Pensive (La Songeuse), 1875, Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841–1919), oil on paper on canvas. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

Pensive (La Songeuse), 1875, Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841–1919), oil on paper on canvas. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

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Cost: $8 ($5 VMFA members)

Curator’s Talk – The Reinstallation of the Mellon Collection

with Dr. Sylvain Cordier, Paul Mellon Curator and Head of the Department of European Art

Wed, Oct 27, 2021 | 6:30—7:30pm

VMFA'S LESLIE CHEEK THEATER

The collection of European paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts given to VMFA by Paul and Rachel Mellon constitute an essential facet of the museum’s identity. The galleries dedicated to this unique constellation of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, sporting art, and Jean Schlumberger jewelry have been completely redesigned and will open to the public this autumn. These gallery spaces will renew the discourse around this wide-ranging collection, incorporating the directives of contemporary museology while remaining respectful to the donors’ vision for their collection. Join Dr. Sylvain Cordier, Paul Mellon Curator and Head of the Department of European Art, for a discussion of the specific motivations and principles that guided this ambitious reconceptualization of the Mellon Collection’s display.


If you cannot attend in person, please register for the livestream of this program here! This program is being recorded and will be posted to the VMFA YouTube channel at a later date. Masks are required of all participants, regardless of vaccination status, while in Leslie Cheek Theater. Please read more about our COVID-19 protocols here.