Comments on: The Barnes Foundation http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/09/07/the-barnes-foundation/ Wed, 7 Jan 2009 01:46:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ellen Blais http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/09/07/the-barnes-foundation/#comment-181202 Ellen Blais Sat, 06 Oct 2007 19:24:53 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/09/07/the-barnes-foundation/#comment-181202 I just visited the Barnes as part of an Elderhostel, and found many aspects of the collection a refreshing change from the usual museum experience, notably the more or less natural lighting. This may not be in the best interests of the paintings, but I felt I was seeing them as they might appear in anyone's home and wasn't surprised to learn that Barnes had visited Gertrude Stein and seen, presumably, the floor to ceiling arrangements there. But after viewing five or so rooms, I really felt I was at the mercy of some sort of monomania because of the arrangements of the paintings and the placement of all those metal pieces. Still, I'm really glad I had a chance to see the place while it is still in Merion Station in all its glory, in the strange setting Barnes chose for it. I just visited the Barnes as part of an Elderhostel, and found many aspects of the collection a refreshing change from the usual museum experience, notably the more or less natural lighting. This may not be in the best interests of the paintings, but I felt I was seeing them as they might appear in anyone’s home and wasn’t surprised to learn that Barnes had visited Gertrude Stein and seen, presumably, the floor to ceiling arrangements there. But after viewing five or so rooms, I really felt I was at the mercy of some sort of monomania because of the arrangements of the paintings and the placement of all those metal pieces. Still, I’m really glad I had a chance to see the place while it is still in Merion Station in all its glory, in the strange setting Barnes chose for it.

]]> By: Colin Page http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/09/07/the-barnes-foundation/#comment-147824 Colin Page Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:24:46 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/09/07/the-barnes-foundation/#comment-147824 Amen about the Renoir paintings. I'm rarely a fan of a Renoir painting, and was even less impressed after visiting the Barnes. I love the museum overall... Cezanne, Matisse, Monet... but I won't quibble with your comments on Renoir. As an aside I think one of the best parts is the quiet of the place; a result of being out of the way and hard to get admission to. Amen about the Renoir paintings. I’m rarely a fan of a Renoir painting, and was even less impressed after visiting the Barnes. I love the museum overall… Cezanne, Matisse, Monet… but I won’t quibble with your comments on Renoir.

As an aside I think one of the best parts is the quiet of the place; a result of being out of the way and hard to get admission to.

]]> By: Collegeville http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/09/07/the-barnes-foundation/#comment-146581 Collegeville Sat, 08 Sep 2007 18:57:41 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/09/07/the-barnes-foundation/#comment-146581 There's even a further layer to the struggles. The 50 year campaign, first to open up the Barnes, then to move it, has been spearheaded by the Philadelphia Inquirer, owned and run for many years by the Annenberg Family. (Lots of folks at U of P wear Annenberg livery.) They were to Barnes like the cobra to the mongoose, and the antagonism contributed to Barnes seeking to escape Philly for the suburbs. While I love watching those rich folks have slap fights, I think there is an overriding principle that will win out. As the Pharaohs found, you really don't have all that much to say about what happens to your stuff after you die. And the graverobbers in Philly and Harrisburg put the ancient Egyptians to shame. Sorry, Dr. Barnes. There’s even a further layer to the struggles. The 50 year campaign, first to open up the Barnes, then to move it, has been spearheaded by the Philadelphia Inquirer, owned and run for many years by the Annenberg Family. (Lots of folks at U of P wear Annenberg livery.) They were to Barnes like the cobra to the mongoose, and the antagonism contributed to Barnes seeking to escape Philly for the suburbs.
While I love watching those rich folks have slap fights, I think there is an overriding principle that will win out. As the Pharaohs found, you really don’t have all that much to say about what happens to your stuff after you die. And the graverobbers in Philly and Harrisburg put the ancient Egyptians to shame. Sorry, Dr. Barnes.

]]>