"Rinaldo and Armida," Sir
Anthony van Dyck, 1629.
BALTIMORE, MD. - The Baltimore Museum of Art's (BMA)
distinguished collection of Fifteenth through Nineteenth Century
European art returns to the galleries of the Jacobs Wing in a
dramatic reinstallation.
"; Five Centuries of European Art," features "Rinaldo and
Armida," one of the world's finest paintings by Sir Anthony van
Dyck, as well as French and Northern European masterpieces by
Frans Hals, Rembrandt van Rijn, Jean Baptiste Simeon Chardin and
Louise Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun.
The galleries also showcase a superlative collection of
Nineteenth Century French sculpture by Auguste Rodin and his
teacher, Antoine-Louis Barye and works on paper by notable
artists such as Eugene Delacroix and Edouard Manet.
"The newly restored galleries in the Jacobs Wing are a grand
showcase for the BMA's impressive collection of European art,"
said BMA Director Doreen Bolger. "This dramatic reinstallation is
another opportunity for visitors to discover and appreciate the
richness of our collection."
The examples of European paintings and sculpture in the galleries
are integrated for the first time with a selection of decorative
arts, such as jeweled snuffboxes, Sevres porcelain and an
exquisite French writing desk. An ongoing rotation of works on
paper dating from the Fifteenth Century permits the BMA to
display exceptional items from its Old Master print collection.
Highlights include etchings and engravings by Rembrandt and
Albrecht Durer. The reinstallation also features three galleries
of Renaissance and medieval works, including Botticelli's "Virgin
and Child" and a Fourteenth Century Burgundian "Madonna and
Child" sculpture.
The Jacobs Wing galleries, designed by the great American
Neo-classical architect John Russell Pope, have undergone a
three-year, $1.9 million renovation and reinstallation. Physical
improvements include a new roof and skylights, enhanced lighting
designed by Gordon Anson of the National Gallery of Art, and the
restoration of original woodwork, including floors and elaborate
doorframes. The reinstallation builds on the success of the 2001
Cone Wing renovation and reflects the BMA's ongoing commitment to
presenting its collection in ways that create a dynamic and
engaging visitor experience.
This reinstallation is generously sponsored by The Richard C. von
Hess Foundation. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, a
federal agency that foster innovation, leadership and a lifetime
of learning, supported conservation of several important objects
in this installation. The Jacobs Wing roof replacement was made
possible through the use of capital improvement funds from the
City of Baltimore.
": Five Centuries of European Art" is curated by Sona Johnston,
BMA senior curator of painting and sculpture.
Highlights of the galleries include superb works from the
Seventeenth through Nineteenth Centuries, most notably van Dyck's
"Rinaldo and Armida," 1629, a masterpiece of allegorical and
Romantic painting. Other collection strengths include examples of
Flemish, Dutch, and French painting: the intriguing gaze of
"Dorothea Berck," 1644, by portraitist Frans Hals, genre painter
Chardin's portrayal of a lovely maiden tossing a ball in "The
Game of Knucklebones," circa 1734, Rembrandt's painting of his
son peeking out from a dark canvas in "Titus," 1660, and the
beauty of the exotic "Princess Anna Alexandrovna Galitzin," circa
1797, by French court portraitist Vigee-Lebrun. Other notable
works include landscapes by Jacob van Ruisdael, Hubert Robert and
Francesco Guardi.
The reinstallation also includes the first space for the public
display of the extraordinary George A. Lucas Collection of
Nineteenth Century French art. Composted of nearly 20,000 prints
and drawings, as well as paintings, bronzes and an unusual
selection of artist's palettes, the collection provides a
comprehensive survey of Nineteenth Century graphic arts. Artists
represented include Honore Daumier, Eugene Delacroix and Edouard
Manet, as well as major examples of sculpture by Antoine-Louis
Barye and notable works by French academic painters and members
of the Barbizon School.
Two intimate galleries will feature rotating thematic exhibitions
from this collection. The first gallery celebrates the friendship
between art collector George A. Lucas and animalier sculptor and
painter Antoine-Louis Barye with a selection of the artist's
bronze sculptures of animals engaged in combat, as well as
several works in watercolor. The second gallery will highlight a
selection of paintings ranging from French academic painting to
Orientalism, including the works by Jean-Leon Gerome and Benjamin
Constant.
The museum is open Wednesday through Friday, 11 am to 5 pm;
Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm; and during the first Thursday
of every month, 11 am to 8 pm. Admission is $7. The BMA is on Art
Museum Drive at North Charles and 31st Streets. For information,
410-396-7100 or www.artbma.org.
