New Britain Museum of American Art

Today, I visited the New Britain Museum of American Art. Sorry for the blurry images!











Graydon Parrish (b. 1970)
The Cycle of Terror and Tragedy: September 11, 2001
2002-2006
oil on canvas
This was my favorite painting at the museum. It seems as if if has so much hidden meaning. There are the children playing with the airplanes to the left and the Constitution ripped up all over the ground. This painiting will have me take the trip back to this museum.



John Quidor (1801-1881)
A Knickerbocker Tea Party, 1866
oil on canvas
What drawn me to this painting is that is seems to be so much older than it actually is. The colors seem to be so dull and faded. The painting looks as if it wants to fall apart.


Benjamin West (1738-1820)
Thetis Bringing Armor to Achilles, 1806 or 1808
oil on canvas
I couldn't resist to include this painting because of the interest I have in Greek Mythology.



Walton Ford (b. 1960)
Fallen Mias, 2000
watercolor, gouache, ink, and pencil on paper
What I find interesting about this painting is that it seems the jungle is being overtaken by whateveer is causing the fire in the bottom righthand corner. The apes seem to be rushing to find a way out. Another thing I found was interesting is that the artist artificially aged the painting to make it appear several hundred years old.


Sam Gibbons (b. 1980)
Out of Death Sprung a Fountain of Life...,2005
acrylic on canvas
I found this interesting because of the cartoon-like animation going on in the painting. The right and left also seems to be mirrored.



Georgia O'Keefe (1887-1986)
East River from the 30th Story of the Shelton Hotel, 1928
oil on canvas
I'm not sure what it is about this painting that caught my eye. Maybe its the dull colors, that seem to give it a dreary feel.

The Wadsworth Atheneum

On Sunday April 15, I decided to visit the Wadsworth Atheneum located at 600 Main St in Hartford, CT. The museum was surprisingly easy to get to and would have been a perfect day except for the torrential downpours. Other then that I got there just after the museum opened and it seemed like I pretty much had the entire place to myself, which was kind of nice.
The Wadsworth Atheneum is America's oldest continuously operating art museum, founded in 1842. This was three decades before the Met in New York City and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. It was founded by Daniel Wadsworth to give the public exposure to fine art that they are normally not accustomed to seeing.




The Atheneum's permanent collection features a diverse selection of modern and international art as well as many representatives of American paintings, sculpture, and decorative pieces. Other then being the first public museum in America it also has been an innovator in a number of firsts. In the 1930s, the Atheneum held the first Surrealism exhibit in America, and the museum's collection of surrealist and modern art features prominent names, such as Salvador Dali, as well as many lesser known Surrealist artists. The museum places a large emphasis on local artists, and many of its exhibitions showcase Hartford or Connecticut artists.
From the minute I walked in I noticed how friendly the staff was, they were there to greet me when I walked in and were happy to answer any questions I had. I thought it would be best to make sure I knew the policy on photography. They sent me right over to the security guard and had me fill out a non-disclosure form and gave me a photography badge.
As I was walking through the museum I noticed a number of eye-catching exhibits from the number of American History paintings on the first floor to the Connecticut paintings, furniture, and recreated rooms on the third floor and other parts of the museum.



I also walked in to look at the exhibit they were displaying "Picasso to Pop" that had a number of more recent artworks. The painting that had caught my eye was one by Louis Anquetin called Avenue de Clichey.



Louis Anquetin was born in Etrepagny, France, in 1861. In 1882, he came to Paris and began studying art at Léon Bonnat's studio, where he met Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The two artists later moved to the studio of Fernand Cormon, where they befriended Émile Bernard and Vincent van Gogh.
At the end of my walk through this is the painting that I remembered. The overall scheme of the painting is very dark. Everyone is the painting seems to be drawn in to stay close to the light. I feel the vibrant blue colors is what made this painting stand out in my mind. This painting is also said to be a direct influence on Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace At Night.

NYC trip rescheduled

Well, I was planning to go to NYC on Sat to get in both of my museum trips but got sick and was not up to it. I tentatively have this rescheduled for Thursday provided I feel ok and the weather cooperates. Otherwise, I may have to shuffle around my itinerary. Will keep you posted.

Tony

Yale University Art Gallery

On Saturday the 31st of March, I decided to make my first museum trip to the Yale University Art Gallery. The Yale University Art Gallery is the oldest college art museum in the United States. The gallery was founded in 1832, when patriot-artist John Trumbull donated to Yale College more than 100 paintings of the American Revolution.

Today, the gallery houses a collection that has grown to rank with those of the major public art museums in the United States. Its two connected buildings house ancient, medieval, and Renaissance art, Near and Far Eastern art, archaeological material from the University’s excavations, Pre-Columbian and African art, works of European and American masters from virtually every period, and a rich collection of modern art.

I actually work about two blocks from the museum and can honestly say I have never even thought about going. When I left my house I wasn't even sure of the exact location, but I figured I'd just wing it!

After some searching I finally made it and only to be greeted by those two great words, "Free Admission"!


The gallery had a very modern feel to it, we were promptly greeted at the door and given a map and instructions as to what exhibits were going on. I passed on the tour and figured I would just take it at my own pace. After going the African and Asian art sin the second floor we made our way up to the third floor and passed through the modern art. They had a large modern art exhibit of which I enjoyed taking the time to look at. I have to say I haven't exactly been the most avid art devotee but I was amazed at all the art the Yale Art Gallery had on display. There were pieces by well-known artists such as Van Gogh, Manet, Monet, Picasso, and Andy Warhol.

Claude Monet's the Artists Garden at Giverney



It wasn't a painting from any of these artists that caught my eye it was one from the artist Jean-Leon Gerome. I am very interested in history so I was drawn to the European Art section and this is why "Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant" is the piece I chose. All of the art in this section seem to tell a story of the past. The more I looked at this art the more I felt I took from the paintings.



Jean-Leon Gerome is a French painter and sculptor and a student of Paul Delaroche. He inherited his highly finished academic style almost directly from Delaroche. His best-known works are his oriental scenes, the fruit of several visits to Egypt. They won Gerome great popularity and he had considerable influence as an upholder of academic tradition and enemy of progressive trends in art; he opposed, for example, the acceptance by the state of the Caillebotte bequest of Impressionist pictures.

My first impression when I look at this painting is that it is very detailed. The detail in the arches at the top of the coliseum and on the stone podium where Caesar sits first caught my eye. Next, I noticed the fallen gladiators that are being dragged off of the coliseum floor. It is hard to tell whether the Gladiator's are done fighting or have not yet begun. The name of the painting translates to "Hail Caesar! We Who Are About to Die Salute You". In my opinion, I would say that they are getting ready for battle as they in no way look wounded from battle. It seems as if they are giving Caesars one final salute. Another aspect can be that these Gladiators could have just fought a battle in a coliseum and they can be seeking Caesar's decision to live or die.

Well, it's off to the Wadsworth Athenum next!