Modern Art at the Met

I can't resist just one last post about my visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. When deciding which sections of the museum were on my "must see" list, Modern Art was near the top. While I do enjoy the art of the old masters (truly stunning), I would have to say that I'm more surrealist than realist. There's something about modern art that speaks to me, and in my opinion, that's the magic of art.

I spent many hours appreciating the works of artists such as Klee, Miro, O'Keefe and Warhol, among others, as well as my personal favourite, Jackson Pollock. These are some of the highlights of my tour through Modern Art at the Met:

Georges Braque
Candlestick and Playing Cards on a Table, 1910
Oil on Canvas

Joan Miro
Dutch Interior (III), 1928
Oil on Canvas

Balthus
Pierre Matisse, 1938
Oil on Canvas

Paul Klee
Untitled, 1914
Watercolour on Paper

Piet Mondrian
Composition, 1921
Oil on Canvas

Fernand Leger
Mechanical Elements, 1920
Oil on Canvas

Juan Gris
Still Life With a Guitar, 1913
Oil on Canvas

Joan Miro
Vines and Olive Trees, Tarragona, 1919
Oil on Canvas

Georgia O'Keefe
Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue, 1931
Oil on Canvas

Georgia O'Keefe
Pelvis II, 1944
Oil on Canvas

Andy Warhol
Self Portrait, 1986
Acrylic and Silkscreen on Canvas

Anselm Kiefer
Bohemia Lies by the Sea, 1996
Oil, Emulsion, Shellac, Charcoal and Powdered Paint on Burlap

Jackson Pollock
Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950
Enamel on Canvas

Jackson Pollock
Number 7, 1952
Enamel and Oil on Canvas

Jackson Pollock
Number 28, 1950
Enamel on Canvas

Willem de Kooning
Easter Monday, 1955-56
Oil and Newspaper Transfer on Canvas

Hans Hofmann
Veluti in Speculum, 1962
Oil on Canvas

Ellsworth Kelly
Spectrum V, 1969
Oil on Canvas

Roy Lichtenstein
Stretcher Frame with Cross Bars III, 1968
Oil and Magna on Canvas

Andy Warhol
Nine Jackies, 1964
Acrylic and Silkscreen on Canvas

Roy Lichtenstein
Stepping Out, 1978
Oil and Magna on Canvas

All photos by CherishToronto

Sculptural Wonders

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City houses one of the most extensive collections of Greek and Roman art in North America. Many of the marble statues are housed in the beautifully designed Mary & Michael Jaharis Gallery, where the barrel-vaulted ceilings bathe the sculptural wonders in natural light. Behind this hall, the Leon Levy & Shelby White Court features a central fountain and skylit ceiling, which invokes the feeling of entering an outdoor garden.

Mary & Michael Jaharis Gallery
Greek Art of the 6th, 5th & 4th Centuries B.C.

Head of a Herm
A square or rectangular pillar with the head of Hermes
(usually with a beard) adorning the top of the pillar.

Leon Levy & Shelby White Court
Hellenistic, Etruscan & Roman Art

Dionysos
The Greek god of wine.
Here he leans on a female figure.

Aphrodite
The Greek goddess of love, beauty & sexuality.

Hercules
Famous for his strength.

In a central section of the museum, with windows overlooking Central Park, the Carroll & Milton Petrie Court houses French and Italian sculptures, and was designed to resemble a classical French garden. This court incorporates the 1888 facade and carriage entrance to the museum.

Carroll & Milton Petrie
European Sculpture Court
17th to early 20th Century

Air

Fire

Earth

Water

All photos by CherishToronto

Beautiful!!
Bello!!
Magnifique!!

Architectural Period Rooms at the Met

One of the best things I did during my trip to New York City was visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The building is situated on the east side of Central Park and spans the length of four city blocks along 5th Avenue, from 80th to 84th Streets.

The elaborate Beaux-Arts facade of the Met:

Due to the museum's immense size, I knew I wouldn't be able to see everything in one day, so I opted to focus on the Greek and Roman collections, Egyptian Art, and Modern Art. However, while I was looking for the cafeteria, I was distracted by the elaborate period rooms displayed in European Decorative Arts.

These awe inspiring spaces literally made my jaw drop and took my breath away at the same time. As I wandered from one incredible room to the next, it occurred to me that interior design has been a part of culture for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Experts can estimate a room's age by identifying certain design qualities common to the period.

Though decor trends come and go, one thing always remains the same, and that is our desire to make a house our home. Some homeowners want a place to kick back and relax, some want a space to entertain, and some want a home that reflects their wealth and social stature.

Formal Reception Room circa 1768-1772
Hotel de Tesse, Paris, France

Hotel Room, circa 1775-1778
Hotel de Cabris, Grasse, France

Hotel Room, circa 1769-1771
Palais Paar, Vienna, Austria

Hotel Room, circa 1740

Hotel Varengeville, Paris, France

Lauzun Room, circa 1770
Hotel Lauzun, Paris, France

Dining Room from Landsdowne House
Berkeley Square, London, England
Circa 1765-1768

Dining Room from Kirtlington Park
Oxfordshire, England
Circa 1748

All photos by CherishToronto

Unfortunately these photos don't do justice to the elaborate beauty of these rooms (no flash allowed in the galleries). If you're interested in learning more on the subject, check out this book, Period Rooms in the Metropolitan Museum of Art: