12 replies to this topic

[Rail Paul]

The Pennsylvania Orphans Court has ruled the trustees of the Barnes Foundation may move their collection of art to a new museum to be constructed along Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The collection is renowned for its holdings of Monet, Picasso, Renoir, and Cezanne works, many purchased in the first third of the last century.

Under terms of Dr Abert Barnes's endowment and foundation, no art could be sold, moved, or displayed in a way other than the founder intended. That restriction has now been lifted.

If you're interested in seeing the Barnes collection, located in Merion PA, just outside of Philadelphia, the handwriting is now on the wall. I'd bet three years...


Barnes

[Tamar G]

that's such a shame. the building is beautiful as are the grounds and its so special to view it exactly as intended by the collector. The neighbors will be overjoyed. They've been trying to get rid of it for years (pesky foot and car traffic, and parking problems).

Any idea what they are going to do with the house and land?

[Rail Paul]

The last plan I viewed called for about half the Merion property to be sold, the rest retained for the scholars' center. The big money (Pew, Annenberg, Dorrance, etc) is driving the move to the Parkway.

Ironically, the Episcopal girls' school with their traffic, buses, and ball fields is one likely purchaser of the Barnes property. I can't imagine the neighbors will be thrilled.

[Tamar G]

construction doesn't begin until the end of 2005.

http://www.philly.co...10417969.htm?1c

[Rail Paul]

Just bringing this up to the top.

The Barnes is accepting visitor reservations at its Merion campus, and continues to offer accomodations with the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia, the nearby Radnor Hotel, etc. Guided tours, acousti-guides, etc are available

The foundation is about fifteen minutes walk from the Septa Rail train station


Barnes

[foodie52]

I got to see some of the collection when it was on tour in 1993. When I told my grandmother that I had been, she told me a story:

In the late 40's she took a train from NYC to visit the exhibit and she "dressed down" in order to be allowed inside. She said that Barnes frequently denied the upper crust access to his collection.

[cdh]

The Barnes is still firmly rooted in Merion at the moment... no news of impending move, or even speculation about who is designing the new building for downtown.

As to the neighbors, Episcopal Academy is relocating elsewhere and St Joe's is buying their campus... wonder if St Joe's will take any Barnes property if they subdivide it...

[Rail Paul]

The Barnes is still firmly rooted in Merion at the moment... no news of impending move, or even speculation about who is designing the new building for downtown.

As to the neighbors, Episcopal Academy is relocating elsewhere and St Joe's is buying their campus... wonder if St Joe's will take any Barnes property if they subdivide it...

I saw a mention in the WSJ this morning that Robert Turner, the investment manager, has given a huge gift to Episcopal Academy to help with their relocation. It's the second largest gift ever made to the Academy.

The largest gift was made by the Annenberg family, which also played a major role in the relocation decision for the Barnes. I'd suspect they'll have a voice in the disposition of the Barnes Merion property, too.

As of now, and for the near future, though, it looks like the Barnes will remain in Merion. Winter is a wonderful time to visit the collection, as crowds are often non-existent and the galleries may be close to empty (at least in my experience).

[Behemoth]

Have you ever gotten the "Barnes Method" tour? It's really interesting, and given the age of the guides, might not be available once they move. (It's free but ask for times when you make your reservation.)

[Rail Paul]

A new movie, the Art of the Steal, has opened in New York and Philadelphia. It covers the takeover and relocation proposals for the Barnes Collection.

The NY Times has a review of the movie. Apparently, most of the collection is still open for viewing, although some galleries have been closed in preparation for the 2011/2012 move.


Art of the Steal

[rancho_gordo]

A new movie, the Art of the Steal, has opened in New York and Philadelphia. It covers the takeover and relocation proposals for the Barnes Collection.

The NY Times has a review of the movie. Apparently, most of the collection is still open for viewing, although some galleries have been closed in preparation for the 2011/2012 move.


Art of the Steal

in the early days of CDROMs, I bought a great title called A Passion for Art and it was a tour through the whole estate with details on all the paintings. I've always felt a tie to the place, just from the CDRom.

eta: Apparent;ly ity's still available:

[Rail Paul]

Opening in May...

It has come down to this: Beth Lillis, 27, project coordinator for the Barnes Foundation, no time for breakfast, an iced coffee barely touched, carrying a cardboard box of light fixtures over the gravel outside the construction trailer and in through the thousand-pound brass-and-glass doors to the first gallery, where, at last, the Brooklyn-fashioned lamps are being hung, to illuminate, among other eye-poppers in their new home, Cezanne's Card Players at their usual table.

It is a moment both thrilling in purpose (barely three weeks before the building opens to the public May 19, they're literally waiting to turn on the lights) and mundane in practicality - the fixtures are but one more detail in an ambitious, audacious project where it seems that no detail has gone unexamined, undiscussed, unrevised, unperfected.

Barnes Collection, part 2

[Sneakeater]

Brooklyn-fashioned