Berkshire's Gem

23 March 2009



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Toulouse-Latrec Exhibit at the Clark is Brilliant

When one thinks of art meccas, one thinks of Paris, London, New York and so on. Rural Massachusetts probably doesn't even make the top 300. Nevertheless, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts, has an exhibition, “Toulouse-Lautrec and Paris,” that more than justifies a trip. It closes April 26, and is free to the public, so plan accordingly.

In addition to the works of Mr. Toulouse-Latrec, the Clark (as its regular visitors call it) is including his contemporaries such as Edgar Degas, Pierre Bonnard, Jean-Louis Forain, and Théophile Alexandre Steinlen. The exhibition comprises oil paintings, photos, drawings, lithographs and posters, in all more than 80 pieces – and virtually the Clark's entire collection of works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It is the first time in 15 years that the Clark has shown off so much of his work.

The exhibition occupies the entire third floor (second floor if one speaks British) of the museum. Allowing the works to spread out as it were, the curator (Sarah Lees) and her assistant (Sarah Hammond) have avoided clutter. This allows the viewer to appreciate each piece without feeling cramped and the need to move on. One can admire “Jane Avril” or “The Englishman at the Moulin Rouge” at one's own pace. The space of western Massachusetts clearly offers an advantage over crowded New York

As captured by the artists, fin de siecle Paris was a truly fun town. The Clark has capitalized on this having held a winter gala at the end of January to promote the exhibition and raise funds. It has also drummed up some lectures. The first was “Wicked Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec Invents the Fin de Siècle” by S. Hollis Clayson, professor of art history at Northwestern University. Mary Weaver Chapin, assistant curator of prints and drawings at the Milwaukee Art Museum, discussed Mr. Toulouse-Lautrec’s lifelong passion for the nightlife of Paris on February 22.

Moreover, there is more to the Clark than this show. It also possesses an excellent Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington that was in every 5th grader's history text. Its collection of Renoirs and Monets are worth the trip even without the Toulouse-Latrec exhibit. John Singer Sargent and Homer Winslow form the heart of the American painters collection, and there is a beautiful Fredric Remington sculpture on the ground floor. The Clark's silver collection is small by global standards but is an added bonus. And if there is a more ornate piano than that by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema made for Henry G. Marquand (founder and second president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art), one would like to see it.

Those desiring more information can call 413-458-2303 or visit clarkart.edu.

© Copyright 2009 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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