The Frick Presents In a New Light, Opens 5/22

Giovanni Bellini's St. Francis in the Desert, a hallmark of The Frick Collection and one of the most important Italian Renaissance paintings in America, is a moving, spiritual portrait of a central figure in western Christianity. It is also a profoundly mysterious work, whose beauty and depth of detail are matched only by the enigma of the artist's intentions. This spring, following a period of unprecedented study, the painting is the subject of a special exhibition, In a New Light: Bellini's St. Francis in the Desert.

Running from May 22 through August 28, the dossier presentation places the painting in the skylit Oval Room for a rare viewing opportunity outside of its traditional location in the mansion's Living Hall. The exhibition also marks the debut of a Multimedia Room at the Frick. This new educational space, just steps away from the Oval Room, will allow visitors to learn about the technical examination through videos and interactive photography. Comments Director Anne Poulet, "We are privileged to have in our care Bellini's great depiction of St. Francis. An important aspect of our role is the study and interpretation of this masterpiece, and in the past year, we've reconsidered fundamental questions about the panel's subject and creation. For this purpose, we sent the painting to the Sherman Fairchild Paintings Conservation Center of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the spring of 2010 for technical examination by Paintings Conservator Charlotte Hale. Her findings-combined with the input of art historians, conservators, scientists, and educators consulted during this study-have resulted in a better understanding of Bellini's process from conception to realization. With this magnificent work on view again, and through our new Multimedia Room, we encourage the public to view St. Francis in the Desert in a new light." This project is coordinated by the Frick's Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellow Susannah Rutherglen in conjunction with curators and conservators at the Frick and the Metropolitan Museum. The exhibition is made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 

For more information, contact us at mediarelations@frick.org.