Before The Museum of Modern Art

acquired this painting, it was owned by collector Ben Heller. >> Reader's Digest
used to
have a little thing called The Most Unforgettable Character I Have Met, Barney
Newman is my most
unforgettable character. He was one remarkable human being,
I loved the man deeply. Pollock introduced me and he said,
here's somebody's work you should see. And I look, and I got out as fast as I
could, and I'm walking down the street, I said to my wife, the emporer's clothes.
Nothing there, I couldn't see a thing. But it troubled me. Jackson thought it was
good,
so I went back. By the third visit,
I thought he was a great painter. The Modern bought five paintings of mine. The
Acquisitions Committee would not
buy Vir Heroicus, so I gave it to them. Barney was furious with me. He could have
sold it, he had a buyer. I said that wasn't the point,
I said it belongs there.