Paperblanks & the Barnes Foundation

We are delighted to partner with the Barnes Foundation, to celebrate the world’s greatest works of art from their enchanting collections through our Paperblanks designs.

A New Relationship

The Barnes Foundation is a renowned art collection and educational institution in Philadelphia known for holding the finest pieces of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern paintings in the world. Works by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, and Picasso are arranged alongside African masks, Native American jewelry, Greek antiquities, and decorative metalwork to highlight their shared qualities and reject the hierarchy of fine art versus craft.

Since its founding in 1922, the mission of the Barnes is to promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture.

A Shared Passion

We’re thrilled to be partnering with such a legendary art institution to produce this exclusive collaborative collection.

This partnership offered the sensational opportunity to explore its major holdings of fine art. Dr. Barnes arranged this collection in “ensembles” which also include objects from across history and around the globe. Our shared passion for celebrating pivotal works of art across eras and regions made for a natural union.

Be sure to check out this wondrous institution the next time you visit Philadelphia.

Working Together

After the first discussions, we began to work together – browsing the museum’s collection, working on the details of the collaboration, and testing product samples.

The fact that the Barnes Foundation houses a collection that is so diverse and historically significant made it difficult to choose where to begin, but we knew we wanted to work with an instantly recognizable image to share their collection with the world.

Partnering with such a revered institution is an inspiring opportunity to bring together our shared enthusiasm for lifelong learning and the celebration of art from across the globe.

Developing the Release

Developing designs based on the Barnes Foundation is always a joy for our talented Graphics team. Our designers and the museum’s merchandising team did a deep dive into the Barnes’ archives to select some of their finest artworks to bring to life on our covers.

“After an extensive review of the Barnes Foundation’s masterpieces, we carefully pre-selected approximately a dozen finalists. Among them, Cézanne’s Terracotta Pots and Flowers stands out for its timeless design, captivating hearts with its rich composition and inherent sweetness. The earthy and soothing colours employed in this artwork evoke sun-drenched gardens.

Additionally, Van Gogh’s artistic genius lay not only in his ability to depict subjects and landscapes, but in how he invited viewers into the very mood of his paintings. This still life, with its beautiful golden background, is perfectly complemented by our signature gold foil, while the vivid blue flowers stand out brilliantly on our metallic paper. We’ve preserved the original orange border to honour Van Gogh’s spirit and highlight the painting’s vibrant blue and yellow flowers, as well as the delicate white teacup.” — Adina Costiuc, Associate Art Director

The Future

We are honoured to collaborate with The Barnes, one of the most influential institutions in promoting and preserving art and art education by bringing these beautiful masterpieces to the Paperblanks world. Following the success of our previous release and the introduction of a new design in Fall 2025, we are excited about the possibilities this ongoing partnership holds.

Cezanne’s Terracotta Pots and Flowers

Paul Cézanne (1839–1906) was a French painter who is regarded as one of the greatest of the post-Impressionists. Terracotta Pots and Flowers saw Cézanne enter a new era of still life painting. Here he arranges everyday objects including a pitcher with potted geraniums inside the greenhouse at his father’s estate near Aix-en-Provence.

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was one of the great post-Impressionist painters. After moving to the town of Arles in 1888, he began experimenting with still life pieces, which he called “colour studies.” We are honoured to partner with the Barnes Foundation to bring one of Van Gogh’s finest still life artworks to our collection.