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Sunday, January 26, 10:15 – 11am

#SeeArtDifferently

Henri Rousseau. The Past and the Present, or Philosophical Thought (detail), 1899. The Barnes Foundation, BF582. Public Domain.

Free; registration required.

About the Talk

Each month, members of our education, research, and curatorial teams present their ongoing research on the collection to members. These talks are a great way to learn more about your favorite artists in the collection. 

Henri Rousseau’s paintings have always provoked strong reactions from audiences. Parisian newspapers reported that crowds of people would gather to laugh and gawk at his artwork at multiple exhibitions. At the 1885 Salon des Champs-Elysées, two of his paintings were even slashed with knives. In this member talk, senior gallery specialist Emily Foster investigates the mythos that surrounded Rousseau, his critics and admirers, and our enduring fascination with his work.

This talk will take place in Room 19 of the collection galleries.