All the pretty things at the National Gallery of Art
Even though we lived in the DC area for years, I had never been to the National Gallery of Art. I'm a huge fan of Smithsonians since they are extremely well done and completely free :) One random day on our way down south, we stopped in DC and Matt worked in the local branch of his company's office, and I hopped on a train to the National Mall. My first stop of the US Botanic Garden for the morning and then spent the afternoon browsing beautiful art. Come see what I saw:
I started with a viewing of the 13th-18th century Italian, Spanish & French paintings and sculptures and was wowed by the beauty of centuries past. Next I moved onto the Danish, German, and Flemish art. Each wing was connected by the most stunning rotunda filled with an elegant fountain, natural light and live plants. A major highlight was seeing Leonardo da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci, completed in 1478.
As with any other art museum I visit, the wing I look forward to the most, is Impressionist painting, or in this case, the 18th and early 19th century French sculptures and paintings wing. While the art is the main attraction in this area, I couldn't help but be enamored with the gorgeous décor in this part of the museum. From the marble moulding to the damask wallpaper; from the purple paint to the dental moulding; from the dark wood floors to the picture moulding, every detail of the space was exquisite.
DC will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first city I lived in after college. While I did quite a few touristy things in the city over my years there, it's always fun to go back, visit my old friends, and explore all the places I missed the first time around!
Comments
Post a Comment