Sister Wendy Beckett the world-famous “art nun,” explores the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif., a repository for one of the most extraordinary collections of Old Master, Impressionist, Modern and Asian art in the United States. In her trademark manner, she offers her own inimitable reflections on some of the collection’s most famous works and some of its lesser-known gems. She points out her personal favorites and reflects on the founder/collector Norton Simon’s choices as well.
The Norton Simon Museum, home to more than 1,000 works, features impressionist and post-impressionist collections, with paintings by Manet, Renoir, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec and Cezanne.
In addition., there are 20th-century works by Picasso, Braque, Matisee,Klee , Kandinsky, and the German expressionists. Complementing the Western art is a collection of Asian sculpture from India and Southeast Asia spanning a period of 2,000 years.
In her commentary, she brings to life great works such as Edgar Degas’ famous pastel, “Waiting” and Peter Paul Rubens’ masterpiece, “The Holy Women at the Sepulchre. The program not only explores these works of art, but also provides fascinating insight into Norton Simon, the collector.
This is Sister Wendy’s personal tour, rather than a comprehensive look at the Museum’s collection. Yet the documentary also reflects on the depth of the collection and includes montages illustrating more works of art than can be covered by Sister Wendy.
Sister Wendy at the Norton Museum airs on Thursday, October 3 at 9 p.m. on WLRN Channel 17.