Picasso in Focus: New Discoveries at the Barnes

About the Class

The Barnes is home to 46 works by Pablo Picasso, including both well-known paintings and more enigmatic pieces. Instructors Christine Romano and Naina Saligram are part of the Barnes conservation and research team that has been investigating these artworks—paintings, drawings, and a tapestry—from technical, historical, and critical perspectives. By examining every centimeter of each work’s surface and attempting to re-create the journey from its creation to its display at the Barnes, we have learned that, despite the extensive scholarship on Picasso, there is still much to explore.

In this class, we will share highlights from this research project publicly for the first time. Through a series of case studies, we’ll go beyond the surface—literally and figuratively—into images hidden under paintings and changes in palette and composition that offer fresh insights into the lives and meanings of these objects. With our deep-zoom technology, you’ll even have the opportunity to view the art through a conservator’s lens. Please join us for this special chance to see Picasso’s art in a new light.

The class is online-only. More about online classes.

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Barnes classes will:

• Sharpen your observational and critical thinking skills.
• Improve your ability to communicate about art.
• Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.

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Recent Barnes Class Testimonials

“Naina Saligram is the professor everyone hopes to have. She is knowledgeable and open to listening to her students.” The Classical Tradition in Modern Art with Naina Saligram

“Joe Tokumasu Field was a wonderful instructor—very patient, caring, and skilled at interacting with students’ questions and comments.” The Japanese American Century with Joseph Tokumasu Field

“Kaelin got us involved in the conversation in a way that made it engaging and fun. I learned so much and didn’t feel like I was just being lectured at the whole time. The class was well paced and covered the basics without oversimplification.” The Language of Painting with Kaelin Jewell

“I love these close-looking classes; [it’s great] to see the details of each painting and to have an instructor lead our eyes in how best to look at a work of art.” Close-Looking Immersion: Glackens’s The Raft with William Perthes

“The instructor was amazing! She was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and open to questions. She brought in outside resources and made herself available via email for questions between classes. I would take anything she teaches.” The Impressionists: Friends and Family with Caterina Pierre