FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE ART GALLERY OF HAMILTON
The Painter Pictured: French Nineteenth-Century Paintings and Portrait Photographs
features works by Puvis de Chavanne, Gérôme, and Rodin
in Part 1 of the exhibition
Edmond Bénard (1838-1907)
Pierre Cécile Puvis de Chavanne (1824-1898)
albumen print
Private Collection, France
Courtesy of Saint-Honoré Art Consulting, Paris
Pierre Puvis de Chavanne (French 1824 – 1898)
Study for “Saint Genevieve Provisioning Paris” c. 1897-98
oil on canvas
Art Gallery of Hamilton, The Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Collection,
2002
Photography: Roy and Carole Timm of Wavelength
February 13, 2013 – Portrait photographs were widespread in 19th-century France, with painters
often serving as photographers themselves or as subjects in pictures that not only recorded their
work, their appearance and their workplaces, but that also assisted them in achieving a heightened
social and professional standing. Currently on view at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, The Painter
Pictured: French Nineteenth-Century Paintings and Portrait Photographs provides a rare opportunity
to look closely at art and at the artists that produced it, giving viewers a glimpse into the richness of
the French 19th-century art world. The exhibition, which is curated by Dr. Benedict Leca of the AGH,
showcases 31 paintings and 10 sculptures mostly drawn from The Joey and Toby Tanenbaum
Collection, matching them with rare private collection photographs of the artist who created each
work.
1 “This exhibition reminds us of the critical role photography played both as a medium on its own terms
and as a tool with which artists defined themselves socially,” said Louise Dompierre, President and
CEO of the Art Gallery of Hamilton. “We are committed at the AGH to a broad-based treatment of art
in all media, highlighting the contrasts as well as connections in often unexpected ways, and this
exhibition does just that.”
Each portrait photograph has been placed next to objects of the pictured artist’s creation to enable
viewers to experience a view of the French 19th-century art world across two media. From formal
photographic portraits to studio views to casual snapshots of artistic life, the exhibited photographs
form a visual record of some of the greatest artists of the period, including Jean-Léon Gérôme, Henri
Fantin-Latour, Pierre Puvis de Chavanne and Auguste Rodin.
“These photographs restore a bit of the backstory—the people and places behind the artworks that
we so often see de-contextualized in museum installations,” said Dr. Leca. “They also give a
perspective on the important place of photography in relation to art and artists in the world of images
in 19th-century France.”
With the gift of The Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Collection of over 200 works of 19th-century European
Art to the AGH in 2002, the AGH has become recognized as an important Canadian centre for the
study of 19th-century French art.
The Painter Pictured: French Nineteenth-Century Paintings and Portrait Photographs is comprised of
two parts: Part 1 will remain on view until July and Part 2 will open on August 10, 2013.
The exhibition is open to the public free of charge, courtesy of Orlick Industries.
Tours
Docent guided tours of the exhibition:
Every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Free.
About the Art Gallery of Hamilton
The Art Gallery of Hamilton is the largest independent public gallery in Ontario. Established in 1914,
the AGH permanent collection, which is focused on historical Canadian, 19th century European and
Canadian Contemporary art, now numbers more than 9,500 works and is recognized as one of the
finest in Canada. The AGH is regarded as a vital centre of creative development and artistic
engagement that brings art and people of all ages together. More than 250,000 visitors from across
Canada and beyond came to the AGH in 2012. Highlights of the exciting 2013 exhibition schedule
include The Eye of Napoléon, Zidane, a 21st-Century Portrait and The World at Play. To find out more
about what’s going on at the AGH visit www.artgalleryofhamilton.com
Visitor Information
Admission for Exhibitions on Gallery Level One:
AGH Members: Free; Adults, $10; Students/Seniors, $8; Children (6-17), $4; under 5 years, Free.
Friday Free Night: Free admission on the first Friday of the month.
Museum Hours:
2 Tuesday – Wednesday, 11 am-6 pm; Thursday, 11 am - 8pm; Friday, 11 am – 6 pm; Saturday –
Sunday, 12 noon – 5 pm. Monday, closed but open on statutory holidays.
The Art Gallery of Hamilton is located at 123 King Street West, downtown Hamilton, Ontario,
L8P 4S8. [T] 905.527.6610 [E] [email protected]
-30For publicity images go to: http://www.artgalleryofhamilton/imagebank
For further information, please contact:
Steve Denyes, Manager, Communications
[T] 905.527.6610, ext. 255
[E] [email protected]
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