Bradi Barth was born in St. Gall, Switzerland in 1922, the daughter of a renowned surgeon. Her formal art education was acquired at the Academie Royale in Ghent, Belgium beginning in 1946. Upon graduation she was awarded the Academy’s Gold Medal, it’s highest honor. But it was not until 1950, when she exhibited a canvas, The Spanish Lady, at the Exposition Nationale Quadriennale in Ghent which received critical acclaim that her professional career truly began. She was soon commissioned to paint her first series of the 14 Stations of the Cross for St. John the Baptist Church in Ghent, a city that remained her true home for the remainder of her life.
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Flowers from the Garden
egg tempera, 29 x 23 inches |
In 1960, Bradi came to the United States to rest and visit friends in Peetz, Colorado, a small town on the Eastern Plains. Inspired by the new surroundings she produced a series of stained glass windows for the local church -- this is now a landmark which draws visitors from far and wide and has additionally become a sort of shrine in itself for collectors and followers of her work. On a trip to Denver, the capital of Colorado, Bradi was introduced to Lemon Saks, the founder of Saks Galleries, which at the time was called Denver Art Galleries located in downtown Denver. The relationship blossomed and there were numerous sold-out exhibitions with paintings going to important collections and museums. Mr. Saks in turn introduced her to other important galleries, such as Hammer Galleries in New York and Tooth and Sons in London which brought her work international acclaim.
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Salve Regina (Hail to the Queen)
egg tempera, 30 x 24 inches |
The paintings of Bradi Barth have a profound purity and elegance, perhaps due to her knowledge of the Renaissance Masters and the very traditional medium of egg tempera. But there is more…..the use of complicated glazes, clear bold colors, and a controlled craquelure that one seldom sees anywhere else. In the pristine costumes and compositions one is reminded of Flemish Masters such as Memling and Van Der Weyden. Bradi’s personality and religious convictions, evident in the paintings, are part of the attraction, along with her sensitivity and freshness. A foundation she established in 2000 provides postcards and traveling exhibitions of her work for churches throughout Europe. Before her death in 2007, Bradi also donated a series of 36 paintings to a convent, Zusters van Liefde, near her hometown, in Kortemark, Belgium.
