Boston
 

Ah, Jeff,

I have been waiting til your return and subsequent tales of your excursion into Boston and the Rembrandt exhibit, particularly.

It sounds great and makes me look forward to our trip to Chicago, which is host to the Rembrandt exhibit, next. Tickets go on sale Jan 5th; with your advice I will be sure to order them as soon as I can.

Maybe some day I will get to Boston, I just spent an evening, Wednesday, at the bookstore reading abour Sargent and his paintings in the city of Boston. All this talk here about the painting of the four Boit sisters, what was your impression seeing it in person? Theories abounding, I wonder what my emotional reaction would be upon seeing it. I read one "take" which said it was a rendering of the growing stages of childhood which I found much less romantic than the speculations of an awareness by Sargent of the future precariousness of these sisters in later life, never marrying, mental institutions, etc.

Take care of yourself Jeff, get over that bug!

Pat Joyce

PS Sorry, Jeff, I meant for this to be a reply to your post, not a new thread. Blame my weak mindedness on the tryptophan from yesterday's Turkey - tryptophan hangover??

I hate to admit it, Pat, but I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about things like that. I mostly stood there in awe, and tried to figure out how the picture was painted. I often ask myself "how'd he do that" instead of "why'd he do that". If the artist didn't write down his thoughts on his creative process, no one knows what he was thinking, and it's all just speculation.

I got inspired Sunday and went to the Cleveland Art Museum (the Browns didn't play till 4 and they are TERRIBLE this year anyways!). I was curious to see if we had any Sargents or Bouguereau. It turns out we have one of each. The Sargent was a Mrs. ________. She is leaning against a table, and of course in full formal evening attire. What I found interesting is that Sargent elongated her, which I finally realized after studying it, that it would be what you would do to make her look like she is leaning back. The portrait was not seen for 100 years because it was in the bedroom of the patron.

The Bouguereau was titled "Rest" and, it turns out has been one of my lifetime favorites in our museum since my childhood. I sat for a very long time in front of it and was just in awe. I will see if I can find it on line and post here.

Bouguereau
 

Rest