Cant forget the Met

atrium with sculptures & facade
of Bank of America building

Just back from a short trip to New York...oh my word!  LOVED the Metropolitan museum of art!  Spent the whole day there!!  

Went to see the 'Madame Cezanne' exhibition, so beautiful; an in depth examination of the watercolours, sketches and canvas's by Cezanne of his dear wife Hortense, throughout the years.  

Madamme Cezanne

I've just finished reading a book about the lives of the French impressionists, so it was very timely indeed visiting many works by them(the museum  has a vast collection.) Most of the works are way larger than 30 inches...funny..when I paint I always think 30 inches is a fairly big painting... but it's really not...perhaps I think this because my studio's not large.

pictures dont do justice,
this painting must be 16 feet tall

The American artists galleries at the Met were absolutely spectacular. OMG...just gobsmacked by the scale and command of the Sargeant works!  Seeing them online or in a book is nothing compared to the power of them in real life. The command of his brushwork evident in all. Such powerful balance.  That's what really struck me.  Painting delicate translucent looking skin, ethereal fabrics, freshly picked blooms, but balancing it all with commanding gesture, sweeping space, strong form. Such virtuosity.  I wonder what his personality was like...if he was a good time guy, or if he was a bit of a pill? It's fun to guess.  I get the feeling he might have been a rather exacting guy.