The Pearlman Foundation Gifts Its Collection to LACMA, MoMA, and Brooklyn Museum originally appeared on L.A. Mag.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, The Sacred Grove, 1884,Photo by Bruce White
The Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation announced today that it will be gifting an exceptional collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern artworks to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Brooklyn Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
The Pearlman collection features masterpieces by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Degas, Soutine, Manet, Gauguin, Lautrec, Sisley, and More.
Henry Pearlman (1895–1974) had a passion for collecting avant-garde art. He realized this passion after purchasing a landscape piece by Chaïm Soutine, which then led to his self-education on art masterpieces. Henry and his wife Rose had wanted to share their collection and love for art as widely as possible, which inspired the Foundation to gift their collected works.
The Brooklyn Museum, one of the nation’s oldest and largest art institutions, is known for its global collection and innovative programming that amplifies diverse voices and fosters dialogue through art. This museum will obtain paintings and sculpture by Chaïm Soutine, Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas, and Amedeo Modigliani, including the latter’s 1916 portrait Jean Cocteau and an extremely rare limestone sculpture, Head.
Amedeo Modigliani, Jean Cocteau, 1916Photo by Bruce White
LACMA, the largest art museum in the Western United States, holds a collection of over 150,000 works spanning 6,000 years and cultures worldwide. Joining LACMA’s collection are six works, including Edouard Manet’s Young Woman in a Round Hat and Vincent van Gogh’s Tarascon Stagecoach from 1888, the first paintings by both artists.
Edouard Manet, Young Woman in a Round Hat, 1877-79Photo by Bruce White
Founded in 1929, MoMA is a catalyst for experimentation, connecting large audiences to current-day art. MoMA’s collection is gaining 28 exceptional works, with a primary focus on Paul Cézanne, including the paintings Mont Sainte-Victoire (1904–06), and Cistern in the Park of Château Noir, luminous watercolors.
Paul Cézanne, Cistern in the Park of Château Noir, c. 1900Photo by Bruce White
The generous spirit of Henry and Rose Pearlman has prompted the foundation to allow the collection to travel before settling down in the care of the respective institutions. From February to July 2026, LACMA will host Village Square: Gifts of Modern Art from the Pearlman Collection to the Brooklyn Museum, LACMA, and MoMA. The exhibition will then move to the Brooklyn Museum in fall 2026, with MoMA planning to showcase the Pearlman gifts in a future exhibition.
“For years we have explored every model we could imagine for the future ownership and guardianship of this collection,” explained Daniel Edelman, President of the Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation. “We ultimately chose the Brooklyn Museum for the works that tell Henry’s story of discovery and for its commitment to engaging a diverse community; LACMA for works that specifically enhance their ability to innovate around bringing art to where people are; and MoMA, where Cézanne’s works on paper will be shared and cared for by one of the finest departments of drawings and prints that we know.”
The foundation was careful not to give its gift with strict conditions that limit the art’s purpose. Instead, they gave encouraging guidelines that would allow the museums flexibility and movement in their ownership. The main goal of the art is to reach the largest audience possible in as many different contexts as possible.
This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.