‘LOOKING AND LUNCHING’ PROGRAM AT CLARK ART INSTITUTE OFFERS CLOSE LOOK AT RECENT ACQUISITION

March 25, 2019
[Digital image available upon request]

Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute’s popular Looking and Lunching program will be held Tuesday, April 9 at 12 pm. Chief Curator Esther Bell discusses Guillaume Guillon Lethière’s masterpiece, Brutus Condemning His Sons to Death. A half-hour talk in the galleries will be followed by continued discussion over lunch with fellow art lovers. Free with gallery admission; arrive early to pre-order and purchase your meal or bring your own lunch. Limited seating available.

The 2018 acquisition of Brutus Condemning His Sons to Death, an important early work by neoclassical French artist Guillaume Guillon Lethière (1760–1832), marks a significant addition to the Clark’s permanent collection. The painting depicts a dramatic scene featuring the decapitation of one of the sons of Lucius Junius Brutus. Brutus led the 509 BC revolt to overthrow the last king of Rome and establish the Roman Republic, swearing a sacred oath before its citizens that Rome would never again be subject to the rule of a king. When his two sons were later discovered to be among the conspirators attempting to restore the monarchy, Brutus demonstrated his commitment to the Republic by ordering and then witnessing the execution of his own children.

Bell led the Clark’s effort in pursuing the acquisition of the Lethière painting and related works on paper.

ABOUT THE CLARK

The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 275,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; open daily in July and August. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; EBT Card to Culture; and Blue Star Museums. For more information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.

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