Love is in the air at the Barnes Foundation

PHILADELPHIA -February 3, 2013 (WPVI) -- Valentine's Day is fast-approaching, and love is in the air at the Barnes Foundation.

The Barnes Foundation is staying open late on Valentine's Day. There will be live classical music in the galleries, dinner, champagne and lots of love stories.

With more than a hundred Renoirs and dozens of Cezannes and Matisses, the Barnes Foundation has one of the most important collections of impressionist and post impressionist art in the world and much of it is romantic.

Jan Rothschild of The Barnes Foundation said, "Painters can be very passionate so a lot of the stories about painting and about the painters and about the subject show a lot of passion."

On Valentine's Day, tour guides will share the love stories behind the masterpieces on how Renoir's love for his wife impacted his work and how Dr. Albert Barnes himself built the collection with his wife of more than 40 years.

"Modigliani, his paintings show a lot of longing and a lot of passion and you know he was a very troubled individual and when he died, his lover killed herself. She was so in love with him. It was such a sad, tragic love story. That's the kind of story that we tell too," said Rothschild.

The museum's restaurant will be open, serving a 3 course Valentine's Menu with a complimentary glass of champagne.

Rothschild added, "It's not just exclusive to couples. What we would like is for people to come into the galleries and talk to each other and question things and look and listen to the stories and then engage with the artwork."

The special Discover Love at the Barnes evening runs 6:30 to 9pm on Valentines Day. To reserve tickets, go to the Barnes Foundation.

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