I am reading a book by Susan Vreeland called Luncheon of the Boating Party. It is a fiction interlaced with facts about how Renoir's famous painting came to be. As I read more and more of the book, the desire to visit the painting got stronger and stronger.
I found out that the painting is in a museum at Washington DC - just couldn't believe my luck. It resides at a private collection called The Phillips Collection. I had never even heard of it. It is in Dupont Circle neighborhood of DC, where my brother used to live before he moved to Australia.
Last Tuesday the schools were closed to observe Rosh Hashannah. Monday night I came home overly stressed from work. So, I decided to take the next day off and asked my brother if he would like to go to the art museum.
So, the four of us - me, my brother and my two daughters - went to The Phillips Collection. What a great find it turned out to be. I found my painting on the second floor and cannot begin to explain how I felt to be in the vicinity of that painting.
There were many other great pieces there - Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas and many more.
They also had a Jacob Lawrence migration series on display. It was very emotional and powerful display. I absolutely loved all sixty of the panels.
We stopped at Johnny Rockets for lunch and I had a nice, dripping with butter, grilled cheese sandwich.
We stopped by at the Washington National Cathedral to just take some pictures - didn't really have time to go in. It is an architectural beauty.
I had a really great time that day. I felt so lucky to have visited the painting. It feels so good to be around great art. It is almost like I could feel the energy of the great painters from decades ago.
When we got home I asked my daughters what was the highlight of the day - they both chimed in simultaneously -" Johnny Rockets..."
I found out that the painting is in a museum at Washington DC - just couldn't believe my luck. It resides at a private collection called The Phillips Collection. I had never even heard of it. It is in Dupont Circle neighborhood of DC, where my brother used to live before he moved to Australia.
Last Tuesday the schools were closed to observe Rosh Hashannah. Monday night I came home overly stressed from work. So, I decided to take the next day off and asked my brother if he would like to go to the art museum.
So, the four of us - me, my brother and my two daughters - went to The Phillips Collection. What a great find it turned out to be. I found my painting on the second floor and cannot begin to explain how I felt to be in the vicinity of that painting.
There were many other great pieces there - Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas and many more.
They also had a Jacob Lawrence migration series on display. It was very emotional and powerful display. I absolutely loved all sixty of the panels.
We stopped at Johnny Rockets for lunch and I had a nice, dripping with butter, grilled cheese sandwich.
We stopped by at the Washington National Cathedral to just take some pictures - didn't really have time to go in. It is an architectural beauty.
I had a really great time that day. I felt so lucky to have visited the painting. It feels so good to be around great art. It is almost like I could feel the energy of the great painters from decades ago.
When we got home I asked my daughters what was the highlight of the day - they both chimed in simultaneously -" Johnny Rockets..."
Comments
..and du pont circle.. i am always getting it all wrong there.