Mouse of Fine Arts

One of the things I traditionally do when I'm visiting Boston is go to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. My trip in July was no exception. They actually seemed to have fewer Impressionist paintings from their usual enormous collection, but they still had many impressive ones. I would imagine that whenever there is a traveling exhibition of a single artist, such as Monet, that puts somewhat of a dent in the set of ones that are permanently on display around the world. One of the most spectacular and most memorable paintings is an enormous portrait of Monet's wife in a kimono. It's very detailed and yet unmistakably in Monet's style.

They also had a special exhibition of work by Edward Hopper. Hopper's Nighthawks has been parodied countless times, so it was wild seeing the original in person. I was actually very impressed with the rest of his repertoire. His experience as a professional illustrator shined throughout his career. He was an artist who knew how to paint light and volume. His series of lighthouses looked like the true cylindrical objects that they were, almost popping out of their canvases. It was nice to see paintings that had such a range of tonal value. I would highly recommend that anyone in the Boston area go see the exhibition, which runs through August 19th.

Following lunch in the downstairs cafeteria, I was also thoroughly entertained by a mouse in the museum's open atrium. The museum is about to undergo major renovations and expansion. One fellow patron was concerned that this atrium would be eliminated by a new wing, but it looked from the plans as if this lovely sitting and eating area will be spared.