Springbreak 2012: A Day Spent at the CIA

So many museums to see in Chicago and so little time, so we divided and conquered! Well, actually, I informed my family that I would be at the Chicago Institute of Art for most of the day and when they were done at the Field Museum, they could come find me. Half way through, even went across the street to a cafe to rest up and sketch the lions at the entrance, before going back in for another round...
Once inside, I had to focus, still too much to see in in one day, so took the grand staircase up to the second floor...

Where walking into the first gallery, I was instantly "awe" struck with....

Paris Street; Rainy Day, 1877

Gustave Caillebotte
French, 1848-1894

The surrounding walls filled with wonderful painting...

including many Renoirs....

Including this one, his 5 year old son actually the model. Apparently Renoir was so taken with the boy's red locks of hair, he refused to cut them and used his son as a girl model often, until the school the boy was attending insisted his hair should be cut....

Walking through the Renoirs into another gallery are Monet's Haystacks...

several of them, are on one wall and his water lilies are on another. My second trip to this particular gallery that day, I dragged daughter #2 and told her how Monet would set up half a dozen canvas and move down the line as the light is changing, she didn't seem very impressed.

Past the Monet's there were other galleries full of Degas...

I told daughter #2, that Degas really didn't like women that much and liked to paint  them from unappealing angles with not very attractive under lightening, or voyeuristically as if he was spying on them through a keyhole. Don't think that knowledge impressed her either.

I showed her Van Gogh's bedroom...

telling her that it took many years to develop the style he is known for today, for several years painting much more traditionally, as did his friend and nemesis- Paul Gauguin who also painting the pheasants of France...

Before the inhabitants of Tahiti....

And then there was the Toulouse La Trec gallery- so fun...

All the galleries were  so filled with paintings I had seen before in Art History books, famous drawing and prints had to pour out into the halls between the galleries, in front of me two little prints by Durer! (note the date, these things are 700 years old and doesn't he have the coolest signature!I love Durer!!A great illustrator of story ..

Okay, did I mention I love art! More to come later, this was just the second floor and not even all of it- just European Art! Still got the artwork closer to home tomorrow!