A Discerning Eye

The Travis Gallery exhibits ‘Treasures from the La Salle University Art Museum.’

By: Matt Smith

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"Lady Elizabeth Foster, later Duchess of Devonshire" by Richard Cosway.


   David Leopold is not shy in his opinion of the 19th Annual Byers Bucks Fever Exhibition, Treasures from the La Salle University Art Museum.
   "I think this is the most important show in this area in 2005," says Mr. Leopold, chairman of the Byers Art Exhibition Committee of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, which is sponsoring the exhibit at the Travis Gallery in New Hope, Pa., April 5 to 26.
   The show features masterworks from the past 600 years of Western European art, drawn from a rare collection at La Salle University in Philadelphia’s Olney section.
   "This year’s show is one of the really great ones, just for the artists — Rembrandt, Miro, Daumier," says Mr. Leopold, also director of the Studio of Ben Solowey in Bedminster, Pa. "It’s a nice collection of work right in our backyard. Someone doesn’t have to travel an hour or two (to Philadelphia or New York), or travel around the world."
   In fact, the Bucks Fever exhibitions started before there was a Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., let alone a Michener satellite in New Hope. This year’s installment features classical works, but also selections from the likes of contemporary Bucks artists Daniel Garber (1880-1958) and Nelson Shanks (b. 1937).

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"Portrait of an Artist" by Carolus-Duran, aka Charles-Emile-Auguste Durand. Both works are on view in New Hope, Pa., April 5-26.


   "When the Michener was started, and as it grew, there was less of a need to focus on artists who were getting their due at the Michener," Mr. Leopold says. "The legacy of the arts in Bucks County is a living, breathing thing."
   Sponsored by the Byers family of Byers’ Choice Ltd., the exhibits are organized by a committee of local art notables. Among those joining Mr. Leopold this year were Lauren Travis, owner of the host Travis Gallery, and Tom Sperling, manager of the Mixed Media Gallery, all coordinating with La Salle Art Museum curator Madeleine Viljoen to curate the exhibit.
   La Salle, which has a satellite campus in Newtown, Pa., acquired the collection in just 40 years. At that time, Brother Daniel Burke set about gathering a collection of artworks to use as a teaching tool for students. Brother Burke, a past president of La Salle University and current director of the Art Museum, started purchasing using the following advice: "Go to the best gallery you can and buy the cheapest thing they have," notes Mr. Leopold. "That way you establish relationships with good galleries and are able to acquire other works.
   "In 40 years they’ve gone from nothing to having a fairly significant collection," he continues. "It’s not about quantity down there, it’s quality. There’s a lot of filler in museums in this country, second-rate work. A lot of colleges take anything that’s offered to them but La Salle only has good things because they’ve been discerning."
   Mr. Leopold seems pleased to be transporting these works from underground, where the La Salle Art Museum is located. "We’re shining a light on this collection," he says. "The Travis Gallery is an intimate space — it’s like walking into a living room and seeing those works. Not only that, but you get a chance to see works you can’t see in a larger institution."
   Two of Mr. Leopold’s favorite works in the show are self portraits — one from 17th-century master Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) and another from 21st-century photographer Cindy Sherman (b. 1954). Another favorite is the image included on the show’s invitation, "Lady Elizabeth Foster, later Duchess of Devonshire" by Richard Cosway (1742-1821).
   "It spoke to all of us who went down to see it," says Mr. Leopold. "She’s like a latter-day Mona Lisa with her enigmatic smile."
Treasures from the La Salle University Art Museum is on view at the Travis Gallery, 6089 Lower York Road (Route 202), New Hope, Pa., April 5-26. Opening reception: April 5, 5-8 p.m. "The Trained Eye," a guided tour of the exhibit with La Salle University Art Museum Curator Madeleine Viljoen, takes place April 13, 6-7 p.m. "Building the Collection," a discussion with Brother Daniel Burke and David Leopold, takes place April 20, 6-7 p.m. Both programs are free, but reservations are required. Gallery hours: Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For information, call (215) 794-3903 (Travis Gallery) or (215) 348-3913, ext. 115 (Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce). For school groups, call (215) 345-0980 (Mixed Media Gallery). For other groups, call (215) 489-5700 (Sabine Rose Gallery).