The importance and impact of the Rosenbach’s collection is local as well as global.  

As the Rosenbach Museum & Library prepares to open two more Treasures galleries, one focused on continental European literature and another focused on American history, this episode of the podcast shines a spotlight on an important portrait hanging in the Rosenbach’s stair hall, just outside the Treasures galleries. Bass Otis’s 1831 portrait of the French-born Philadelphia merchant Stephen Girard connects the Rosenbach to the history of Girard’s philanthropic activities in Philadelphia—and the Civil Rights activism that reshaped Girard’s local legacy in the 1960s. We’ll journey to Girard College in North Philadelphia to learn about Stephen Girard’s business empire, charitable activities (including the founding of the school), and the origins of the Girard Ginger, a favorite dessert baked at the college for more than a hundred years. We’ll bake a batch of Girard Gingers and teach you how to make your own at home this holiday season! 

Would you like to see the Bass Otis portrait of Stephen Girard in person? Reserve a Rosenbach introductory tour ticket today! Learn more at https://rosenbach.org/visit/. Also, plan your visit to the Founder’s Hall Museum at Girard College by visiting http://www.foundershall.org/.