Summer Friday at the Morgan

My plans got changed for last week's Summer Friday - since it was so hot, I thought about just going home and sitting in my air conditioning, but then I thought about how much my electric bill is, and about how I live in NYC and should always take advantage of fun culture around here.  I'd been to the Morgan Library & Museum before, but there's an exhibit there currently that I wanted to catch before it closes and it was a quick commute there from my office, so...voila.  A fun few hours at the Morgan.  I took a lot of photos, some of which I'll include at the end.  I went a little crazy with one of my photo apps, but I think some of those shots are really pretty.

The exhibit I especially wanted to catch was "Rembrandt's First Masterpiece."  I do love Rembrandt - his use of light and muted colors appeals to me greatly.  Hearing that this piece hadn't be exhibited in America before only increased my interest.  When I got to the museum, the gal at the front desk told me a guided tour of that exhibit would be starting in five minutes, if I was interested.  Yay! I love a guided tour!  Our tour guide, Richard, was excellent.  He told us about Rembrandt's life and career before this painting and how the painting was discovered.  He showed us interesting aspects of the painting itself, along with walking us through some of the exploratory drawings Rembrandt did and explaining process and media to us as well.  It was thoroughly enjoyable - I think he got carried away because we were a small, but lively, group who asked a lot of questions.  At one point, after nearly an hour, he looked at his watch and said, "Wow!  I'm way behind!"  I learned a lot from a very charming guide.  After the tour was over, I stayed in the exhibit room to look even more closely at the painting, "Judas Returning the Thirty Pieces of Silver," and at the other drawings.  There are some exquisite things in that room.

When I finally finished there, I walked across the hall to another exhibit, "City of the Soul: Rome and the Romantics."  You don't have to invite me twice to an exhibit about Rome. The exhibit 'examines the evolving image of Rome in art and literature with a display of books, manuscripts, prints, photographs, and drawings' (as described on their website).  I was tickled to see a painting of Rome by J.M.W. Turner, especially after seeing his whaling paintings last week at the Met.  But other works were lovely as well, and I ended up buying one of the postcards in the gift shop.  I hope all this Italy surrounding me is part of the good karma that will get me there in the fall...

After the Rome exhibit, I went to the back of the museum, to Pierpont Morgan's original library, along with an amazing rotunda and his study.  I tell you, seeing such wealth is overwhelming.  I mean, I'd love to have an amazing library like that, but I'd be afraid to have some of those priceless pieces of art just hanging around!  I did get a thrill out of seeing a Gutenberg Bible, and a first folio of Shakespeare's work, and a letter from Frederick Douglass on discrimination (heartbreaking in today's world to see how far we HAVEN'T come), a piece of music handwritten by Chopin, and a Dada text.  There was so much to see, it was crazy!  I'm fortunate to have been there on a day when the museum wasn't too busy - I thought on such a hot day, it would be packed in there, but happily it wasn't.

There were a couple of exhibits I missed, since I was starting to get a little tired, so I think I might have to go back.  Maybe next time my mom is here, she loved seeing the pictures I was texting her.  I made a couple of purchases in the lovely gift shop and home I went. Another lovely Summer Friday in the books!  On this week's Summer Friday schedule: Restaurant Week lunch #1!  I can't wait!  :)

well, THIS is going on my Christmas list!