The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is one of my favorite places. After moving to Boston back in the late 80’s, I visited the museum (almost) every Saturday for two years. You see, it was free on Saturday mornings, and it was a great way to start off the weekend. It didn’t hurt that I was broke (and a cheap skate).
I did eventually became a member, and if I do say so, became an expert on the ins and outs of the place. But, after moving to Phoenix ten years ago, and with the recent addition of the beautiful American Wing, I hardly know the place. I am happy to know that my favorite works are still there, looking better than ever.
I thought it would be a fun challenge to narrow down the five works of art that I absolutely cannot miss at the MFA. So, here is the list I gathered from my visit last week. Apologies for the heavy-handed painting-bias, but these are true loves of mine. Here are five works of art that I’d recommend you check out on your next visit.
- Before I moved to Boston, I did know much about John Singleton Copley, and have since realized that many non-New Englanders do not either. Embarrassingly, I was not even a big fan of Colonial American work in a city full of early American history. And, that was my bad.Copley has become one of my favorite painters, and Watson and the Shark is one painting that I cannot get enough of. It is my number one must see. It’s got everything; it is based on an actual event, it’s got gore and horror, it is thrilling and romanticized, and while it is one of three produced, it is still special. It would surprise me if you did not become a fan of John Singleton Copley after seeing this work. But, if you need convincing about his talent, check out of his portraits including; A Boy with a Flying Squirrel (Henry Pelham), or his portrait of Paul Revere. These portraits, while careful and studied, are humanized, and are relatable to the viewer. They are not merely historical, but interesting, and real.
- If you are a John Singer Sargent fan, Boston is the place to be. His brilliant works are everywhere! They are found at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and The Clark, and the Triumph of Religion mural at the Boston Public Library is spectacular. Bostonians are privileged to have the paintings, Helen Sears, the Nude Study of Thomas E. McKeller, and Fishing for Oysters at Cancale at the MFA. In addition, the museum has an incredible selection of works that they commissionedback in the 1920’s.But, my must-see work is The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit. It seems to be everyone’s favorite, and with good reason. It is a wonderfully beautiful portrait with a modern composition, and continues to enchant. It is a beauty! That is why I chose this work as my second choice.
- When you think of The Boston Fine Arts Museum, most people think Impressionism. And, why not? They have an amazing collection. Obviously, everyone loves Claude Monet’s Water Lilies. And, Boston Common at Twilight, an American work, is a painting that every Bostonian can love, as the Common looks the same as it did 100 years ago. But, I have to tell you that the Dance at Bougival by Renoir is so joyful, I cannot resist it’s charms. It is sensual, sexual, colorful, and energetic. It is what Impressionism was all about.
- I am going to cheat here. Winslow Homer’s watercolors at the MFA are a wonderful reason to visit, so it is very hard to choose just one. Every time I go there, I have to see at least one, or my trip is not complete.
- And lastly, the Asian collection is one of the best in the world, and one can spend hours just viewing the pieces gathered here. I can look all day at Clover by the Japanese artist, Tateishi Harumi, or the amazing ceramics from the Edward Sylvester Morse Collection. Indian manuscript painting has been a major inspiration for my painting for a long time, so I love getting lost in these little pieces While I was there last week, the small, but illuminating exhibit, Seeking Shambhala was showing one of my favorite little paintings. I am a bit obsessed with the colors and subject matter of Praudha Adhira Nayika (The Mature Heroine Without Self-Control). I have been looking at it for over twenty years, and it is still perfect.
From top:
All work from Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Watson and the Shark, John Singleton Copley, 1778
The Sponge Diver, Winslow Homer, 1898–99
Praudha Adhira Nayika (The Mature Heroine Without Self-Control), Devidasa of Nurpur, 1694 or 1695
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