December 26th isn't a holiday in the US as it is in Canada or Britain, so while our daughter worked John and I visited the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
It's an impressive building both inside and out. Next to the first floor Shapiro Family Courtyard cafe (had a great lunch there, btw) is a 42-foot tall plant like glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly called "Lime Green Icicle Tower".
This is a close-up...
One of the current exhibits pays tribute to Mario Testino's photographs. I didn't recognize the name, but his haute couture images in Vogue magazine and his portraits of the Royal family were familiar. My favorite is this one of Princes Charles, William and Harry. In one of the videos that accompanied the exhibit Testino mentions how relaxed and happy they were together while he photographed them. It's evident in their smiles.
But there was so much more to see. Everything from tapestries and exquisite furniture...
...to contemporary paintings and sculptures.
Along with works by American masters such as Niagara Falls From Table Rock by Samuel Morse.
I particularly liked this painting of Paul Revere. It's intriguing for a number of reasons. One, it was painted by John Singleton Copley who has a square and subway station named after him in Boston (and I did not know that before I visited the museum). Plus, there's a definite cheekiness going on here. I have to wonder if having Revere hold a tea pot (in reference to the Boston Tea Party) could be an 18th-century version of giving someone the finger!
Another favorite of mine is this impressionist painting by Childe Hassam entitled Boston Common at Twilight. The park itself hasn't changed all that much in a century and is a focal point of downtown Boston.
Another treat was this painting by Lawren Harris entitled Lake Superior Hill XV.
What other pieces of work did I see at the Museum of Fine Arts? Here's a hint...
If you're ever in Boston, I highly recommend setting aside a day to tour the Museum of Fine Arts. It has something for everyone from the ancient world to Africa, Oceania and Europe. Minus, of course, the one piece of work above! :)
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