November 5, 2001
PRESS RELEASE
The Triumph of French Painting
Opens at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery
Saturday, November 3
Exhibition Features Works by Picasso, Monet, Matisse, and van Gogh
Buffalo, N.Y. — Tickets are available for the banner exhibition The Triumph of French Painting: Masterpieces from Ingres to Matisse, which opens November 3 at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo and will be on view through Sunday, January 6, 2002.
The exhibition has received critical accolades in each of its previous venues. "There’s scarcely a more pleasant way of spending an afternoon at the museum than wandering through galleries filled with beautiful paintings … which, when taken together, constitute a near seamless narrative of the 19th century. This is a show to relax with and enjoy the visual pleasures of a sumptuous art repast," said Glenn McNatt, Baltimore Sun art critic.
The presentation of The Triumph of French Painting in Buffalo is made possible through the generous support of M&T Bank. "We hope people will take advantage of this opportunity to see some of the world's greatest paintings right in our own back yard," said Michael Zabel, M&T Bank's vice president of Corporate Communications. "The Triumph of French Painting at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery will be one of the most popular events in Western New York this fall and winter -- so we encourage people to make plans now to bring family and friends."
The Triumph of French Painting: Masterpieces from Ingres to Matisse features works drawn from the world-renowned collections of the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. "These are not token works," said Albright-Knox Art Gallery Curator Kenneth Wayne. "These are excellent examples of a particular artist’s work and of the modern movement." Representing French art from neo-classicism to impressionism, and early 20th -century modernism, this magnificent exhibition surveys a triumphant age in art history. More than 50 major works by celebrated artists such as Ingres, Corot, Delacroix, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, van Gogh, Picasso, and Matisse are included.
"Ticket sales have been brisk," said Carol Halter, Gallery marketing manager. "The enthusiasm for this fabulous show is very exciting."
Gallery hours have been extended for this exhibition, which is open to the public Monday afternoons and Friday evenings. The hours are Monday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Ticket prices for the exhibition are: Adults $10; Seniors (65+) $8; College Students (with I.D.) $8; Youth (6-17) $5; and Children 5 and under are free. Timed tickets may be exchanged at the Gallery a minimum of 24 hours in advance of your visit for a fee of $2 per ticket.
The Triumph of French Painting admission is by timed ticket only and includes general Gallery admission and a free audio tour. Tickets may be purchased at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, as well as all tickets.com outlets, including Tops Friendly Markets, select Sam the Record Man and Sports Obsession outlets in Canada, and on the Web at www.tickets.com. To charge by telephone, call 1.888.223.6000. There is no service charge for tickets purchased at the Gallery.
"The Triumph of French Painting is a not-to-be missed experience for both avid and casual art fans," said Douglas G. Schultz, director of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. "These paintings comprise a survey of some of the great art of 19th - and early 20th - century France, from Delacroix’s inspiring biblical scenes, to Millet’s peasants working in the field, and Monet’s mist-shrouded impressions of London. We are thrilled to showcase this dramatic selection of landscapes, still lifes, and history paintings by some of the most renowned artists of all time."
"This superb exhibition follows the tremendously successful Monet at Giverny in 1999 and the James Tissot exhibition last year, " Schultz continued. "This is a unique opportunity for people not only from Buffalo Niagara but also Southern Ontario, Pennsylvania, and the Great Lakes Region to see The Triumph of French Painting, as well as our outstanding permanent collection, which includes a stellar selection of French paintings."
The Triumph of French Painting is a major event culminating the series of activities and exhibitions this year celebrating the centennial of the historic Pan-American Exposition, held in Buffalo in 1901. The Triumph of French Painting also marks a milestone for two of the Buffalo-Niagara region’s leading arts institutions, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO). The BPO has released the new compact disc Impressions of French Music in conjunction with The Triumph of French Painting exhibition.
The exhibition is jointly organized by Sona K. Johnston, Baltimore Museum of Art Senior Curator of Painting and Sculpture, and William R. Johnston, Associate Director and Curator of 18th- and 19th-Century Art at the Walters Art Museum. Curator Kenneth Wayne designed the installation for the Albright-Knox Art Gallery presentation. The exhibition features an illustrated catalogue available in both soft and hard cover at The Triumph of French Painting Gift Shop.
In addition, the Garden Restaurant is featuring a menu with a French theme. The restaurant is open Monday through Sunday for lunch and afternoon refreshments as well as for dinner Friday evening. The Triumph Café offers beverages and light fare in the Gallery’s Sculpture Court.
Additional information about the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and The Triumph of French Painting exhibition is available on the Internet at www.albrightknox.org.
The Albright-Knox Art Gallery enjoys a worldwide reputation as an outstanding center of modern and contemporary art. Its permanent collection, which includes works by almost all of the great artists of the late 19th and the 20th centuries, has been cited as "one of the world’s top international surveys of modern and contemporary painting and sculpture."