Sharon Lorenzo Tours the art scene in Washington, D.C.
During a brief visit to the nation’s capital, I had the pleasure of visiting three museums which each exhibit some of the finest examples of art in our United States. The first stop was our National Gallery which embraces some of our greatest national treasures in both its east and west wings.
Two of my favorites are in the main galleries showing the best of our east and west coasts done by artists who loved to work in America. The first is by Albert Bierstadt, born in Prussia but educated in the United States, who painted a master work of Mount Corcoran in the California Sierra Nevada range in 1876-1877. He captured the range of the peaks and the quiet embrace of the mountains in brilliant oils which still shine today.
Albert Bierstadt, Mount Corcoran, Oil on canvas, Sierra Nevada Mountains, 1876.
In contrast, I love the image of Niagara Falls in all its splendor and rigorous glory by Frederic Edwin Church. Painted in 1857, he captured a favorite destination for newlyweds of that generation. He visited the falls five times and made numerous sketches of the natural wonder to prepare for the massive oil painting.
Frederic Edwin Church, Niagara Falls, 1857, oil on canvas.
The newest addition to the Washington museum community is the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Founded in 1981 and located in a Masonic Temple built in 1908, it has a collection of art created by women from all over the globe, from ancient to modern works.
One of my favorites is a work of Frida Kahlo which is a self-portrait from 1938 in which she is dressed in native fabrics at age 31, showing her pride in her native Mexico. The most recent sale of one of her works for $34 million dollars reflects how much the art world values her contributions.
Frida Kahlo, 1938, Self-Portrait, oil on canvas.
In partnership with Frida is a North American female, Elaine de Kooning, known for her abstract works in acrylic paint. This one called Bacchus, named for the ancient god of wine, was painted in 1978 when she was 60 years old, living in eastern Long Island. As with Frida, she was a woman with great artistic success in her lifetime.
Elaine de Kooning, Bacchus, acrylic on canvas, 1978.
My last stop was at the Phillips Collection, which Washington proudly calls one of the first museums of modern art in the USA. Founded in 1921 by Duncan Phillips and his wife, Marjorie, in their home at 1600 21st St. N.W., two additions have been added since then to accommodate the more than 3000 works assembled. Duncan inherited his wealth from the steel business profits of his family from Pennsylvania and at his death his wife, and then son each ran the museum.
Phillips Collection
Some of my favorites in this collection are the works of American artist, Mark Rothko, whom Duncan worked with to install three of his large works in a small space where a visitor can sit on the bench and quietly meditate as he or she absorbs the abstract works.
Mark Rothko room, created in 1961.
The most important work in the Phillips Collection is without doubt the work of Pierre Auguste Renoir, who at age 42 painted this work known as the Luncheon of the Boating Party in 1881. This work depicts a group of Parisiens gathered at a restaurant on the Seine River near the town of Chatou which still survives today and is called Restaurant Fournaise. The owner had two of his children included in the work next to the left porch fence. Renoir also included his future wife with her dog in the foreground, and Charles Ephrussi , a major art collector in the top hat, speaking to his assistant Jules Laforgue. The most recent Renoir painting sold at auction for $70 million dollars so this one no doubt would be worth that or much more!
Pierre Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, oil on canvas, 1881.
The Phillips Collection staff has begun a program with the University of Maryland which allows all their graduate students in art history to visit the museum regularly for research projects. Also all public schools in the District of Columbia have an annual visit for students in middle and upper school classes.
Phillips docent tour for high school students.
Washington, D. C. has a wealth of opportunities for the lucky visitor to enjoy. These are just three of the institutions awaiting guests this spring season.
6th Ave and Constitution Blvd.
Daily 10-5pm
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Avenue N.W.
Tues.- Sun.10-5 pm
1600 21st St. N.W.
Tues.- Sun. 10- 5pm
Sources consulted:
1.Websites of all three museums noted above.
- Susan Vreeland, Luncheon of the Boating Party, Penguin Books, 2008.
- Erika Passantino, The Eye of Duncan Phillips, Yale University Press, 1999.
- Chris and Kate Rothko, Mark Rothko, Rizzoli Publications, 2022.
- Great Women Painters, Phaidon Press, 2022.
