An Elegant Exhibit for your Summer Viewing Pleasure
by Barbara Barton Sloane

Philippe deChampaigne (1602-1674) Presentation of Christ in the Temple, ca. 1648, Photo: John Betancourt

The Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut has on view an exhibit featuring over thirty-five works of European masterpieces including Italian, French, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, German and Austrian schools of painting which come from the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico. The exhibit opened on June 13 and will be on view through Sunday, September 6, 2009.  Among the artists represented are Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Bartolome Esteban Murillo and Francisco de Goya, spanning the 14th through the early 20th centuries, and including many works that have never been exhibited outside of Puerto Rico.  What a lovely jolt of pure esthetic culture in a season best typified by beach, blanket and a Jackie Collins novel.

The Bruce Museum sits high on a hill overlooking Greenwich Harbor, and continuously offers a changing array of exhibitions and educational programs that promote the appreciation of art and science.  It has been voted the best museum in Fairfield County and plays an integral role in the cultural life of area residents.

This collection, acquired by the philanthropist Luis A. Ferre “for all Puerto Ricans” to enjoy, is ours to experience this summer, thanks to the Museo de Arte de Ponce’s temporary closing as it undergoes a major renovation and expansion.  The Ponce masterpieces offer exceptional variety and transcend time in their beauty.  The paintings represent some of the largest ever to hang on the walls of the Bruce Museum, with some measuring seven feet high by nearly ten feet.  These works find their inspiration in classical mythology, ancient Greek and Roman history, the Bible and even fleeting moments from everyday life, conveying major trends in European art from the Renaissance to the present.

So treat yourself. Plan a visit to the Bruce this summer and view this very spectacular show.

The Bruce Museum 411:
Open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $7 Adults; $6 seniors and students; free for children under 5. Free to all on Tuesdays.
For information, visit the Museum website: www.brucemuseum.org or call (203) 869-0376

Gaspare Traversi (1722-1770) The Seduction, ca. 1752, Photo: John Betancourt