From inspiring devotion to delighting in dramatic imagery, the work of artists from the Renaissance and Baroque periods continues to move audiences today. In greater Miami, the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami College of Arts & Sciences and the Bass Museum of Art are the only two professional art institutions to house extensive collections of these and other European Old Master paintings, sculptures, and decorative art objects.
While the Bass Museum of Art is closed to the public as it undergoes a year of interior renovations, the Lowe is hosting a selection of outstanding works from the Bass’ permanent collection. “Dürer to Rubens: Northern European Art from The Bass Museum” is on display at the Lowe through July 17, 2016, with an opening reception slated for Thursday, October 8.
“The Lowe is thrilled to be able to partner with the Bass on such a beautiful and important exhibition,” said Jill Deupi, Beaux Arts director and chief curator at the Lowe. “Not only does this show complement our own remarkable Kress Collection of Italian Renaissance and Baroque works, it also helps to tell the story of the foundation upon which later generations of artists built their own creative identities.”
Focusing on Northern Europe during the Renaissance and Baroque periods (15th to 17th centuries), the pieces on view represent a range of media—including oil on canvas, tempera on panel, enamel on porcelain, and textiles—as well as a compelling array of subjects.
“The Bass is delighted to share its collection with the Lowe, and we thank them for inviting us to their home this year while ours is under construction,” said Silvia Karman Cubiñá, executive director and chief curator of the Bass Museum of Art.
The Bass Museum was founded by the City of Miami Beach in 1964, when Joan and Johanna Bass donated their collection to the city. Born in Vienna in 1891, Mr. Bass moved to New York in 1914 and went on to build a vast fortune on Wall Street. He was passionate about music and art, and his financial success enabled the Basses to build a remarkable, if somewhat eclectic, art collection. It was this collection that the Basses donated to the City of Miami Beach, where they had had a home for many years. Mr. Bass died in 1970, with his wife passing eight years later. The museum they founded continues to flourish, thanks, in part, to collaborative partnerships like the one with the Lowe.
“We look forward to continuing this collaboration once we re-open in fall 2016, because by working together museums are able to enrich the experience of their visitors and enhance their appreciation of art,” Cubiñá said.
For more information, please call 305-284-3535 or visit lowemuseum.org.
