Expansive Offerings

The Philadelphia Show returns with its premier offerings of fine historical art and antiques in a museum setting

After reaching a landmark 60th anniversary last year, The Philadelphia Show returns to the grounds of the Philadelphia Art Museum’s East Terrace on April 28 with an expanded roster of exceptional exhibitors.

Firmly established as a premier destination for museum-quality art and antiques, this year’s event will feature more than 40 leading dealers of fine art, collectible design, antiques, Americana, folk art, ceramics, porcelain, silver, jewelry, textiles and decorative arts. The Philadelphia Show welcome several new exhibitors to the event, joining longstanding and returning galleries, to showcase works spanning from the 16th to the 21st centuries.

The Philadelphia Show takes place on the grounds of the Philadelphia Art Museum

While remaining true to its focus on American art, many galleries will also present important European and Asian works.

Regular, returning participants of the fair include Jeffrey Tillou Antiques, Ralph M. Chait Galleries, S. J. Shrubsole, Olde Hope, Kentshire, Lillian Nassau LLC, Moderne Gallery and more. The show is excited to welcome new and returning exhibitors A La Vieille Russie, M. Hanks Gallery, Old Print Shop, Susan Teller Gallery and Thistlethwaite Americana.

In recent years, The Philadelphia Show has made a commitment to welcoming dealers who specialize in works created by underrepresented artists.

Edward Hopper (1882-1967), Oaks at Eastham, 1936. Watercolor on paper, 20 x 28 in., signed lower right: ‘Edward Hopper’. Courtesy of Betty Krulik Fine Art

“Since 1988 I’ve owned and operated M. Hanks Gallery, specializing in African American art, and held many shows in my own gallery and participated in other art fairs across the country but this is my first time exhibiting at the Philadelphia Show,” says Eric Hanks, founder of M. Hanks Gallery. “I’m excited to be a part of this show because I relish every opportunity to share my enthusiasm for and experience with this genre of work, but also because one artist whose work I’ve shown for many years, Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller (1877-1968), is originally from Philadelphia. She created a relatively small but impressive body of work that has failed to attract the attention and appreciation that it deserves in part because she is Black and in part because she is a woman. Everyone attending the show will benefit by learning more about this and other artists whose works I’m planning to bring and seeing up close some of the best examples of artwork they created.”

Ronald Joseph (1910 – 1992), The Family, ca.1936-40. Oil on canvas, 34 x 28 in., signed. Courtesy of Clarke Gallery

In addition to the artists featured here, other highlights include pieces by Morris Blackburn, N.C. Wyeth, Willard LeRoy Metcalf, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, Pegge Hoper, Stephen S. Pace, Ben Shahn, Susan Catherine Waters and many more.

The fair will also feature special in-person and live programming leading up to, during and after the event for adults and children alike, and a curated loan exhibition, Faces in the Crowd, which celebrates faces in a post-pandemic world.

Relocating to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a location that better serves the show’s distinguished audience of collectors, designers, industry experts and tastemakers, has proven to be a beneficial move, having amplified both the number of fair attendees and sales in 2022. “We are proud that The Philadelphia Show supports the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Education Department and outreach to our community,” says show chair Ellen Caplan. “The show is a place where both seasoned and entry-level collectors are welcome to discover and purchase works of art. We hope visitors see our show as a destination in which they may educate themselves about different genres of art and design and learn more about collecting from our very knowledgeable dealers.”

J.O. Osborne, View of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, 1850. Oil on canvas, 32 x 46 in., signed: ‘J.O. Osborne/September/1850’. Courtesy of Kelly Kinzle Antiques

The Philadelphia Show opens with a preview party on April 27 and runs through April 30.