Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes
June 23 – September 8, 2024
Experience a fresh perspective on two important modern painters.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Mussel-Fishers at Berneval (detail), 1879. BF989. Public Domain.
Adults $30; seniors $28 (tickets good for 2 days); students $5; members free
About the Exhibition
Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes, presented in the Roberts Gallery, offers a fresh perspective on renowned canvases from the collection. Featuring approximately 35 iconic works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Henri Matisse from the second floor of the collection galleries, the exhibition reflects the expansion of the Barnes’s educational program and emphasizes the historical and cultural context of the works.
Tracing the creative development of two foundational artists of European modernism, this exhibition will display Matisse and Renoir paintings from the same period in proximity for the first time, including Matisse’s The Joy of Life (1905–6) and Red Madras Headdress (1907) and Renoir’s Leaving the Conservatory (1876–77) and Mussel-Fishers at Berneval (1879). Creating space for new conversations between works—a critical aspect of education, research, and public access—it will give audiences a rare opportunity to view these paintings in new contexts and juxtapositions.
From May 30 to September 13, 2024, the second floor of the Barnes collection will be closed for floor refinishing.
Exhibition Organization
Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes is organized by curator Cindy Kang and assistant curator Corrinne Chong.
Related Programs
Member Previews
Thursday, June 20–Saturday, June 22, 10 am–5 pm
Members are invited to see Matisse & Renoir before it opens. Free.
Curators in Conversation
Sunday, June 23, 1 pm
Join us on the exhibition’s opening day for a conversation with curator Cindy Kang and Martha Lucy, deputy director for research, interpretation and education, moderated by assistant curator Corrinne Chong. Learn about the individual achievements of Matisse and Renoir and their brief but important friendship. Includes access to exhibition.
Exhibition Tours
Beginning June 27, Thursday–Monday, 1 pm
In this one-hour tour, a trained docent provides a closer look at the exhibition, focusing on the development of Matisse and Renoir. Includes access to exhibition and collection before and after tour.
Private Exhibition Tours
Beginning June 27, Thursday–Monday, 10 am, 11 am, 2 pm
Led by a trained docent, this tour is a private one-hour experience for you and up to seven guests. Reservations are required. Private tours must be requested at least four days in advance. Includes access to exhibition and collection before and after tour.
Members-Only Exhibition Tours
Thursdays, June 27–September 5, 2–3 pm
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of the exhibition.
Members-Only Online Exhibition Tour
Wednesdays, July 10 and August 21, 2–3 pm
Members are invited to exclusive online tours of the exhibition.
First Friday
July 5, August 2, and September 6; 6–9 pm
Enjoy an evening of art, live music, cocktails, and light fare at our monthly First Friday mixer and performance series. Includes access to Matisse & Renoir and the collection.
PECO Free First Sunday Family Day
July 7, August 4, and September 1; 10 am–5 pm
On the first Sunday of every month, the Barnes partners with PECO to offer a free day of family fun. Along with art making, educational activities, and performances, the event includes access to Matisse & Renoir and the collection.
Workshop: Matisse and Renoir in a New Light
Wednesday, July 10, or Tuesday, August 6; 10 am–4 pm
Instructors: Rob Jagiela, Kaelin Jewell, and Martha Lucy
Celebrate Matisse & Renoir with this one-day workshop. Join us in the Roberts Gallery as we look closely at large-scale works such as The Mussel-Fishers, The Joy of Life, and The Music Lesson, literally in a new light. Why was Albert Barnes so obsessed with these artists? How did he and Violette de Mazia incorporate Matisse and Renoir into their teachings? Exclusive access to original archival documents will help illuminate the story.
Sponsors
Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes is sponsored by:
Additional support is provided by the Barnes Docents, Dr. Robert C. Cody, Linda Frankel, Mary Jo Grdina and Walter A. Brogan, and other generous individuals.
Ongoing funding for exhibitions comes from the Christine and Michael Angelakis Exhibition Fund, the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Exhibition Fund, the Lois and Julian Brodsky Exhibition Fund, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, the Christine and George Henisee Exhibition Fund, Aileen and Brian Roberts, and the Tom and Margaret Lehr Whitford Exhibition Fund.
In addition, funding for all exhibitions comes from contributors to the Barnes Foundation Exhibition Fund:
Joan Carter and John Aglialoro, Julia and David Fleischner, Leigh and John Middleton, Jeanette and Joe Neubauer
John Alchin and Hal Marryatt, Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz, Lois and Julian Brodsky, N. Judith Broudy, Laura T. Buck*, Elaine W. Camarda and A. Morris Williams, Jr., Emily and Michael Cavanagh, Eugene and Michelle Dubay, Penelope P. Harris, Jones & Wajahat Family, Lisa D. Kabnick and John H. McFadden, Victor F. Keen and Jeanne Ruddy, Marguerite Lenfest, Maribeth and Steven Lerner, Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation, Hilarie and Mitchell Morgan, The Park Family, Wendy and Mark Rayfield, Anne and Bruce Robinson, Adele K. Schaeffer, Katie and Tony Schaeffer, Dr. and Mrs. Eugene E. Stark, Joan F. Thalheimer, Bruce and Robbi Toll, van Beuren Charitable Foundation, The Victory Foundation, Kirsten White, Randi Zemsky and Bob Lane, Anonymous.
*posthumous recognition