Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Art Institute of Chicago


On a recent visit to Chicago, Illinois, I decided to spend a cool rainy day at the Art Institute of Chicago.  The web site states: "The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 as both a museum and school, first stood on the southwest corner of State and Monroe Streets. It opened on its present site at Michigan Avenue and Adams Street in 1893. Built on rubble from the 1871 Chicago fire, the museum housed a collection of plaster casts and had a visionary purpose: to acquire and exhibit art of all kinds and to conduct programs of education. The collection now encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world, and the school's graduate program is continually ranked as one of the best in the country. Within the next decade, a new complex will continue this process of growth."

( All photos in this post will enlarge if double clicked on)


I was thrilled to find a room full of works from one of my favorite painters, Vincent van Gogh. Above is his 1887 self portrait



Other van Gogh works on display were from top left to right :
Fishing in Spring, the Pont de Clichy (Asnières)
, 1887, Terrace and Observation Deck at the Moulin de Blute-Fin, Montmartre, early 1887, Madame Roulin Rocking the Cradle (La Berceuse), 1889,The Drinkers, 1890
Middle left: The Poet's Garden, 1888
Bottom left: A Peasant Woman Digging in Front of Her Cottage, c. 1885
Middle and bottom right: The Bedroom, 1889



There were many wonderful paintings by the American artist Georgia O'Keeffe



Works by the American artist Edward Hopper including this painting: Nighthawks, 1942


Works by Mary Cassatt. Above are The Child's Bath, 1893, on the left and On a Balcony, 1878/79, on the right.





Many magnificent works by Claude Monet


Including one of my personal favorites by Monet:  The Artist's House at Argenteuil, 1873




Two Sisters (On the Terrace), 1881 by Pierre Auguste Renoir



I'll leave you with this iconic portrait by an Iowa native, Grant Wood, called American Gothic, 1930
Who is you favorite artisit?  I took many, many, more photographs of the collections at The Art Institute, but I will have to save the rest for another post in the future. 



One extra little trivia tidbit:  Across Michigan Ave and Adams Street, directly across from the Art Institute of Chicago, is a marker for the beginning of the historic and legendary Route 66, which travels a total of 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California.

I'm linking to the  weekly "Mosaic Monday" event on Mary's blog Little Red House. Please go over to Mary's blog to see Mary's beautiful photo mosaic and the links of all the blogs participating today!


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35 comments:

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

hi Pat...i wished i was with you, my friend...i KNOW we would have FUN together...and then we could get lunch
:-)

happy to stop by today...i always enjoy my visit with you...

sending love from california
kary
xo

Maria M. Boyer said...

Oh, Pat, I LOVE the Art Institute! I have a funny story from our visit. My brother-in-law was wandering through and decided to rest for a bit. No kidding, the security guard walks up and says, "Sir, please don't sit on the art." He says something like, "The art? What? Laminate on wood?" And sure enough, it was something close. We still laugh about that, all these years later. I'm surprised you could take photos. LOVE the Seurat (one of my faves, thanks to Steven Sondheim), and we have a print of VG's The Bedroom in our (yup) bedroom. My DH is a real VG fan. Thank you for sharing (as always) all these great pics. This is definitely a must-see when in Chicago!! Hugs!

Snap said...

I love the Art Institute ... one of my favorite places and I have to say that I think the Seurat at the Institute is my favorite. A photo just doesn't do it justice and the size!!!!!!! But, then there isn't anything at the Institute I haven't liked! I'm usually hanging out in the Asian galleries! :D :D :D Love the Monets.....

Claudia said...

We vowed we would go there if it rained - and it didn't. I want to see the Seurat the most (the musical comedy in me who loves Sunday in the Park with George. But am also a huge Monet and Renoir fan - and always visit Water Lilies when in NYC. So was fun to see their amazements - and I didn't know Nighthawk was there - wonderful!

Ginny Hartzler said...

What a special post!!! Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists, so those are my favorites! I read his Letters To Theo, his brother. I also read where they now think he may have been schizophrenic.

Barbara F. said...

Pat, I so enjoyed this art museum! One of my favorite paintings is Two Sisters by Renoir. You had a wonderful visit to Chicago, the food, the tours, everything, just fabulous! xo,

Tanna said...

I did so love my visit to the Art Insitiute of Chicago! I hope to get to visit again one of these days!! Lovely mosaic, Pat! blessings ~ tanna

Michelle said...

I do miss this aspect of city life. Van Gogh is my favorite.

black eyed susans kitchen said...

What a thrill to see so many amazing paintings in one place...your Van Gogh mosaic is great. I never thought of doing a mosaic of paintings like that..clearly I will be playing with Picasa (not Picasso) this week...or maybe it will be Picasso in Picasa!

RetroCollage said...

We saw the Van Gogh self-portrait at the Norton Simon Museum in Florida this February, and a Hopper exhibit, with Nighthawks, at the Whitney in NYC this spring! These guys really get around!

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Pondside said...

Mary Cassatt is one of my favorites, and I`d love to have the opportunity to see an original piece of her work.

Splenderosa said...

I've walked all the way from the Ritz Carlton to the Art Institute in the freezing cold, driving snow...and it was well worth it. Walking is the only way to see Chicago isn't it? And, the Art Institute...amazing & a place all of us Americans should visit. Perfect pic of the grand lions.

Sarah said...

Pat, the Art Institute is full of wonderful treasures. Thanks for sharing. ~ Sarah

My name is Riet said...

That must have been a wonderful visit Pat. So many beautiful paintings. My favorites are van Gogh, Monet and Renoir. I love all heir colorful art. Thank you for sharing.

Francisca said...

What a treasure trove the Art Institute of Chicago is! I've been to art museums around the world, but not to the one in Chicago, although I've been in the city numerous times. The paintings must circulate, because I've seen a number of them at other sites. I can't say I have a favorite artist, but Gauguin has a raw passionate style that appeals to me, as does his Bali subject. I've also been on different sections of Route 66, but didn't remember that it started in Chicago. Would be fun to drive the entire route one day. Nice post!

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful tour and post. The pictures are all wonderful My favorite is Monet. I wish you a great week ahead.

Vee said...

I do not know who my favorite is...I could make a case for any of these artists depending upon the painting. Thank you for the guided tour and I learned something today. I always presumed that the painting "Two Sisters" (not ever knowing the name) was of a mother and child.

Lynn said...

Just one more amazing stop in what looked like a great visit:@)

Gracie said...

I have many favourites, but I guess Dalì, Pollock, Warhol, Van Gogh and Klimt are my top list ones...

Carol said...

No favorite, I really enjoy them all, all so different. I love that Nighthawk though. What a fantastic place, fantastic collection.

Tracy said...

So many great works in one place...*sigh*... While sometimes these giant museums can be overwhelming, mostly due to depth & breadth of all presented, it is so often the best way to see all the greats. This was spectacular, Pat! :o) Happy Week ((HUGS))

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

I could spend some serious time here!! Thanks for the mini tour...
Have a beautiful week!!!

Lisa@GrandmasBriefs said...

Breathtaking tour, even just this virtual one you shared. My gave artist is Caravaggio, especially The Conversion of St. Paul.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Fabulous! I would love to go there.

Judy said...

You saw some beautiful paintings, Pat. But if I could take one home with me...I'd take a Monet!

Sue said...

Pat, I just love Georgia O'Keefe! Of course, the fact that we both called New Mexico "home" doesn't mean a thing! LOL Her work just speaks volumes to me. :-) Sue

Kristen said...

I could spend days in a museum like that. Unfortunately, my family rushes through museums like they are at a race track.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I love to spend time at an art museum! You've reminded me that it's time to go again! Beautiful art...and thanks for listing what they are! ♥

Theresa Milstein said...

I've never been to Chicago. If I ever do, I want to go to that museum. They have some of my famous pieces.

Yvette said...

What a wonderful trip, Pat. I would love this museum, no doubt. I've only ever been in Chicago for about ten minutes in between planes. Too bad.

I'm crazy about that Renoir - TWO SISTERS. Just gorgeous.

And I just adore that Van Gogh self-portrait. It's always been one of my very favorite paintings.

Hopper too is one of my faves.

Can't wait to see the rest of your photos.

Thanks for another gorgeous post.

La Petite Gallery said...

I would have loved a day like that. I went to the Art Inst. in Fort Lauderdale. Many years ago. That is my kind of a rainy day.
yvonne

Houseelf said...

The Art Institute looks like a great place to visit. I'm glad you were allowed to take photos. So many places don't allow it these days.

Proud Italian Cook said...

It's sad, I haven't been there in years, you make me want to go, maybe I'll take my granddaughter over summer vacation.

genie said...

This awesome collection of great art from the Chicago museum tells me one big thing...you and I were be VERY happy together in an art museum. YOu r favorite artists are mine...so interesting. It is always fun to find someone who thinks the way you do. Beautiful pictures of beautiful pictures. Genie

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Don't know how I missed this post, but I just planned a three day trip to Chicago and decided to check out your Chicago posts. This is the first place I want to visit.