5 Things to Know About the Barnes Foundation Collection

From 1912 until his death in 1951, Albert Barnes collected more than 4,000 works of art. Everything from Renaissance paintings to ordinary door hinges seemed to capture his interest. Read on to learn about the core areas of the collection, which is considered priceless!

Dr. Albert C. Barnes collected more than 4,000 works of art before he died in 1951. He collected everything from Renaissance paintings to furniture. Today the collection is considered priceless. Read on to learn more about the types of art he acquired.

The 1800s saw major advances in science and new philosophies about equality and politics. By the mid-1800s, these rapid societal changes had inspired a new art movement—Modernism. Instead of painting kings, queens, and nobles in grand settings, artists painted everyday scenes and everyday people. Modern artists, including Amedeo Modigliani (ah-meh-DAY-oh moh-deel-YAH-nee), pushed the boundaries of art, aiming to capture an idea or feeling, rather than to represent exactly what they saw. Notice how Modigliani elongates the girl’s neck in his 1919 Girl with a Polka-Dot Blouse, above.

In the late 1800s, there were advances in science and people had new ideas about equality. These changes inspired a new art movement called Modernism. Artists painted regular people and everyday life. Modern artists tried to show ideas or feelings. Amedeo Modigliani (ah-meh-DAY-oh moh-deel-YAH-nee) pushed boundaries in paintings like Girl with a Polka-Dot Blouse, above. See how Modigliani lengthens the girl’s neck in the 1919 portrait. How does it change the feeling of the painting?

In addition to fine art, Barnes also collected decorative art. Decorative art includes any object that is made to be used—as opposed to simply displayed and admired—but is made with a high level of craft, or skill. Furniture, glassware, and vases can all be decorative art. This chest over drawers, built by American John Bieber in 1789, was made for storing household items. It could also be used as a table or extra seating. The hearts, tulips, and other patterns on the surface echo those that appear in traditional European craft.

Paintings like Modigliani’s are fine art. They’re meant to be displayed and admired. Barnes also collected decorative art, which is made to be used. These objects involve a high level of craft, or skill. Furniture is one type of decorative art. This chest of drawers was built by John Bieber in 1789. He made it for storing items and for sitting on. The patterns on the surface reflect traditional European craft.

In the early and mid-1900s, many museums refused to display works by Black artists. And if they did display such works, they put them in a separate room, usually as a temporary exhibition. By contrast, Barnes sought out art by Black artists, including Horace Pippin’s 1942 Giving Thanks, above. He displayed these works among his other art, grouped by visual similarities. Barnes also started a scholarship to help young Black people become artists.

In Barnes’s time, many museums did not display art by Black artists. If they did, they showed the works in a different room than those by White artists. Barnes bought works by Black artists, such as Horace Pippin’s Giving Thanks, above. He exhibited art by Black and White artists together, arranged by visual qualities—not by artist.

When Barnes was collecting art, many people in the U.S. viewed Indigenous art as inferior to art made by White people in the U.S. and Europe. But Barnes saw its inherent artistic value. For example, he recognized that traditional sculpture from some African countries was among the most advanced art forms in the world. Of this late 1800s portrait mask by Owie Kimou (oh-WEE kih-MOH), Barnes noted that the artist had not avoided difficult problems, adding unexpected visual elements, to “attain perfection.”

At the time, many Americans believed art made by Indigenous, or native, people wasn’t as good as art made by White people. Not Barnes. For example, he admired traditional sculpture from Africa. He thought it was one of the most advanced art forms in the world. Barnes collected this late 1800s portrait mask by Owie Kimou (oh-WEE kihm-OH). He believed the artist had achieved “perfection.”

When Barnes first saw William Glackens’s 1908-09 Race Track, above, he was intrigued. Glackens was an American Modernist and high school friend of Barnes’s. Barnes asked his friend questions about his Impressionist techniques and his chosen subject matter: everyday people. Their conversations led Barnes to see art as a means for understanding the world. These talks inspired Barnes to begin collecting art and, eventually, to create the Barnes Foundation.

William Glackens was an American Modernist. He and Barnes were high school friends. Glackens showed Barnes his 1908-09 painting Race Track. Barnes asked Glackens about his techniques and why he painted everyday people. Their discussions helped Barnes see art as a way to understand the world. It led him to start collecting art and to create the Barnes Foundation in, Philadelphia.