Morning coffee and the Met. . .



Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautneau) 1883-84 - John Singer Sargent

That would be the Metropolitan Museum of Art - www.metmuseum.org.  You know the saying about the best things in life are free. . .well, visiting museums online in our tech-advanced days is a complete joy.  Have you gone museum hopping to see what's out there?  

There I was this morning,  freshly brewed coffee in hand examining inch by inch - I'm talking up close and personal, the way you always try to do without breaking the rules - Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautneau) by Sargent.  To see the deep green/blues in her gown, (you thought it was black, right?) the subtle blues and hints of pink in her ivory skin, the hair ornament that is merely suspended at the top of her head.  The scrape of ivory white on the table edge for accent. . .the meticulously painted jewel straps!  Take away that little scrap of hair ornament and she becomes something else altogether.  Try it. . .pull it up full screen from their site and put your finger over it. . .then look at it.  Amazingly, sometimes that's all it takes - one note of color - one swipe of highlight. 

 Madame X (Virginie Avegno, 1859-1915) was a Louisiana gal. 

 Imagine starting off in Louisiana and ending up being painted by Sargent at the mere age of 24; she married a Parisian banker, hence the Gautneau name.  It's not all line, hue and half-tones here folks - there's a lot to be garnered.

A blog I follow, Underpaintings by artist Matthew Innis, www.underpaintings.blogspot.com alerted his audience to the re-opening of The New American Wing - Galleries for Painting, Sculpture and Decorative Arts.  The renovated expanded wing is certainly "all American" and looking at the various galleries is a treat.  Being able to pull up paintings on your screen and manipulate your mouse to cover every inch up close is dreamy.  It certainly puts you in the mood to paint, in addition to visually teaching you a thing or two...at least I like to believe that the immersion so generously provided has to have some value when you next approach the easel.

Consider the value of starting (or ending) a day with something beautiful, something memorable, with the ability to peruse and linger for as long as you like.  It's the next best thing to being there in person. . .and frankly, maybe better!  Did I just say that?  When the mood strikes I visit museums online to contemplate art and what has come before.  I soak it up until I'm filled with that peaceful feeling. . .that feeling that you are part of something larger.  It's peaceful and well, LARGE.  I know you know that feeling!

Of note, I particularly enjoyed The Repose (1895) by John White Alexander and Tea Leaves (1909) by William McGregor Paxton. 

More personally, I'm working on commissions at the moment.  I did put some final small touches on Jacob since I last posted and here is the final: