Art in Chicago

The first time I visited the Art Institute of Chicago, I was probably about 14 years old.  I remember seeing one painting, and one painting only: American Gothic by Grant Wood.  There had been a commercial circulating with voice-overs and moving mouths as the man and woman quarreled with each other.  I was tickled that it was a real painting and that I was actually standing in front of it.

In preparation for my arrival in Chicago, Libby asked me what I would like to do.  I told her that I love museums and would like to revisit the art museum, and as she had yet to visit it herself, she agreed.  I was pleased, so say the least.

When I am in an art museum, I fight a constant urge to photograph every painting that I like.  That adds up to be a lot of paintings though, and I worry that I am seen as obnoxious to other patrons.  I read a blog  post by a world traveller who complained about people like me: that we clog up precious space in front of the paintings; that we take pictures of paintings, but don't actually take the time to look; that we suck much needed financial contributions to the museum because we take pictures instead of buying prints or books of the artwork instead.  I'll spare you all of my arguments against what she said (I have something to say to each of them, and also don't feel like any of her complaints apply to me), but I certainly felt self conscious, her words floating through my mind, as I sauntered from painting to painting, waiting for the perfect second to discreetly snap photo after photo.  And boy, did I take a lot of them because this museum has such a stunning collection of artwork.

Libby was only able to visit the museum for about an hour before she got called in to work - the life of an on-call flight attendant! - but I stayed for an additional two, soaking up everything I could.  Here are a few of the best of the best of the best.

 "...at the Door of a Byzantine Monument" by Alberto Pasini

 "The Millinery Shop" by Edgar Degas

 "Tightrope Walker" by Jean-Louis Forain

 "Place des Batignolles, Paris" by Albert Andre

 There is no such thing as too much Impressionism.

 "Paris Street; Rainy Day" by Gustave Caillebotte

 "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat

 "Terrace and Observation Deck at the Moulin de Blute-Fin, Montmartre" by van Gogh

 "The Beach of Les Grande Sables at Le Pouldu" by Paul Serusier

 "A Peasant Woman Digging in Front of Her Cottage" by Van Gogh

"At the Moulin Rouge" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

 "Annette Roussel with a  Broken Chair" by Edouard Vuillard

 "Easter Mystery" by Maurice Denis

 "Pardon in Brittany" by Gaston La Touche

 "The Place du Havre, Paris" by Camille Pissarro

 "Interior of the Oude Kerk, Delft" by Emanuel de Witte

"Champs de Mars: The Red Tower" by Robert Delaunay

 "Longeuil, Normandie" by Lyonel Feininger

 "Interior at Nice" by Henri Matisse

 "Solitaire" by Balthus

 "Cotton Pickers" by Thomas Hart Benton

 "Tattoo and Haircut" by Reginald Marsh

 detail of "Opal Sea" by Maurice Prendergast

 "Love of Winter" by George Wesley Bellows