Right: “Acrobat and Young Harlequin” (detail) by Pablo Picasso, 1905
Left: “Le bonheur de vivre” (detail), by Henri Matisse, 1906
Drawing on what is considered one of the greatest post-impressionist and early modern art collections in the world, Barnes Foundation educator Penny Hansen guides a series of live virtual tours that examine in depth the paintings of artists who helped shape a truly revolutionary period in the history of art.
Using high-definition Deep Zoom technology developed by the Barnes, she leads participants through the Philadelphia museum’s galleries and provides astonishingly close-up views of the canvases, revealing their paint surface, brushstrokes, and details in ways that bring the art and the artist vividly to life. This program provides the chance to interact with Hansen in a Q&A session.
This Virtual Tour's Focus
Picasso and Matisse
Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso are considered cornerstones of 20th century modernism. Matisse developed a monumental approach to decorative art, innovative in his treatment of the human figure and the expressive and constructive role he accorded to color. The Barnes holds 59 of his works, representing pieces from throughout his long career. They include his fauvist masterpiece of 1906, Le Bonheur de Vivre, and The Dance, a huge work commissioned by collector Albert Barnes in 1930 that spans the length of the main gallery of the foundation. The Barnes holds 46 works by Picasso highlighting fluctuations in the artist’s style. These works range from his composition The Peasants, which greets visitors in the main room, evolving to his Head of a Woman (Tête de femme).
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*
Additional Artists in Depth at the Barnes Programs
Patron Information
- If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
- Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
- Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
- Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
- View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.
*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.
