The Met

I finally made it to the Met. I went with my friend Debbie and we had a great time. It was truly an experience to remember. The museum opened February 20, 1872 and is almost a quarter mile long and more than two million square feet. It is one of the largest art galleries in the world and houses more than two million works of art in its permanent collection. People from all over the world visit the Met. The permanent collection includes the Classical period, Egypt, Europe, America, African, Asian, Oceanic, Byzantine, and Islamic art. There are also musical instruments, costumes and accessories, weapons, and armor. You can't possibly see everything in one day as I found out. It was very difficult to choose a piece of art to write about this time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art

I took a lot of pictures and finally I decided on the late Baroque period. The painting I chose is called The Holy Family with Angels by Sebastiano Ricci painted. The medium used was oil on canvas.

Sebastiano Ricci was an Italian painter during the Baroque period. He studied in Venice and later traveled and worked in Vienna, London, and Paris. It is said that his style of painting was influenced by Paolo Verenese, an Italian Renaissance painter. Ricci was known for his religious and historic paintings. Ricci was later influenced by Rococo, a style characterized by free graceful movement with delicate colors. Love and romance scenes were painted instead of historic or religious scenes. http://wwar.com/masters/r/ricci-sebastiano.html

As Ricci’s reputation for his artistic ability grew, the knowledge of his imprisonments, and love affairs grew too. He attempted to poison Maddalena van der Meer when he learned that she was pregnant. He was freed from jail by a nobleman and forced to marry Maddalena. http://wwar.com/masters/r/ricci-sebastiano.html As you probably guessed it didn't work out.
1700.
I was drawn to this painting by the intense emotion it created in me. I have seen other paintings with the same subjects, but I was fascinated by the display of colors. The light shines through and is reflected on the angel shoulder. The royal blue robe that the Virgin Mary is wearing is so vivid in contrast to the translucent appearance of their skin. The chubby baby Jesus is sleeping contently while the angels watch him so intently. Mary's and Jesus's rosey cheeks look so natural. When I looked at this painting, I didn't notice Joseph in the back. Joseph appears to be writing in a book behind Mary and Jesus. There is a definite emphasis on Mary holding Jesus. The brush strokes are so smooth and deliberate in this painting.