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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

New York

I visited New York City at the beginning of September. This trip had been in the works for nearly a year, after discovering that the John Singer Sargent exhibit in London would be coming to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I later learned that the Neue Galerie was to hold an exhibit on Gustav Klimt at the same time. Two of my favourite artists! The plan was to go with a couple of friends, but they had to cancel, so I went solo. With hotel reservations made, and bus tickets purchased, I set out for the Big Apple.

The bus ride, despite being a 12 hour trip, wasn't too bad, especially with a lovely young man named Emmett in the seat next to mine to chat with. Emmett was from Ireland, and was visiting NYC for a few days before moving to Brussels for school! [If you ever read this, I hope you had a good time]. The route took us from Toronto, across the border to Buffalo, then to Rochester, Syracuse, possibly through Pennsylvania, into New Jersey, and finally to New York. We arrived a little after 9 PM, where I hailed a cab (for the first time ever) and made it to the hotel. After surveying my new home for the next 3 nights, I went to bed, exhausted.

My first two mornings consisted of eating breakfast a place called Zabar's, which is like a convenience store/grocery store/cafe which takes up a city block on Broadway, and has these wonderful 1950's department store-sounding announcements on the PA. After breakfast, I walked a few blocks to Central Park, as the museums were directly on the other side. Central Park was nice: wide paths, lots of trees, beautiful ornate bridges. I had completely forgotten about it, and was happy to stumble upon, Cleopatra's Needle. I love obelisks.

Suddenly, obelisk!

On my second day (I'm doing them out of order, because I can), I went to the Neue Galerie to see the Klimt exhibit. The lineup to get in was literally around the block. A lot of people had seen the film The Woman in Gold...The painting, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, was brilliant of course. The exhibit itself was a bit pathetic, however; it consisted of 2 small rooms, one with 7 or 8 Klimt paintings, the other with photographs and some jewelry. The Cafe Sabarsky had a nice spring pea and mint soup, though.

On my first full day in the city, I went to the Met to see the John Singer Sargent exhibit. I started off in the Egyptian wing, but was feeling a little melancholy (seeing the statue of Hatshepsut as a female pharaoh helped a bit), so I decided to go straight to the Sargents. So many paintings by my absolute favourite artist! I don't think there has ever been so many of his works brought together in one place before. I was truly amazed at what they had on display, so many of the paintings I've only seen in books, and some I'd never seen at all before.

Violet Paget (Vernon Lee), 1881 [My best friend says I look like her; what do you think?]

Dr. Samuel Jean Pozzi at Home, 1881

The scandalous Madame X, 1884

The eerie Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth, 1889

Mrs. Hugh Hammersley, 1892-93 [In my Top 5, though I never remember this until I see it]

The man himself, Self Portrait 1906

The only thing thing that could have made this exhibit better would be the inclusion of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw, El Jaleo, The Daughters of Edward D. Boit, and Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose.

It was a very good trip, and a big accomplishment for me (even if I can't feel it right now).

1 comment:

  1. Lovely dahling! Well done - well done indeed! I never would've believed that you'd go on a trip like that by yourself. I really am incredibly proud of you! :) *Standing amidst a crowd of your admirers, I slowly begin to clap. Gradually the applause quickens and grows louder with the sounds of others cheering and joining in. Your admirers all look at me with expressions of annoyance as the clapping and cheering continues despite the fact that I remain the only person who is actually clapping or making any noise. Noticing their expressions, I become intimidated and abruptly cease my display of approval. The sounds persist however, intensifying in joy and enthusiasm. Everyone becomes worried, some fearfully looking up into the sky while others cling to their loved ones and cast fearful glances at one another.*

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