Wednesday, May 20, 2015

National Gallery of Art

Last week I was in the other Washington (Washington D.C., that is) for Georgetown's Commencement.  Besides commencement and scheduled White House and Capitol Hill tours, I had time to revisit a few of the fantastic National Museums.  Always a favorite for me is a stop at the National Gallery of Art.  A few pieces always draw my attention and the Dutch Master's collection is not to be missed.

Below are a few of my favorites:
David's Napoleon
Young Napoleon
Driving Snow
Shaw Memorial
Lorenzo de Medici
Andreis Stilte as a Standard Bearer
Verspronck
Haarlem Civic Guard
Hals
Rembrandt Self Portrait
Battle Scene
Amsterdam Harbor Scene
   

20 comments:

  1. David's paintings are amongst my favourites also. They have a photographic detail to them.

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    1. I agree! I am drawn to this one on every visit.

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    2. Now I'm inspired to visit the museum. Just to see David's Napoleon.

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    3. Hello Jim and welcome!

      David's Napoleon is an impressive sight, for sure. Easily worth a visit and entrance is FREE!

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  2. Amazing collection. The Medici bust conveys a lot of feeling.

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    1. The entire Italian Renaissance collection is quite good.

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  3. Fantastic. I love that portrait of Napoleon at the height of his power and prestige in the uniform of the Old Guard. Then compare it with the one in 1814 slumped in a chair at Fontainebleau, still wearing his riding coat and boots, carrying all the woes of the world, with the end in sight.

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    1. Jonathan, you are spot on! The contrast between this painting and the Fountainebleau painting really conveys a telling picture.

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  4. Masterful paintings - that Amsterdam harbor scene makes me want to throw myself at my Langton 1:200 Anglo Dutch stuff again!

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    1. Soren, please do throw yourself into the Anglo-Dutch Langton project. I assembled only one of the Langton ships and that is where our conceived, group project was scuttled.

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    2. The ratlines and rigging is what deters me, but man they look great once finished! Perhaps we should put this up as a co-motivating challenge for next year?

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    3. Co-motivation is a good thought but the fellow that originally lobbied for the aborted project moved away years ago.

      Besides, I have some Minden SYW Prussians to still try to get onto the painting desk in 2015 for your co-motivation!

      With your modelling skills, I would enjoy seeing your Langton results.

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    4. No, paint those Mindens next! :)

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    5. Jim, I do need to get those lovely models into my painting queue!

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  5. Love the napoleon painting full of energy.

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    1. Full of confidence too. The Great Man did not know what lay ahead.

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  6. This are indeed some lovely paintings.

    Christopher

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    1. Yes, they are but only a small subset of the works that caught my eye.

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  7. Many great items, Jon. Most of us are familiar with David's "official" works, but it occurred to me that I knew little else of the man or his art. The wikipedia article

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques-Louis_David

    which I found thoroughly fascinating. Included in the gallery at the end is his painting of General Gerard, Corps commander during the 100 days, completed in 1816.

    This kind of broadening curiosity and exploration is one of the things I love about our hobby!

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    1. That was an interesting bio of David. I was unaware of his deep political bent but am hardly surprised due to the times. It is tough to keep one's head when those around are losing theirs! From the article it sounds as if David had a close brush with the National Razor himself.

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