Albert C. Barnes was an American physician and art collector, best known for founding the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Born on January 2, 1872, he made a fortune in the pharmaceutical industry, which allowed him to amass an impressive collection of over 4,000 artworks, including pieces by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Vincent van Gogh. Barnes was a strong advocate for art education and believed in the importance of viewing art in context. He designed the Barnes Foundation to promote his vision of art appreciation, emphasizing the relationships between the artworks rather than traditional museum displays. He passed away on July 24, 1951.