The MOA Welcomes Six Centuries of Masterpieces in New Exhibition
PROVO, UT – A new exhibition featuring paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, El Greco, Myrna Báez, Angelica Kauffman, and other iconic artists from the past 600 years opens this Friday at the BYU Museum of Art. The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce features over fifty masterworks from Europe and the Americas and comes to Provo as part of a tour of museums across the United States. Like all MOA exhibitions, admission is free and open to all.
The works in the exhibition come from the collection of the titular Museo de Arte de Ponce. As that museum is currently undergoing major renovations, this exhibition features some of its most famous and celebrated works, including Frederic, Lord Leighton’s stunning Victorian masterpiece Flaming June.
“At Museo de Arte de Ponce, we are excited to share Puerto Rico’s cultural patrimony with new audiences across the United States. Visitors to BYU MOA will enjoy recognizing favorite masterpieces and discovering new ones,” expressed Iraida Rodríguez-Negrón, the Ponce museum’s Curator and curator of the exhibition.
“We are honored to share the richness of our collection with the community in Provo and with audiences across the United States. This exhibition is a testament to the enduring power of art to connect us across time and place. We are grateful to the BYU Museum of Art for welcoming these masterpieces during this exciting moment in our museum’s history”, expressed María Luisa Ferré Rangel, President of the Museo de Arte de Ponce.
Visitors to the exhibition will encounter many of the ways artists have expressed themselves over the centuries, including reverent works of religious devotion, harmonious scenes of daily life, the wonders of the natural world, and scenes and portraits of mythological, historical, or personal significance. A catalogue featuring each of the works is available for purchase at the MOA Store.
“We can’t wait for visitors to come see this exhibition," invited MOA Curator Miri Kim.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events, including recurring themed tours, an Art After Dark celebration on September 26, and a fashion show featuring designs inspired by the artwork. All are invited to attend each of these events.
“We are thrilled about the opportunity to have such important artworks come to the museum!” said Liz Donakey Brailsford, a museum educator at the MOA. “Our unique programming for the exhibition matches the unique privilege we have of welcoming these paintings to Provo, and we hope that in our events, we can approach the artworks from new and refreshing perspectives. Whether or not you have a background in Art History, the exhibition provides a number of resources to enhance your visit.”
The Sense of Beauty will be available at the Museum in Spanish and English until January 3, 2026. Details of the exhibition, including previews of several artworks featured, are available at https://moa.byu.edu/the-sense-of-beauty.
ABOUT THE BYU MUSEUM OF ART
One of the largest and best-attended university art museums in the Mountain West, the BYU Museum of Art offers a dynamic exhibition schedule that includes displays of its permanent collection, world-class traveling shows and thought-provoking exhibitions organized by museum curators. One of the museum’s most important roles is its contribution to the academic mission of Brigham Young University. From the research and study of the artworks in the permanent collection, to the teaching and learning that occurs in classrooms and galleries, the museum plays an important role in the academic pursuits of many students at BYU. Concurrently, the museum seeks to connect to broad community audiences through its exhibitions, educational programming, and online outreach.
ABOUT MUSEO DE ARTE DE PONCE
Founded in 1959 by Luis A. Ferré, the Museo de Arte de Ponce is a non-profit organization dedicated to the collection, conservation, study, and exhibition of works of art. With a permanent collection of more than 4,000 objects, the museum is a cultural icon in the Caribbean. Its main galleries are currently undergoing a retrofit process following the 2020 earthquakes in Puerto Rico. During these renovations, the museum’s collection has continued to grow and be appreciated in the United States and around the world through loans and traveling exhibitions. museoarteponce.org.
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