Portrait of Charles M. Kurtz, Founding Director, Albright Art Gallery (1905-1909)

My name is Isabella, and I'll be your guide today! We're going to look at a really cool painting. It's a portrait, which means it's a picture of a person. This one is of a man named Charles Kurtz. He was super important because he helped start this very art gallery! nn --- nn This painting was made a long, long time ago, in 1909. The artist's name was Joaquín Sorolla. He was very, very good at painting people. Look closely at Mr. Kurtz's face. Can you see how real he looks? Sorolla used his paintbrush to make the light and shadows look just right. It's like magic! nn --- nn See all those brown and beige colors? They're warm and cozy, aren't they? The background is a little blurry, but it looks like maybe he's in his office. What do you think he might be thinking about? Maybe he's thinking about all the amazing art he's going to bring to the gallery! nn --- nn Look closely at Mr. Kurtz's mustache and beard. See how the paint looks a little swirly? That's because Sorolla didn't paint everything perfectly smooth. He used short, quick brushstrokes. It's called Impressionism! It makes the painting feel more alive. Do you see any other places where the brushstrokes are visible? nn --- nn Down in the corner, you can see the artist wrote something. It says "A mi amigo Kurtz / J Sorolla." That means "To my friend Kurtz" in Spanish! It shows that Sorolla and Mr. Kurtz were friends. That makes the painting even more special, doesn't it? nn --- nn So, this painting isn't just a picture of a man. It's a story! It tells us about Mr. Kurtz, about the gallery, and about a really talented artist. It shows us how important friends can be, and how art can help us remember important people from the past. What do you think is the most interesting part of this painting?