LAKELAND, Fla. -- The works of one of the founders of Impressionism is on display at the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College.
- Edgar Degas' work is featured in exhibit at Polk Museum of Art
- Degas is one of the founders of Impressionism
- The exhibit will be open through March 24
The exhibition, "Edgar Degas, The Private Impressionist: Works on Paper by the Artist and his Circle," opened on December 22 and runs through March 24.
"He's one of the biggest names in all of art history," said Dr. Alex Rich, curator and director of Galleries and Exhibitions.
The French artist is famous for his paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings. They depict scenes from everyday life in 19th century Paris.
"Visitors coming to the exhibition will learn a lot about Degas in terms of his familiar motifs, ballet dancers, jockeys and horses, and nudes but they'll see them in a different element," Rich said.
Rich said the exhibition has brought a lot of people to the museum.
"I know that in the opening days of the exhibition our numbers were off the charts already so we are thrilled about this," Rich said.
The exhibition was organized by the Landau Traveling Exhibitions in Los Angeles in association with Denenberg Fine Arts in West Hollywood.
The museum is also opening up its Penfield Library to the public. It's the museum's fine arts library located on the second floor.
Inside are nearly 2,800 books about artists from around the world as well as nearly 2,900 art journals and magazines, dating back to the 1970s.
"This is a specialized focus and it's really exciting for people in the arts field or people who like art or want to learn more about art to be able to come here and know that that's going to be the principle focus of everything on the shelves. I think it's important for elucidating what people can learn about what they'll see in our exhibitions but also in terms of elevating their own educational interest or knowledge of the world of art," Rich said.
It'll be open to the public on Fridays, from January 11 to April 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The books and journals must be read inside the room and can't be checked out.
The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to both the library and museum is free.