Friday, July 10, 2015

Day 124 Washington DC National Gallery of Art



National Gallery of Art


By far my favorite Museum in Washington DC was the National Gallery of Art. The more art that I experience the more that I discover what kind of art that I enjoy.
We were lucky to vew  Gustav Caillebotte's exhibit.  As in Day 85 Art Institute of Chicago, I was like “a kid in a candy store!” Even though  my friends were all close to museum overload, they seemed to perk up when viewing  these  masterpieces. What a great place to discover beauty!

Paris Street, Rainy Day (1877)
Reflection
Gustav’s famous  (1877) painting, Paris Street, Rainy Day  was so impressive with its  bold  size and color.  I thought that I had seen it in November when visiting Chicago (Day 85) and  I was correct because it was on loan! Now I am chasing  the art around the country.    

Paris Street, Rainy Day (1877)
Like Degas, Gustav was a lawyer turned artist and he was also friends with Degas who introduced him to the  impressionalist world.  As a  wealthy son of a merchant  he purchased much of this period’s art.  I had only seen a few of his paintings before. It's so much better to see a collection of one artist instead of just a few paintings. I especially liked his first painting The Floor Scraper (1875).
The floor Scraper (1875)

Also, there were quite a few  painting  by Degas and many of  his ballet dancers.  This was a treat because in Day 14 Absorb Art- Degas, I saw sketches of some of these paintings  in Pittsburgh and attended a lecture on his life.  
Degas

Get yourself to an art museum because there  is something wonderfuly beautiful  in viewing original  painting and discovering what you like.  Sometimes you don't know what you like until you experience it.  

Spiritual Reflection
 The love between King Solomon and his bride.
"How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are like doves, Your hair falls in waves, like a flock of goats frisking down the slopes of Gilead. Your teeth are as white as sheep...
(Song of Songs 4:1 to 15)

Other Sources
Gustav Caillebotte  : http://www.gustavcaillebotte.org/