is about 2500 of which over 800 are paintings.

Many of you may know of the Barnes Foundation though the much publicized documentary film called “The Art of the Steal” that was released earlier this year. If you don’t know about it and your are interested in art please go to my references and check it out. Briefly, it is a story about an estimated $25 Billion of world-class art moved, some will say “stolen”, from the little community of Merion, PA to the big city of Philadelphia, even against the wishes of the founder as stated in his trust agreement. A lot of money is involved in this true story!

The Foundation in Merion will closed mid year 2011 to be moved to “museum row” on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. The new location will not open in Philadelphia until sometime in 2012. The building is already being constructed.

I will not come down on either side of this argument, although it is difficult to understand how the Trustees of the Foundation could possibly have squandered the large endowment fund, over $10 million in 1950's dollars, that was established in the trust agreement by Dr. Barnes and be in a position where the Foundation was pretty close to bankruptcy in the early 1990's.

However, to be sure, it will definitely be easier to view the Collection when it is in Philadelphia and of course many more thousands of people will see this priceless collection of art. Getting into the Barnes today is like checking into a secured government location, read CIA!

Also Check out the philly.com site for more information about the move and an architect’s rendering of the building as well as some history of the Barnes.

Entrance to the Foundation; as you can see access is somewhat limited. Each person should have advance reservations, however, if there be space available, walk-in's may be admitted. The Foundation is located in a residential area and easily missed; the entrance isn't marked very well and in fact we drove past it.

The art galley of the Foundation. I should note that the original purpose of the Foundation was and education center and not a museum.

Dr. Barnes residence adjoining the Foundation's art galley.

Imaged taken from a post card purchased at the Foundation. Image copyright protected.

Imaged taken from a post card purchased at the Foundation. These two post cards gives a good example as to how the art work is displayed. Each of the ninety-six walls were designed by Dr. Barnes and it is done in a way for him and the Foundation to teach art. Image copyright protected.