DETROIT, MICH.- Colnaghi presents an exhibition of European paintings and sculpture at Wasserman Projects in Detroit from September 7 - 11, 2016. Old Masters / New World is the renowned London-based gallery’s first exhibition in the city, and will feature works of art from the 15th to the 18th centuries, including important paintings by such artists as Frans Francken, Gaetano Gandolfi, and Jusepe de Ribera and sculpture by Pedro Duque y Cornejo, among others. These magnificent works will be further augmented by an exceptional collection of Spanish glass from the Royal Factory of Glass and Crystal of La Granja, created between 1727 and 1850. The company’s first collaboration with Wasserman Projects, a gallery and exhibition space housed in a converted firehouse in Detroit, the exhibition supports Colnaghi’s mission to engage and excite audiences by presenting Old Masters within contemporary contexts, highlighting these extraordinary works’ relevance and relationship to the 21st century experience.

For the more than 120 years, Colnaghi has been enhancing opportunities for arts patrons and the public to experience stunning masterworks, by establishing long-lasting relationships with institutions across Europe and the U.S., participating in fairs and exhibitions, and developing scholarly publications. The opening of Old Masters / New World is yet another opportunity to share these Old Master works, now with audiences in Detroit and the surrounding regions.

Jorge Coll, CEO of Colnaghi: “We are thrilled to build on our long and storied history in America by holding our first exhibition in Detroit, and to be doing so in partnership with Wasserman Projects. Since the 19th century Colnaghi has placed important works of art in many of the greatest American museums and collections, including ones in this city. It is in this spirit of engaging new and existing communities of arts enthusiasts and collectors that we are holding Old Masters / New World in Detroit. We see our vision to present Old Master works across a wide range of locales as parallel to the missions of museums and universities to educate on the arts. We look forward to bringing the experience of Old Masters into a contemporary, 21st century context, and especially in a city as dynamic as Detroit.

Gary Wasserman, Founder of Wasserman Projects: “We share Colnaghi’s vision to connect the historic with the contemporary, and to show art in a diversity of contexts and through a wide range of collaborations. To be able to show these tremendous Old Master works in the contemporary, industrial-style setting of our exhibition space is an exciting proposition that highlights the connection between the past and present and offers a new way of experiencing both the art and the space.”

Significant highlights from the exhibition include:

• The preparatory oil sketch for the painting, Venus Ordering Armor for Aeneas at Vulcan’s Forge by the Bolognese master Gaetano Gandolfi. Painted in the late 18th century, the sketch recounts a story from Virgil’s Aeneid in which Venus asks Vulcan to create a suit of armor for his son, the Trojan hero, Aeneas, as he prepares to go to battle in Latium. The magnificent sketch highlights the refined palette, elegant composition, and fluid and confident brushstroke for which Gandolfi is known. The final painting by the artist is in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Art.

• An oil painting of Saint Jude Thaddeus by Spanish painter Josepe de Ribera, who throughout his career painted life-like portraits of philosophers and Apostles that are recognized as among the most notable achievements of Neapolitan baroque art. Created in approximately1615, the painting is noteworthy for its high quality of execution. A previously unpublished work, it is a significant addition to the early production of the artist.

• A Landscape with Theseus and Achelous, with Triumph by Poseidon and Amphitrite Beyond, an oil on panel painted by two leading artists active in Antwerp in the 17th century. Frans Francken the Younger, whose signature appears on the painting, painted the figures, while Joos de Momper the Younger contributed the cave and landscape setting. The practice of painters becoming specialists in particular genres and contributing a share to a single work was well established by the end of the 16th century, fostered by the close-knit nature of Antwerp’s artistic community. Collaborative works led to the creation of exceptionally high quality paintings that were ready for the market.