We have visited countless museums of art over the years, but this one is so unique that I will never perceive art in a museum in quite the same way again. This description of the museum from their web site states the basics: "Hill-Stead is considered “perhaps the finest Colonial Revival house and museum in the United States” (National Historic Landmark Report) and houses some of the most important Impressionist paintings in the world, including works by Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, and James McNeill Whistler. " What makes those Impressionist paintings stand out so in this environment, compared to seeing similar works in most museums, is their placement throughout this fully furnished home as they were during the lifetime of the owners, Alfred and Ada Pope. Paintings are integrated in rooms in which furniture, carpets, drapes were selected to reflect and enhance the colors of these masterpieces. This method of display ensures that the viewer experiences the art in a an unusually personal and deeply felt way that differs vastly from how those same pieces might be perceived if hung in the stark presentation used by most traditional art museums. This collection came about because Alfred Pope was truly moved by each piece that he purchased, and treasured daily once he had acquired them. You really feel these masterpieces differently as a result.
Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside, so I have nothing of my own with which to illustrate the rich experience I've just described. You can see some of the works in a section of their website, and furniture and other artifacts on other pages of the site.
Still, the grounds are also amazingly beautiful, especially on such a lovely early autumn day as we had, and some of those photos are shared below. If you love art, especially Impressionists, and are in the area, this beautiful museum is a MUST!
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| Katie and Brian, taking a break on the back porch of the museum. |
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| I love these old stone walls...and in this case, the people standing in front of them! |
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| Did I mention I love the old stone walls? :) |
1 comment:
This looks like a great place to visit - and the people would be even more great to see! I would love to see those Impressionist paintings. You are right, seeing them in a home would be so much better.
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