‘LOOKING AND LUNCHING’ EXPLORES NEWEST ACQUISITION AT CLARK ART INSTITUTE

January 4, 2018

Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute’s “Looking and Lunching” program, which offers a closer look at an object in the Clark’s collection followed by a half-hour discussion, will be held Thursday, January 18 at 12 pm. The program is free with gallery admission; arrive early to pre-order and purchase your meal or bring your own lunch.

During this session, Senior Curator Esther Bell discusses the Clark’s newest acquisition, Portrait of Achille Deban de Laborde by the French portraitist Alexandre-Jean Dubois-Drahonet (1791–1834). The large oil painting of a young boy dressed in military regalia is a touching memorial to the sitter’s father, Baron Jean-Baptiste Deban de Laborde, who was killed at the battle of Wagram in 1809 when Achille was barely a year old.

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 270,000 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 is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. 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; Bank of America Museums on Us; and Blue Star. For more information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.

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