National Treasures

I am once again safely in residence in Ohio having braved the mean streets of our nation’s capital. I had a grand time. I walked around the capital, enjoyed the museums, went to a football game, hung out with friends, and generally enjoyed myself. I will get back to posting reviews, etc. here shortly

One thing that struck me in DC was how disconnected I had become from art. I am not a big fan of the Columbus Museum of Art and so rarely frequent the museum here. When we lived in the DC area, however, we loved to visit the National Gallery of Art and would take the Metro into DC to do so practically every weekend. So this weekend I made a point of stopping in and taking one of the self audio tours. It was a great experience. I was in awe of the art. It had been so long since I had been in a museum it was like an assault on my senses (in a good way). It was relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

I spent considerable time studying and listening to interesting commentary about some of my favorite artists and periods: Dutch Landscapes and Seascapes of the 1600s; Constable and Turner — British Landscapes of the Early 1800s; and Whistler, Sargent, and Tanner — Americans Abroad in the Late 1800s. Soon hours had slipped by and I had to rush to meet my friends as planned.

To give you just a glimpse of the beauty of these works here are two favorites I enjoyed:

Lake Lucerne
(Albert Bierstadt, 1858)

lakelucerne.jpg

The Fall of Phaeton
(Sir Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1605)
Phaeton.jpg

So if you live in a city with a great museum, or are visiting one, make a point of spending some time with art. You will be glad you did.

Kevin Holtsberry
I work in communications and public affairs. I try to squeeze in as much reading as I can while still spending time with my wife and two kids (and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Michigan Wolverines during football season).

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