Yesterday was Don’s one day off, so we went to Lou Mitchell’s again for breakfast (I had French Toast this time) and then walked to the Art Institute.
The day started out sunny but quickly turned gray. (Today is sunny…fingers crossed!)
I hadn’t been to the Art Institute for many years. The very first time I went there was for the King Tut exhibition and that’s a long, long time ago. Don had never been there. Not surprisingly, he fell in love with it. There’s so much to see and far too much to cover in one visit, so we’ll be going back again. Yesterday, we concentrated on the Impressionists and some of the sculpture and the Thorne Rooms, but I had to go through those rather quickly, so more on another day.
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of the Grand Jatte by Georges Seurat.
This is one of my favorite paintings. It is painted in the pointillist style – all of the paint strokes are dots. It’s truly incredible. That’s Don, contemplating this magnificent creation. He kept going back to it.
So many artists represented: Monet, Manet, Gaugin, Seurat, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Cézanne, Morisot. This time I was struck by the works of Renoir. Perhaps because I love color so much, his paintings really moved me. Instead of the more muted tones of many impressionist paintings, his works used vivid colors. I couldn’t take my eyes off them.
We also visited the famous Thorne Rooms, composed of miniature scenes of different periods of design. They are incredible. I’d seen them in the past, but that was before I grew to love miniatures later in life. This time, I was stunned by their detail. But Don was getting tired (we’d done a lot of walking and he is constantly on the move in rehearsals and performances) so we decided that we’d return another day. We need to see the Chagall windows and American Gothic and Edward Hopper and Picasso and a whole lot more.
One of the Thorne Miniature Rooms. If you’re curious, Google “Thorne Miniatures” and you’ll find out the history of these incredible creations.
One of my favorites: a miniature Pullman car.
We stopped by the gift shop, where we bought some T-shirts (because you know we love our T-shirts) and a few other things, among them, a book on the Thorne Miniatures.
Then we came back to the apartment, ordered Thai food, and took it easy for the rest of the night.
Taken on our walk to the museum.
And I thought you’d like to see a picture of the proud uncle and his adorable nephew, taken by another adorable nephew.
If that doesn’t warm the cockles of your heart, nothing will!
Today: a more low-key day. Don has rehearsal this afternoon. I’m feeling stuffed up. I’ll probably walk to Whole Foods to buy a few more essentials. By the way, there is an opening night, it’s tomorrow. So, since Don gets a free ticket, I’m going. This will be my third opening for this musical, Don’s fourth. Will Jimmy be there? Who knows?
Happy Tuesday.
The George Seurat painting is also a favorite of mine! I love it. I need to get to that museum. Next time you are in Hartford, I’d encourage you to visit the New Britain Museum of American Art. It is lovely.
Thank you Karen!
When we were in Chicago, I did not get to The Art Institute but my daughter visited there. She bought me a book about the Thorne Miniature Rooms.. When we go back, I will definitely be going there. Love the Pullman car also.
Probably the same book I have. It’s really lovely.
I went to college in northern Indiana and first visited the Art Institute with my Art History class. Later, many visits to my husband’s Chicagoland family included many visits to the Art Institute.
It’s one of the best!
I like the snap of the Pullman, especially since I saw Murder on the Orient Express yesterday….two versions, the new movie in the afternoon and the David Suchet Poirot in the evening, just to compare. I would visit Chicago just to see the Art Institute.
There’s also an earlier movie from the 70s or 80s. I remember really liking it and the theme music for it is memorable. I can still call it up in my memory today.
Yes, that one starred Albert Finney as Poirot, but the main reason I watch it is Lauren Bacall….what a screen presence! In the new movie, Michelle Pfeiffer is an eye-opener for me. I feel she’s been an under-rated actress. She puts in a stellar performance within a cast of great actors.
I got to meet Lauren Bacall a few years ago and talk with her. I’ll never forget it. I’ve always like Michelle Pfeiffer.
I do love the Art Institute. Just seeing the lions makes me smile. My daughter attended an evening wedding there a few years ago and she said it was magnificent. Can’t even imagine that!
Glad you are having such a good visit. So much to see and do. Hope you feel better and that you enjoy Opening Night. If there is a flu epidemic at some point, you will probably be able to step in!! Have a good Tuesday!
I could step in – but not for the dancers!
The Art Institute of Chicago is on my must see list! It looks like you and Don are having a wonderful time. Enjoy!
We are, Carolyn Marie!
I am having a low key day myself….too much going on ALL the time and so today is a down day–other than cleaning the bedroom/bathroom because I can’t stand it….lol….
Would you believe that was the last time I was there, too….to see King Tut’s exhibit. It was breathtaking but we had so little time that I didn’t get to see hardly any of the rest of the museum. I think I need to make a trip back there one of these days.
I hope you have a wonderful day. xo Diana
No, that exhibit was so huge and important that we didn’t see anything else that day either!
beautiful photo of the river. know you treasure the photos of your loves together and (more importantly) the time with them most of all. :)
hope you and don both feel better. glad you are otherwise having a great time!
kathy in iowa
It’s the dryness in the air and the weather change, I think. Don and the rest of the cast just need some time off. I hope they are able to stop rehearsing for a while after Wednesday night’s opening.
Love those lions! Every picture we have of them has us shivering alongside them, faces full of happy anticipation of the delights in store. That place has my heart for sure—I remember the first time I visited the Louvre, I thought, “Yeah, nice…..but no AIC..” And that Pullman car has always seemed so impossibly whimsical to me.
The picture of Don and Little Z is just heart-melting. So much happy love.
Enjoy all of the lovely corners of that lovely old city, and enjoy one another.
Peace,
Leslie P.
It’s lovely to simply have TIME here. I’m usually here for 2 or 3 days while I’m working on something. So I am limited as to what I can see and do.
Yes…the last time I was there was for King Tut too….that was a long time ago. Glad you too enjoyed your day yesterday. I just got done running errands, and now I feel like I could use a nap. Hope you are feeling better! ;)
A LONG time ago! I’m just stuffy and I’m sneezing a lot. The air is really dry.
The Art Institute will be on my list of must see places when I make that trip to Chicago! The Art in Paris was amazing and has made me want more and more. I love the photo of Don and Little Z! So sweet. I hope you feel better and stay warm. How lovely to get to keep going to the ‘opening’ nights! The Broadway opening night will be super special I bet! Hugs!
The Broadway opening, and I’ve been to a few now, will be lots and lots of fun!
That photo of Don and Little Z is precious. Glad you and Don had a nice and relaxing day together.
Marilyn
They look so cute together!
I love visiting museums of most any kind Claudia…they are a wonderful trip into other places and times…And you saw the King Tut exhibition!…Oh how I envy you!…I understand Don’s fascination with the Seurat…How did the man do it?…how many dots are there?…Great picture of him and little Z…I can see that they are crazy for each other!…
They are! Don adores him and the feeling is clearly mutual.
You and Don are the cutest couple. And little z makes my heart smile. How handsome
He’s adorable, that’s for sure!
Since we live just half an our north of Milwaukee, we try to visit the Chicago Art Institute often. Love, love the miniature rooms. Just enchanting! Your great shot of the Seurat painting reminded me of the year I spent being the “Art Lady” at my sons’ elementary school eons ago. My favorite unit/project was the one I did with the kids on Seurat and pointillism. Your nephew and Don are super cute together.
Pointillism fascinates me. Such meticulous detail!
That photo of Don & little Z is terrific! Gee, he is just the CUTEST little guy, isn’t he? Of course, you have a pretty cute big guy there yourself as well. Have never seen it “first person” but “A Sunday Afternoon…” is one of my favorite paintings. Gee, you’re lucky to have had it right there in front of you. I remember that the Art Institute was one of the spots that first grader of mine [the one I mentioned a few comments back] was taken to years ago. We all got a postcard from the Institute’s gift shop from Jamie & mine was of that painting. I still have it [use it as a bookmark]. I predict “Thanksgiving in Chicago” will be very memorable for you. I’m seeing a huge long table somewhere with the whole Margaritaville cast, a little like Tom Hanks’ Christmas Eve table in “Cast Away” – or am I just too imaginative? Don won’t have a performance that day, will he? Hope not. Hey, I’m enjoying Chicago every bit as much as I did New Orleans – feel like I’m right there too. Peace.
#Resist
The cast is marching in the Thanksgiving Day Parade on that day, Janet. I don’t know whether they perform that night or not.
My Grandson Austin is Assistant Director of Data and Collections at the Art Institute. It is truly a magnificent place. But there is so much to see in Chicago. Enjoy that windy city!!
Congrats to your grandson, Cynthia! What a lovely place to work.
Hurrah, we are going to go to the parade so will see the cast I imajine.