The Barnes Foundation

Going to the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, was the main reason for my recent travels! Of course, it was such a blessing that my sister Kathy was interested too. She said she'd love to go with me! Kathy lives in CT where I used to live. So I arranged our trip!

The Barnes Foundation is a special collection of art collected and displayed by Dr. Albert Barnes. He was a High School friend of my great uncle, artist William Glackens. If you have the time and any interest you can read more about Glackens on my website: http://www.creativelenna.com/william-glackens/

In 1912, Dr. Barnes asked my great uncle to shop for paintings for him in Europe... to add to his collection. Glackens brought back 33 paintings, 11 of which are still in the collection. The artists that Glackens bought included Picasso, Renoir, Matisse...I do not have the list in front of me now, (on the train!) but it was very impressive. When Kathy & I toured the Barnes yesterday there were 181 Renoirs! Such an incredible collection all together, but this in itself was mind boggling, not to mention incredibly beautiful.

The way the paintings at the Barnes are displayed is like no other museum I have seen before. Dr Barnes grouped them in what he called "ensembles". This ensemble would NOT be one period or artist, per say. He would instead group paintings that had a relationship to each other in some way. It was most interesting. Dr Barnes believed that art appreciation by all would make us better citizens.

There were many paintings and drawings by my great uncle that I had never seen before. Also, I saw a number of small paintings by his wife, Edith Dimock Glackens. And a real treat for me, a drawing by Lenna Glackens!!

The train is almost to my sister's . . .oh, what a lovely time we've shared. Tomorrow: I'll fly back to Florida, Steve & our 4 pets :)