One hundred and eighty-one Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 59 Matisses, 46 Picassos and seven van Goghs, not to mention countless Old Master paintings by Veronese, Dürer and Rubens, and 125 African art works–overall a collection worth more than $25 billion. You might be wondering who amassed such an impressive collection of Post-Impressionist and Modernist art. The answer: Dr. Albert C. Barnes. More importantly you might be wondering where such an impressive collection resides. The answer: as of 2012, downtown Philadelphia.

However, the Barnes collection has not always been housed at this 4.5 acre campus in downtown Philadelphia. From 1925 until its recent move, the Barnes collection resided in Lower Merion, Penn., where Dr. Barnes’ trust stipulated it remain never to be sold, never to be loaned and never to be moved. Fifty years after Barnes’ death, his collection, amassed over a lifetime, was relocated to its current residence at the impetus of the City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania and bankrolled by the likes of Comcast, PNC Bank, and the Annenberg Foundation.

“The Art of the Steal.”

This move ignited a controversial battle between culture and capitalism — Barnes “purists” and greater tourist access. The 2009 documentary, “The Art of the Steal,”  tells the story of this power struggle, breaking down the politics that eventually led to the final decision to move the collection. Told like a crime thriller, the film follows the convoluted evolution of a private estate into a major public institution full of unethical political maneuvers, legal battles and vehement protest.

Don’t miss this chance to see “The Art of the Steal” on November 15 at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. The screening will begin at 7 p.m. with an event reception preceding at 6 p.m. Tickets for non-members are $10; $8 for members; and $5 for students with valid school I.D. The screening of “The Art of the Steal” is part of the Bechtler’s Modernism + Film series. Bechtler Museum of Modern Art: 420 South Tryon St., Charlotte; www.bechtler.org. Hours: Mon., 10-5 p.m.; Tues., closed; Wed.-Sat., 10-5 p.m.; Sun., 12-5 p.m.