The Lost Beauty of Humankind: Robert Bergman’s Portraits in the Hill Collection

Image M Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

⁠Installation view: The Lost Beauty of Humankind: Robert Bergman's Portraits in the Hill Collection. Hill Art Foundation, January 15–April 11, 2026 © Hill Art Foundation. Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026⁠

Image V Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Installation view: The Lost Beauty of Humankind: Robert Bergman's Portraits in the Hill Collection. Hill Art Foundation, January 15–April 11, 2026 © Hill Art Foundation. Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026⁠

Image Y Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Image I Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Image X Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Image H Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Image T Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Image Q Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Image U Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Image E Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

Dekoonig Sculpture At Night © Bruce M. White 2026

Image W Photograph © Bruce M. White 2026

The Lost Beauty of Humankind: Robert Bergman’s Portraits in the Hill Collection
January 15–April 11, 2026

The Hill Art Foundation is pleased to announce The Lost Beauty of Humankind: Robert Bergman’s Portraits in the Hill Collection, a landmark exhibition that places the portraits of American photographer Robert Bergman in conversation with select Old Master paintings from the Hill Collection, curated by David Levi Strauss. This exhibition marks the first major presentation of Bergman’s work since his celebrated solo exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art and MoMA PS1 in 2009.

The exhibition features large-scale portraits of ordinary people whom Bergman encountered on American streets between 1985 and 1993. The works evoke the painterly richness of Old Master portraiture through their saturated colors, intimate framing, and nuanced attention to each individual’s features. Yet beyond these formal qualities, each subject is portrayed with a resonant, spiritual presence, unbound by notions of time or place. By juxtaposing Bergman’s photographs with works by artists such as Peter Paul Rubens and Jacopo Bassano, and more contemporary artists like Frank Auerbach and Andy Warhol, The Lost Beauty of Humankind emphasizes a shared dignity and humanity through the act of looking.

Frank Auerbach, Head of Julia, ca. 1985. Oil on canvas, 26 × 26 inches (66 x 66 cm). Copyright the estate of Frank Auerbach, courtesy Frankie Rossi Art Projects Ltd

Robert Bergman, Untitled, 1990. Archival pigment print, 30 1/2 × 22 1/4 inches (77.5 × 56.5 cm). © Robert Bergman.

In his accompanying essay, curator David Levi Strauss writes, “Bergman’s portraits are not responding to any fashion or trend in photographic portraiture of their time. Everything in them is dedicated to making a vera icon, a true image, on the way to making a true portrait.” Strauss argues that since its inception, portraiture has been built upon the questions “Who is worthy of being portrayed?” Just as Caravaggio included marginalized members of society as models for his religious canvases, and Anthony van Dyck studied unknown individuals from life with the intention to repurpose their likenesses as saints or apostles, Bergman directs an empathetic gaze toward those often unportrayed. Bergman’s portraits capture “the grace and the eternal spark in all people,” portraying not the ideal, but the sacred and profoundly real beauty found in those often overlooked. “You cannot see them passively,” Strauss adds.

“Bob’s work forces the viewer to connect with the subject in an intense way that only artists such as Caravaggio, Pontormo, and Rubens have done,” says J. Tomilson Hill, President of the Hill Art Foundation. As Hans Belting wrote in his pivotal 1990 text Likeness and Presence: a History of the Image Before the Era of Art, the earliest images served as mediators between the human and spiritual realm. Strauss suggests that Bergman’s portraits perform a similar function today: they return us to that moment of recognition, when image and beholder meet in a space of mercy and vulnerability—a space in which we can rediscover the “lost beauty of humankind.”

The Lost Beauty of Humankind is on view at the Hill Art Foundation from January 15–April 11, 2026.

BIO

David Levi Strauss is an essayist and cultural critic based in New York. He is the author of Co-illusion: Dispatches from the End of Communication (The MIT Press, 2020), Photography & Belief (David Zwirner Books, 2020), Words Not Spent Today Buy Smaller Images Tomorrow (Aperture, 2014), From Head to Hand: Art and the Manual (Oxford University Press, 2010), Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography and Politics, with an introduction by John Berger (Aperture 2003, and in a new edition, 2012), and Between Dog & Wolf: Essays on Art and Politics (Autonomedia 1999, and a new edition, 2010). In Case Something Different Happens in the Future: Joseph Beuys and 9/11 was published by Documenta 13, and To Dare Imagining: Rojava Revolution, edited by Strauss, Michael Taussig, Peter Lamborn Wilson, and Dilar Dirik, was published by Autonomedia in 2016, and in an Italian edition in 2017. The Critique of the Image Is the Defense of the Imagination, edited by Strauss, Taussig, and Wilson, was published by Autonomedia in 2020. He is Chair Emeritus of the graduate program in Art Writing at the School of Visual Arts in New York, which he directed from 2007-2021.

Introduction by J. Tomilson Hill

Press Release

PDF Checklist

Valentin Bousch, The Creation and the Expulsion from Paradise, 1533. Stained glass, 114 × 90 inches (289.6 × 228.6 cm).

Timothy Husband on The Creation and Expulsion From Paradise

View Exhibition Checklist +

Elderly woman with gray hair in purple shirt.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1987

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1993

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Painting of a man in a black jacket with a brown mustache.

Peter Paul Rubens

Portrait of a Gentleman, Half-length, Wearing Black, ca. 1628–29

Oil on canvas

22 × 16 ⅞ in.

(55.9 × 42.9 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1989

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Painting of a man in a black vest with red sleeves.

Joos van Cleve

Portrait of a Nobleman with a Beard, 1525–1530

Oil on oak panel

32 ¾ × 26 in.

(83 × 66 cm)

Valentin Bousch

The Creation and the Expulsion from Paradise, 1533

Colored and colorless glass with silver stain, and vitreous enamel

114 × 90 in.

(289.6 × 228.6 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1989

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Black cross with white shadows on black and white background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Three groups of people on a gold background.

Giovanni da Milano

Apparition of Christ to Peter; Resurrection of Christ; Noli Me Tangere, ca. 1346-1369

Tempera on gold ground panel

9 ¾ × 24 ⅞ in.

(24.8 × 63.2 cm)

Shirtless man with long hair on gold background.

Giovanni di Paolo

Christ as the Man of Sorrows with Two Angels, ca. 1399-1482

Tempera on gold ground panel

15 × 9 × 2 ½ in.

(38.1 × 22.9 × 6.4 cm)

Woman in blue and angel in gold facing each other.

Luca di Tommè

The Annunciation, 1360s

Tempera on gold ground panel

16 ⅜ × 16 ⅝ in.

(41.6 × 42.2 cm)

Painting of man in black vest with grey sleeves.

Jacopo Pontormo

Portrait of a Young Man in.a Red Cap (Carlo Neroni?) [replica], 2018

Acrylic gesso, fiberglass, and traditional gesso; color transferred through an inkjet pigment print and sealed with varnish; mounted on polyurethane board

36 × 28 ¾ in.

(91.4 × 73 cm)

Man in blue shirt with newspaper in pocket.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1991

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Young woman with red hair on green background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1986

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Boy with light brown hair and green jacket.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1987

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Child with blue sweater on red background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1987

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Man with dark hair and dark shirt on grey background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Man with long hair holding a cross, surrounded by a crowd of people.

Jacopo Bassano

The Way to Calvary, ca. 1542-1545

Oil on canvas

54 × 46 in.

(137.2 × 116.8 cm)

Photograph of middle-aged woman with a crack in center of frame.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1989

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Man in red jacket with a red scarf over his nose and mouth.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Three children in period dress in front of a building.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1988

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Painting of man on cross with gold background

Paolo Ucello

The Crucifixion, ca. 1423

Tempera on gold ground panel

23 ⅞ × 13 ⅛ in.

(60.6 × 33.3 cm)

Statue of shirtless man hanging from a cross.

Antonio Susini

Cristo Morto, cast ca.1590-1615

Gilt bronze

12 ⅛ × 10 ¼ × 2 ⅞ in.

(30.8 × 26 × 7.3 cm)

Bearded man in light jacket holding his arms up.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Man with dark hair and beard with his eyes closed.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Woman in sunglasses holding a cigarette.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Shirtless man with dark hair looking down.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1995

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1991

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1986

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Woman with light hair and American flag headscarf.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1987

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Woman with red hair and gold dress on red background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1987

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Woman with short dark hair on red and green background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Man with dark hair and mustache looking off to side.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Painting of a man with light brown hair and beard looking down.

Anthony van Dyck

Study of a Bearded Man, 1618

Oil on panel

11 ⅝ × 8 ⅞ in.

(29.5 × 22.5 cm)

Old man with grey and black beard looking down.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Vintage inkjet print with an isolation coat of BA/MMA copolymer

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Abstract bronze sculpture of a man holding items in his hands.

Willem de Kooning

Clamdigger, 1972

Bronze

59 ½ × 29 × 23 ¾ in.

(151.1 × 73.7 × 60.3 cm)

Painting of a woman's shoulders and head.

Frank Auerbach

Head of Julia, 1985

Oil on canvas

26 ⅛ × 26 ⅛ in.

(66.4 × 66.4 cm)

Woman with grey hair and blue eyes on green background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Henri Matisse

Madeleine II, conceived in 1903; cast between 1930-1951

Bronze and brown patina

23 ½ × 7 × 7 in.

(59.7 × 17.8 × 17.8 cm)

Man's shoulders and head on a gold background.

Duccio

Head of an Angel, ca. 1280

Tempera on gold ground panel

7 ½ × 8 ¼ × 1 ⅜ in.

(19.1 × 21.0 × 3.3 cm)

Young woman with dark hair on blue background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1987

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1988

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1991

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Old woman in black backwards baseball cap.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1991

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Woman with long dark hair on green background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1991

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1986

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Old man in black jacket on blue background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1990

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Young woman with green and blue hair on grey background.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1995

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Andy Warhol

Jackie, 1964

Spray enamel and silkscreen ink on linen

20 × 16 in.

(50.8 × 40.6 cm)

Old woman with red lipstick and blue hat.

Robert Bergman

[untitled], 1994

Archival pigment print

30 ½ × 22 ¼ in.

(77.5 × 56.5 cm)

Black and white photograph of man in suit with white hair and glasses.

Peter Hujar

Andy Warhol, 1975

Gelatin, silver print

14 ⅝ × 14 ⅝ in.

(37 × 37 cm)

Stay up to date!

Your browser is out-of-date!