Spring at the MFA and the Gardner
Saturday, March 30th, 2013The second-half of Spring semester is always the busiest most exciting time of the year for me at work, and this year, it’s also a very exciting time to be an art-lover in Boston. Here’s why:
At the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum:
- Anders Zorn: A European Artist Seduces America
To put it simply, this exhibit has very, very beautiful paintings. Mrs. Gardner recognized and supported the talents of painters like Anders Zorn, and this intimate exhibit celebrates both their friendship and the gorgeous works of this little-known but enormously skilled painter. I’ve seen this exhibit several times, and it gets better every time. The exhibit is free with museum admission, and it’s open until May 13, which is really soon! Now is a great time to go see this exhibit because …
- The nasturtiums are up!
Every year, the Gardner Museum’s talented gardeners grow long vines of nasturtiums and hang these bright orange beauties in Mrs. Gardner’s gorgeous courtyard. Why? Because Mrs. Gardner did it, and it’s a wonderful tradition that the museum keeps up. It’s not Spring in Boston without the nasturtiums or the return of the Red Sox. These delicate vines will hopefully hang in the courtyard until the annual celebration of Mrs. Gardner’s birthday on April 14th.
Check out my photoblog entry on Isabella’s Nasturtiums
At the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Postcard Age
This exhibit has been up for a while, and I finally got the chance to see it today. It’s only open until April 14th, so if you haven’t seen it yet, get your butt over there. First of all, the way the exhibit is displayed is really wonderful. They have a lot of postcards displayed on both sides of temporary walls throughout the one-room exhibit, and yet the room still feels very open and spacious. What could have been a very overwhelming exhibit of lots of little images is instead a very pleasant visit to the world of the early 1900s. The postcards themselves are really gorgeous examples of illustrations and graphic arts. They just don’t do things now like they did in the old days …
Check out my photoblog entry with some photos from the exhibit
- The Triumph of the Winter Queen
The MFA has a zillion fascinating paintings, and they chose this one (on anonymous loan) for an entire exhibit focused on this one piece. While most paintings just have that little card next to them with some information, this painting has an entire room full of detailed analysis, including a royal family tree and a magnificent video discussing the painting. I love that they did this because it gives you the chance to really dig in deep on the significance of this one painting, and perhaps it makes you wonder more about the story behind any other painting. This one is up until July 21st, so you have time, but don’t miss it!
Our household is wicked excited about these two exhibits opening very soon at the MFA:
- Samurai!: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection
Maybe not exactly my thing, but Brian is very excited about this, and I heard from someone who saw a similar exhibit at the Met and she said it’s gorgeous. Opens April 14th
- Michelangelo: Sacred and Profane, Master Drawings from the Casa Buonarroti
Some say that Michelangelo is overrated, but I think he is completely deserving of his reputation as one of the most talented and truly inspiring artists that ever lived. Most of his works are stuck to the walls in the Vatican or are part of chapels in Florence, so it is extremely rare to see works by Michelangelo in the United States. Do not miss the chance to see this exhibit. Opens April 21st
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Tags: MFA
