PAFA The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

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07/27/2026

Nobody talks about how museums tell you where to look.

In The Master Plan: In Between the Big Bang and Modern Art Is the Restroom, artist Fred Wilson turns museum maps into questions.

Questions about language.

Questions about power.

Questions about who decides what matters.

Through familiar labels like “Main Gallery,” “Sporting Art,” and “Ladies Committee Gallery,” Wilson reveals that museum language is never as neutral as it seems.

By isolating the words that shape our experience, Wilson encourages us to become more active viewers: questioning assumptions, choosing our own paths, and looking more closely at the stories museums tell.

Fred Wilson: The Master Plan: In Between the Big Bang and Modern Art Is the Restroom is on view at PAFA, in the Richard C. von Hess Foundation Works on Paper Gallery of the Historic Landmark Building.

Before she became the subject of one of PAFA alum Maxfield Parrish's most dramatic paintings, Princess Parizade was the ...
07/26/2026

Before she became the subject of one of PAFA alum Maxfield Parrish's most dramatic paintings, Princess Parizade was the heroine of an adventure from The Arabian Nights.

In the tale, Parizade sets out in search of three magical treasures: the Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water. Her brothers attempt the quest first, but fail after being lured by enchanted voices that turn them to stone. Parizade succeeds through ingenuity rather than force, plugging her ears with cotton and climbing the mountain undistracted. There she claims the magical treasures and later uses them to rescue her brothers and uncover the truth about her royal birth.

Parrish's Princess Parizade Bringing Home the Singing Tree (1906) captures the moment of her triumph. Clutching a branch from the enchanted tree, she stands high above the landscape as storm clouds swirl around her. The dramatic composition emphasizes the courage and determination that allowed her to succeed where others could not.

Created for Collier's Weekly as an illustration for The Arabian Nights' Entertainments, the painting was an instant hit with American audiences. It also marks the first appearance of Parrish's iconic "girl on the rock" motif, a composition he would revisit throughout his career and that would become one of his most recognizable artistic signatures.

See 'Princess Parizade Bringing Home the Singing Tree' on view now in 'A Nation of Artists' at PAFA.
🖼️ Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966), Princess Parizade Bringing Home the Singing Tree, 1906. Oil on paper, Gift of Mrs. Francis P. Garvan.

🎉 It’s our FIRSTival! Stop by until 1 PM to celebrate America’s first art museum and school as part of Historic Philadel...
07/25/2026

🎉 It’s our FIRSTival! Stop by until 1 PM to celebrate America’s first art museum and school as part of Historic Philadelphia’s 52 Weeks Of Firsts. Enjoy free family art activities, Pay-What-You-Wish Museum admission, and see PAFA’s #1 Sculpture by alum Jon Laidacker.

LeBron 🤝 PAFA. We’re putting it into the universe.🏀🎨 The invitation is always open.👑 Philadelphia 76ers
07/24/2026

LeBron 🤝 PAFA. We’re putting it into the universe.

🏀🎨 The invitation is always open.

👑
Philadelphia 76ers

07/24/2026

They walked these halls before you ever heard of PAFA. Henry Ossawa Tanner. Violet Oakley. David Lynch. David Em. Signe Wilkinson. All students here. All firsts in their field.

The training at America’s first art school has been turning students into trailblazers for over 220 years.

Who’s next? Fine Art Certificate applications are open until August 2!

🔗 buff.ly/yH8lLfX

☀️Summer at PAFA so far.....has been so much fun. We’ve celebrated the incredible work of our Summer Academy students at...
07/24/2026

☀️Summer at PAFA so far...
..has been so much fun.

We’ve celebrated the incredible work of our Summer Academy students at their end-of-term exhibition and continue making, exploring, and creating with our Summer Art Camp campers.

📸 : Frank Burkhauser

The Furness Building may be PAFA's most recognizable home, but it wasn't the first.Before the Academy moved to Broad and...
07/23/2026

The Furness Building may be PAFA's most recognizable home, but it wasn't the first.

Before the Academy moved to Broad and Cherry Streets, PAFA occupied two white marble, neoclassical buildings on Chestnut Street between 10th and 11th Streets.

The first opened to the public in 1806 and featured a domed rotunda, exhibition galleries, a library, and a wooden American eagle believed to have been carved by William Rush. During the 1830s, PAFA experienced severe financial difficulties and relied on public contributions, stockholder dues, and rental income from storefronts constructed along Chestnut Street.

After the building was largely destroyed by fire in 1845, a second, larger structure was constructed on the original foundations and opened in 1847. Designed by engineer-architect Richard Gilpin, the building was illuminated by skylights and surrounded by a shaded lawn.

📍 Historical address: 1025 Chestnut Street

By 1870, both the museum and the school had outgrown the site, prompting plans for a new home that would become the iconic Furness Building.

Explore the first chapter of PAFA's architectural history.

🎨🖌️ Gods, heroes, and mythical creatures have captured our imaginations, inspiring countless artists and works, for ce...
07/19/2026

🎨🖌️ Gods, heroes, and mythical creatures have captured our imaginations, inspiring countless artists and works, for centuries.

Italian artist Michelangelo Maestri (1741–1812) brought the drama of the classical world to life in Bacchant Subduing a Charging Centaur, a work inspired by an ancient Roman mural from Pompeii.

The scene shows a bacchant, a follower of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, celebration, and theater, confronting a centaur, a mythical creature representing the tension between human reason and untamed instinct. Rather than depicting one specific myth, the scene reflects the larger world of ancient storytelling, filled with powerful forces and unforgettable characters.

During the 18th century, the rediscovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum sparked a renewed fascination with the ancient world. Maestri became known for his vibrant watercolor and gouache interpretations of classical imagery. His work continues a centuries-long tradition of artists looking to the past for inspiration in the present.

Explore more works from PAFA’s collection.
🖼️ Michelangelo Maestri (Italian, 1741–1812), Bacchant Subduing a Charging Centaur: Greek Mythology Mural in Pompeii, late 18th century. Gouache and watercolor over pencil on paper laid on heavy laid paper, 12 ⅜ × 16 in. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Gift of Mrs. William E. Huger, 1977.25.9.

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