Barnes Foundation

A once-in-a-generation exhibition! 🌿🐯🎨 Now on view at the Barnes—“Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets.” Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) painted jungles he never saw, dreamed worlds that defied convention, and inspired generations of artists—from Picasso and Kahlo to Kandinsky. A toll collector turned visionary, Rousseau changed the course of modern art. This landmark exhibition brings together nearly 60 extraordinary works from the Barnes collection and museums around the world—the largest U.S. presentation of Rousseau’s art in nearly 20 years. For the first time, masterpieces like “The Sleeping Gypsy” (The Museum of Modern Art), “The Snake Charmer” (Musée d'Orsay), and “Unpleasant Surprise” (Barnes) appear side by side. Visitors will also encounter groundbreaking new research revealing hidden layers beneath Rousseau’s most iconic paintings. A world-premiere collaboration between the Barnes Foundation and the Musée de l’Orangerie (Musée de l'Orangerie), “Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets” unites the two most important Rousseau collections in the world. Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets 📅 October 19, 2025 – February 22, 2026 📍 Roberts Gallery 🎟️ Reserve tickets ➡️ https://bit.ly/43imweB #HenriRousseau #APaintersSecrets #BarnesFoundation 🎨 Henri Rousseau. Fight between a Tiger and a Buffalo (Combat de tigre et de buffle), 1908. Oil on canvas, 66 15/16 × 74 5/8 in. (170 × 189.5 cm). The Cleveland Museum of Art. Gift of the Hanna Fund

Renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf has redefined contemporary landscape architecture. 🌿 Best known for public projects such as New York’s High Line, Chicago’s Lurie Garden, and now Calder Gardens in Philadelphia, Oudolf’s naturalistic style emphasizes ecology and celebrates plants through all life stages. Join us for an in-depth online workshop examining Oudolf’s design philosophy, planting strategies, and enduring influence on both public and private gardens. The session will be led by Erin Monda, horticulture manager at Calder Gardens, and Andrew Bunting, vice president of horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). The Garden Design of Piet Oudolf 📅 Tuesday, November 18 🕙 10am – 4pm ET 💻 Online 🎓 Scholarships available 🎟 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/3ICMKkq

Mark your calendars! The Rousseau Film Series is happening on the second Saturday of each month from November through January! 🎬 Curated by BlackStar Film Festival founder Maori Karmael Holmes, this special three-part film series explores how Rousseau’s imaginative spirit echoes across modern cinema, inviting viewers to consider how his distinctive blend of wonder and strangeness continues to shape the visual imagination today. Each screening in this three-part series features directors and collaborators influenced by Rousseau and the artists he inspired—those who, like him, embraced the mystical, the dreamlike, and the power of imagination. The first screening, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (2004) by Wes Anderson, is a whimsical deep-sea odyssey that mirrors Rousseau’s vivid color and fantastical vision. The film will be followed by a brief talk with Meta Mazaj, senior lecturer in cinema and media studies at the University of Pennsylvania. 🎥 Rousseau Film Series: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou 📅 Saturday, November 8th 🎟 Includes access to Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets and the Barnes collection. 🔗 Reserve your spot ➡️ https://bit.ly/4nSmsKh

In December, the Barnes is offering an intimate seminar experience inside our fall exhibition “Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets”. Led by Martha Lucy, deputy director for research, interpretation, and education, and a contributor to the exhibition catalogue. this session will examine Rousseau’s enigmatic imagery, his so-called “naive” style, and how his works engage with discourses about humans, nature, and cultural encounter. Participants will engage directly with masterpieces on view, including The Museum of Modern Art’s “Sleeping Gypsy”, while exploring why Rousseau became such a pivotal figure for avant-garde artists like Picasso and Apollinaire. Exhibition Seminar: Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets 📅 Tuesday, December 9 🕙 10am–noon or 2–4pm ET 📍 On-site 🎟 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/4oiZmMv

Food has always been more than nourishment. It’s culture, class, and identity. “Bon Appétit! Food and Art in 18th- and 19th-Century France” is an online course led by art historian Christa DiMarco that explores how French gastronomy shaped artistic innovation. From royal banquets and cookbooks to bustling markets and cafés, we’ll trace how dining practices informed the work of Manet, Monet, Renoir, and Soutine. Discover how seemingly simple subjects—pastries, vegetables, or a butchered rabbit—became powerful symbols of modern life, national pride, and artistic experimentation. Bon Appétit! Food and Art in 18th- and 19th-Century France 📅 Wednesdays, November 12 – December 10 🕕 6pm – 8pm ET 📍 Online 🎓 Scholarships available 🎟 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/4o8SIZl

Devoting an hour to a single work of art can unlock new ways of seeing. In this Close-Looking Immersion, participants will study a richly detailed 16th-century Persian manuscript from the Barnes collection: “Rustam Lifts Qanun from His Horse”. Guided by the Barnes Method, we’ll analyze how color, line, composition, and narrative work together to communicate meaning. Led by Barnes fellow Naina Saligram, this online session encourages thoughtful observation and discussion, making it a valuable opportunity for art lovers, students, and professionals alike. Close-Looking Immersion: Persian Manuscript Rustam Lifts Qanun from His Horse 📅 Wednesday, November 12 🕕 6pm – 7pm ET 💻 Online 🎟 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/42pm0dy Image: Unidentified artist, Persian. Rustam Lifts Qanun from His Horse (detail), c. 1550. The Barnes Foundation

On Friday, October 17th, one of Philadelphia’s most unforgettable events returns: Barnes Art Ball. Every fall, artists, collectors, philanthropists, and community partners gather for an evening that celebrates art, music, and connection—while raising vital funds to support the Barnes’s educational mission, exhibitions, and community programs. This year, the party takes inspiration from the lush and mysterious world of Henri Rousseau. Be amongst the very first to preview "Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets" before it opens to the public on October 19th. Expect a free-flowing, campus-wide celebration: 🍸 Multiple bars and abundant food stations 🎶 Live music, DJs, and surprise pop-up performances 🖼 Exclusive after-hours access to the Barnes collection and galleries Best of all? It’s for a good cause! Bring your best. Dress to impress. Barnes Art Ball 📅 Friday, October 17th 🎟 Tickets: https://bit.ly/48dIemS 👑 Attire: Dazzling, fashionable, chic cocktail

Join us opening day on-site or online for a revealing conversation with the curators of "Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets"—Christopher Green, Professor Emeritus at the Courtauld Institute of Art, and Nancy Ireson, Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions & Gund Family Chief Curator at the Barnes—about Rousseau’s art, career, and legacy. They’ll share insights from their research and discuss discoveries that shaped this landmark exhibition, developed in partnership with the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. With the Barnes housing both the world’s largest Rousseau collection—18 works acquired by Dr. Albert C. Barnes himself—and a best-in-class research and conservation team, this is a rare opportunity to experience his visionary art alongside groundbreaking new discoveries. Curators in Conversation | Henri Rousseau: A Painter's Secrets 📅 Sunday, October 19th 🕐 1pm - 2pm ET 📍On-site and online 🎟️ Reserve your spot ➡️ https://bit.ly/46AhMkz #HenriRousseau #APaintersSecrets 🖼️ Henri Rousseau, b. 1844, Laval, France; d. 1910, Paris. The Football Players (Les joueurs de football), 1908. Oil on canvas. 39 1/2 x 31 15/16 inches (100.3 x 81.1 cm). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. 60.1583

Artists such as Picasso and Gauguin drew inspiration from African and Oceanic art, reshaping European modernism in the 20th century. Join director of research and interpretation Alison Boyd online as she examines the legacy of primitivism: how institutions shaped the reception of so-called “primitive” art. This course investigates how those influences were interpreted, appropriated, or reimagined, and how African American artists and scholars like Aaron Douglas and Alain Locke reframed those narratives toward their own modernist projects. We’ll also consider the contributions of self-taught artists including Rousseau, Pippin, and Edmondson. Primitivism and Modern Art 📅 Fridays, November 7–December 5 🕑 2pm – 4pm ET 💻 Online 🎓 Scholarships available 🎟 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/46yL2td Image: Paul Gauguin. Haere Pape (detail), 1892. The Barnes Foundation

Native American art is not static, it is a living cultural expression that bridges past and present, tradition and innovation. From ancestral pottery to contemporary digital media, these works embody resilience, continuity, and adaptation, while also challenging stereotypes that persist in mainstream art narratives. The Barnes invites you to “Echoes in Clay and Code: Native American Art Across Generations”, led by art historian Dakota Stevens. Through close looking and discussion, participants will examine how Native artists shape aesthetics across time, and how their work reflects the voices, stories, and knowledge of their communities. Echoes in Clay and Code: Native American Art Across Generations 📅 Mondays, November 3 – 24 🕕 6pm – 8pm ET 📍On-site 🎓 Scholarships available 🎟 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/3Vdb3bb Image: Yatika Starr Fields (Osage, Mvskoke, Cherokee). Diving Birds of Green Lake (detail), 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Garth Greenan Gallery, New York