The Barnes Foundation: Reality vs. Myth (1st Edition)

Hardcover. The Barnes Foundation was founded in 1922 by Albert C. Barnes, a wealthy businessman, who began collecting art in 1902, and became a serious collector shortly thereafter, especially in France. His collection included Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani and Giorgio de Chirico. In 1922, Barnes received a charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to establish the Barnes Foundation as an educational institution dedicated to promoting the appreciation of fine art and arboriculture. The foundation was intended to operate as a school rather than a museum, and public access was very limited. This became a very controversial practice and was challenged legally by The Philadelphia Enquirer and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. After a decade of legal battles, the public was allowed regular access to the collection in 1961. This work examines the controversy from the perspective of an author whose wife had been an art student at The Barnes Foundation. His views are very sympathetic to the philosophy and educational theories of Albert Barnes and opposed to the arguments of the plaintiffs. They address questions of public policy, the role of art and education in a democracy, and the functioning of the press and government in society. Includes an original drawing by Aaron Sopher on front flyleaf. Octavo. Grey cloth-covered boards with light blue cloth-covered spine. Some signs of wear to front and back covers. Blue dust jacket with title in white to front panel and spine. Jacket is bumped around edges with several small closed tears. Sunning to spine panel. Jacket is price-clipped. Pages are yellowed but clean. 219 pages. Education. EDU11142.…