D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts

The museum was which opened in 1933 was previously called Springfield's Museum of Fine Arts. It is now named after Donald D'Amour who besides being a member of the Board of Trustees of the Springfield Museum is also CEO of Big Y http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/exhibitionist/2008/06/the_damour_muse.htm

The Currier & Ives collection is one of the largest collection in the World besides the collections in the Library of Congress and the Museum of the City of New York. The collection is so large so it cannot be dispayed in its entirety, but is displayed in parts so that visitors will naturally come back to see more. The prints represent American culture in the 19th century. It includes the Revolutionary and Civil wars, Barnum's Circus, firefighting, hunting, city life, western expansion and political portraits. Many of the scenes relate to New England and are very realistic. Currier & Ives, produced two to three new images every week for 64 years (1834-1895, and it is estimated that they have produced a total of 7,450 different images. They employed or used the work of many well-known artists like J.F. Butterworth, A.F. Tait, Thomas Nast, C.H. Moore, Eastman Johnson, and Frances (Fanny) Flora Bond Palmer. Lithographs were produced on special stones on which the drawing was done by hand. The stone took over a week to prepare for printing. Each print was pulled by hand and hand-painted by mostly immigrants from Germany with an art background. They were paid $6 per 100 prints colored. The small prints sold for twenty cents and the large prints sold at between $1 and $3. The firm closed in 1907 and the prints are considered valuable works of art.http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/4aa/4aa436.htm

On display now through January 18, 20o9 is "Behind the Scenes, the Artists that worked for Currier & Ives". Here is a print designed by Fanny Palmer, called "The Old Homestead".http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/8aa/8aa119.htm . I really like her tones of greens, blues, and pinks and the shadowing used. Fanny Palmer worked for Currier & Ives for 30 years. She did not sign her work, but it is believed that she created thousands of prints and pained directly on the stones for some of her paintings.
The lettering on the prints were created by artist, J. Schultz. They employed hundreds of craftsman who grinded stone, printed, hand-colered, sold and obtained images.

I want to also include Currier & Ives web page which is very imformative. It includes a section on Printmaking, There is supposed to be a Virtual Exhibit Tour, but the link wasn't working when I tried it. The picture at the top of the page is called, "Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, and the Chattanooga Railroad".
Many battles curing the Revolutionary and Civil Wars took place at Lookout Mountain. The mountain draws many tourists as you can see it would by its beauty. Many tourists in the past traveled south on the railroad to Chattanooga and then rented a buggy for the four-hour ride up to the top of the lookout. Later some railroads were built near Chattanooga including an incline an incline railway to get the tourists up the mountain faster. The focus of Currier & Ives was on the beautiful landscape. You can see the train in the valley. The colors blend so well well in this print and seem so evenly distributed. Here are some other prints that I enjoyed from the permanent collection. It was definitely worth the trip. I was surprised that Salvador Dali also created lithographs. This is called, "Landscape Fruit and Flowers". These prints that I have displayed feel so warm.






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KJ's Trip to Yale Center for British Art

I found myself drawn to several paintings, one of which was the work of John Linnell, a well-known English landscape painter. He was born into an artist family. Linnell's father was a carver and gilder. He met John Varley (the distinguished landscape painter who became his teacher. After a year he became a student of the Royal Academy School at the age of 13. He was a very diverse artist and engraver painting with oils and watercolors. While at the Academy, he received a medal for drawing from life and for life modeling.
Although he made a good living as a portrait painter, he still had a passion for landscape painting which he decided to dedicate his time to in the late 1840s. Linnell was a deeply religious man who also painted Biglical landscapes in addition to his home in Surrey. He was a very successful painter and recognized and encouraged talent such as William Blake's work and 17 year old Samuel Palmer. He also supported the Pre-Raphaelites (Rossetti, Holman Hunt and Millais). The Pre-Raphaelites what they called the mechanistic approach to painting. They favored detail and intense color. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite_Brotherhood Linnell married Mary Ann Palmer (not related to Samuel Palmer) and they had nine children of which three of his sons also became artists. His oldest daughter, Hannah, married Samuel Palmer. The painting above is called "The Shephard Boy" http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/gallery/linnell/biography.htm
Here is one of Samuel Palmer's works:
The Shephard Boy painting depicts Linnell's attention to detail with a figure of a boy piping surrounded by a flock of sheep. When I first noticed this picture, it looked like an old man instead of a boy, but when you look at the facial features, you see it is a boy. The coloring is subtle and smoothly painted. It has a rustic look to it which is probably what drew me to it as well as my love for animals. When you look at the painting the brush strokes are not really that smooth, but when looking at it more from a distance it appears to be smooth. It is a very peaceful scene.

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.

Yale University Art Gallery

The Yale University Art Gallery was founded in 1832 when John Trumbull, donated over 100 paintings of the American Revolution to the college. http://www.artinthepicture.com/artists/John_Trumbull/bunker.jpeg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_University_Art_Gallery
The Gallery of Fine Arts, as it was known, was designed by well-known architect Egerton Swartwout, B.A. 1891, which opened on September 27, 1928. Swartwout designed the building in Gothic style, which is evident throughout the University. He was influenced by Florentine structures such as the Palace of the Bargello and the Davanzati Palace. There is symbolic meaning behind the architecture: the relief sculptures on the High Street bridge, for example, represent winged females symbolizing Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, and Drama. Inside in the Sculpture Hall, the carved shields bear the coats of arms of great patrons of art, among them the Medici, Louis XIV, Philip II of Spain, and Charles I of England. The structure is known as the Swartwout building which still contains portions of the Gallery’s collection.

The museum reopened in 1953 as Yale University Art Gallery and Design Center designed by architect, Louis Kahn. It was designed with geometric forms to create expansive spaces displaying light and shadow. It was Kahn’s first public commission and masterpiece. http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/855775.jpg It is constructed from brick, concrete, glass, and steel in contrast to the neo-Gothic style Yale campus and Swartwout building. The museum reopened in 1953 as Yale University Art Gallery and Design Center designed by architect, Louis Kahn. It was designed with geometric forms to create expansive spaces displaying light and shadow. It was Kahn’s first public commission and masterpiece. It is constructed from brick, concrete, glass, and steel in contrast to the neo-Gothic style Yale campus and Swartwout building.
The second floor of the renovated Art Gallery features a new permanent gallery devoted to African art featuring the Charles B. Benenson collection, ritual figures and masks from West and Central Africa. Over 500 objects in the Benenson collection were acquired in 2004. It is one of the most important African Art Exhibits in the U.S.
The third floor displays Early European Art and Modern and Contemporary Art. The fourth floor houses prints, drawings, photographs, and special exhibits.

The museum has grown to over 185,000 works of art including African Art, American Decorative Arts, American Paintings and Sculpture, Ancient Art, Art of the Ancient Americas, Asian Art, Coins and Medals, Early European Art, Modern and Contemporary Art and Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
http://www.artstor.org/what-is-artstor/w-html/col-yale-peabody.shtml

I was really captivated by the 19th Century, Impressionist Era. The art I have chosen was by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, called La Montagne Saint-Victoire, 1888-1889. I know my picture does not capture the true beauty of this painting. Before I go to some interesting details about it, I would like to tell you about the painter.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, born in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France on February 25, 1841 was a famous French impressionist painter. http://www.mystudios.com/art/impress/renoir/renoir-self-portrait.jpg
From in the early 1860s when Renoir started studying art under Charles Gleyre in Paris, to his last day when handicapped by rheumatoid arthritis and he was forced to paint by strapping a brush to his arm, and created sculptures by directing an assistant who worked the clay, Renoir's painting were always beautiful and optimistic. So was his view of life and his painful condition. The pain passes, but the beauty remains was Renoir's words.
http://www.renoir.org.yu/

In 1854 he began work as a painter in a porcelain factory in Paris, gaining experience with the light, fresh colors that were to distinguish his Impressionist work and also learning the importance of good craftsmanship. His predilection towards light-hearted themes was also influenced by the great Rococco masters, whose works he studied in the Louvre.
In 1862 he entered the studio of Gleyre and there formed a lasting friendship with
Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille. He painted with them in the Barbizon district and became a leading member of the group of Impressionists who met at the Café Guerbois. His relationship with Monet was particularly close at this time, and their paintings of the beauty spot called La Grenouillère done 1869 (an example by Renoir is in the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm) and are considered as the classic early Impressionist style.

By the mid-1880s, he applied a more disciplined, formal technique to portraits and figure paintings, particularly of women (e.g. , Bathers, 1884-87).
While visiting Italy in 1881-82 inspired him to seek a greater sense of solidarity in his work. The change in attitude is seen in The Umbrellas (NG, London) The two little girls on the right are painted with the feathery brush-strokes characteristic of his Impressionist manner, but the figures on the left are done in a crisper and drier style, with duller coloring. After a period of experimentation with what he called his `manière aigre' (harsh or sour manner) in the mid 1880s, he developed a softer and more supple kind of handling. At the same time he turned from contemporary themes to more timeless subjects, mostly nudes, but also pictures of young girls in unspecific settings. As his style became grander and simpler he also took up mythological subjects (The Judgement of Paris; Hiroshima Museum of Art; 1913-14), and the female type he preferred became more mature and ample.

In the 1890s Renoir began to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, and from 1903 he lived in the south of France. The rheumatism eventually crippled him, (by 1912 he was confined to a wheelchair), but he continued to paint until the end of his life, and in his last years he also took up sculpture, directing assistants (usually Richard Guino, a pupil of Maillol) to act as his hands. He showed great determination strapping a brush to his arm to paint. (Venus Victorious;Tate, London; 1914). He said, “The pain passes, but the beauty remains”.
Renoir is best-loved for his pretty children, flowers, beautiful landscapes, and perhaps above all the lovely women. He communicated the inspirational joy and optimism he took in.
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/renoir/
The Bathers, The Umbrellas, Luncheon of the Boating Party (his wife is in this one) and one of the most expensive paintings ever, Le Moulin de la Galette are among his well-known works of art. They are full of sparkling color and light. Renoir once said: “Why shouldn't art be pretty? There are enough unpleasant things in the world”.
http://www.renoir.org.yu/

The painting I have chosen was inspired by:

Montagne Sainte-Victoire, a limestone mountain ridge located in the south of France between Bouches-du-Rhône and Var was a source of inspiration for Pablo Picasso, Wassilyh Kandinsky, and Paul Cézanne, who could see it from his house.
The Croix de Provence is a notable feature of the mountain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagne_Sainte-Victoire http://www.web-provence.com/aix-rues/sainte-victoire/sainte-victoire-saint-marc.jpg


An interesting fact that I learned is that impressionists use colors for shadowing instead of the traditional black and white. Here are some good videos I found also:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/113789_understanding-art-pierre-auguste-renoir.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn8eSVABMc0

In comparison, here are some other impressionists pictures that I took at the museum:

The Artists Garden at Giveny by Claude Monet and
Vue de Saint-Ouen Vue de Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône (View of Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône)

New Britain Museum of American Art

The New Britain Museum of American Art was founded in 1903 and was the first museum recognized as dedicated to American Art. It overlooks Walnut Hill Park and was created by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The 43,000 sq. ft. Chase Building opened in 2006 and was designed by Ann Beha, an architect from Boston. The Chase Building displays approximately 5,000 collections dated from 1739 to present. It includes historic and contemporary works of art comprised of oil paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, photographs and illustrations. They have many programs including lectures, films, demonstrations, and studio classes. (New Britain Museum of American Art pamphlet)

The exhibit that really caught my eye was Lisa Hoke's "The Gravity of Color", pictured below:

Can you believe this is designed from plastic paper cups, paint, and hardware. I think is is truly amazing!!!

I have to say that this is my favorite painting in the whole museum:

This painting is called Mountain Laurel and was painted by Willard LeRoy Metcalf in Old Lyme, Connecticut along the Lietenant River. Incidentally it is the site of the flourishing artists colony.
Metcalf was an American Impressionist painter and well known for his New England lanscape paintings. This painting is so inspiring. I would love to be at this place at this time.

Here is another beautiful impressionist landscape created by Ernest Lawson in 1930. It is called "Spring Tapestry". He has also painted urban scenes in contrast. This painting just draws me in.

Now here is a very interesting painting called Boulders of Avila, painted by Peter Blume. I guess you would say that he was inspired by his trip to Avila Spain. The texture of the boulders is what really caught my eye. To get the unusual texture, Blume mixed marble dust with the paint. If you look very closely, there is a picnic on the right under the big boulder and a man sitting on the rocks sketching to the left.

One of the Special Exhibits on display was the Art of Judith Leiber displayed below:

The Cornucopia purse was designed with precious stones such as onyx, garnets, and amethysts. Next to the Cornucopia purse is the Chinese Foo Dragon. Lieber was always influenced by Chinese art. It is a Chinese tradition to create dragon figures. It means "many possibilities". On the other hand, foo means lions which are not native in China. Therefore it means dog. Lieber is therefore combining both American and Chinese culture. The Chinese Foo Dragon is very complex as you can see. It is made up of different color crystals.


To the right is a bronze statue designed by Danielle Langford called, "The Eve Series #5

This is a bronze statue called "Sioux Indian Buffalo Dance, created by Solon H. Burglum.

To end my visit I would like you to see another one of my favorite artist's work. Guess who?

Yes, you guessed right,Norman Rockwell. This is called, "Weighing In". It was on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post June 28, 1958.

Wadsworth Atheneum

The Wadsworth Atheneum was founded in 1842 by Daniel Wadsworth. It is the oldest museum in the United States. The collections include: Mediterranean antiques, Renaissance and Baroque paintings, Meissen porcelain, seventeenth century American furniture and decorative arts, costumes and textiles, African American art and artifacts, nineteenth-century American landscapes. European and American Impressionist paintings, modern masterpieces, and contemporary art. http://www.wadsworthatheneum.org/visit/vt-directions.php

Inside Entrance to Wadsworth Atheneum

This is the entrance of the Wadsworth taken from inside on the second floorp. There are exhibits on all three floors.