If you don’t already have an opinion on whether or not the Barnes Foundation should be in Philadelphia proper, you will after reading this post. At right is Harry Sefarbi, an artist and teacher who worked at the Barnes for over fifty-five years, and is perhaps the oldest gentleman to be the vulnerable target of our “cute boy alert.” Just look at him. That’s a man who won’t break your heart.

In the 1940s, Sefarbi was an actual student of the eccentric, veneral disease-medicine (Argyrol) tycoon (millionaire at thirty-five) Albert C. Barnes. Sefarbi was opposed to the Barnes moving from its location in Merion to the Parkway, calling it in a 2003 court case a “‘complete betrayal of the institution and of Barnes, who stipulated before his death that no painting could be sold, loaned or even moved from its chosen place.”

Not only is Harry Sefarbi cultured and willing to stand up for what he believes in, he’s also a man in a uniform — albeit a WWII Navy one. The most unfortunate news came to our ears on Monday morning: He passed away at 92 years old, which is really just your luck, ladies. I guess you’ll have to take a wooden nickel and settle for that dewdropper after all.

[Photo credit: Michael Nagle for The New York Times]

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 1st, 2009 at 2:57 pm.