More than 300 people donned black tie, white tie, or historical costumes to attend the Florence Academy of Art Beaux Arts Ball, held at the lush venue Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City on Friday. The event celebrated six figures in the representational art scene — three noted artists and three key patrons, one of whom was B. Eric Rhoads, the publisher of PleinAir magazine.
Lead Image: Michel Whitmer (left) and B. Eric Rhoads (c) Sean Zanni/PMC
“I’m honored to not only receive this patron’s award, but to be in the company of such greats, who have done so much to further the cause of representational art,” says Rhoads.
Rhoads was honored alongside Christopher “Kip” Forbes and Judith Kudlow. The artists honored were Jacob Collins, Daniel Graves, and Stone Roberts.
The evening began with an exhibition of art and cocktails, then proceeded into dinner and then the presentation of the honors and speeches by the honorees. The night ended with dancing and a costume parade.
The Florence Academy of Art is a school in Italy (with branches in New York and Spain) that emphasizes traditional realism based on close observation of the material world. The emphasis is on technical skill and the working processes of the Old Masters.
