Wednesday Wonder

 Enjoyed an exhibit at the Meadows Museum on the SMU campus in Dallas.  It's a lovely museum that emphasizes Spanish artists.  The current exhibit is Fortuny - Friends and Followers

Mariano Fortuny y Marsal (1838 - 1874) was popular in the proto-Impressionist style. He had a large following and hung with other artists in Europe and the United States. This exhibit features his work as well pieces from William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, James Tissot, and more. The painting were excellent, and it's worth pondering what more Fortuny could have done if he hadn't died from malaria at age 36.

All of these were influenced in the style of Fortuny who said, "I can paint for myself, to my taste, and whatever blessed thing I choose. "   1874

Meadows Museum - Fifty Years

Treasures from the House of Alba: 500 Years of Art and Collecting was a landmark exhibition.  More than 140 artworks were shown - paintings, tapestries, and sculptures. These normally reside in palaces in Madrid, Seville, and Salamanca.  Titian, Goya, Rubens, Rembrandt. It's a who's who of art including from 1426, Fra Angelico's The Virgin of the Pomegranate - this piece glowed.

The current Duke of Alba (the 19th) actually came to SMU to open the show. The collection never traveled before. This is quite the coup for the Meadows Museum. As of 5 pm Sunday, January 3rd, the exhibit closedand headed back to Spain.

Kudos to director Mark Roglan for his hard work in coordinating such a splendid show. The Meadows Museum is a classy gem, and should be valued in the Dallas art world. 

Spanish Influence

The Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University offers a delightful atmosphere for learning more about Spanish art. It was a lovely Saturday and we strolled the grounds first, enjoying band music wafting in from the nearby stadium, clear blue skies, and solemn brick buildings harboring culture and scholarship

A hint of fall and a really cool face sculpture best admired from a distance

Pristine grounds and powerful bronze artwork

This was a quiet piece worthy of contemplation

Inside we were treated to pieces from the Meadows vast collection as well as works on loan from the Prado in Spain. Religious art is not necessarily my favorite - too many flayings, banishments, and anguish - but I can appreciate the stories these pieces tell of the times and beliefs. One of the great masters, El Greco, is featured and Pentecost is striking. Vivid colors, figures in motion, emotions aswirl - he captured divine holiness.

Visit the Meadows for more artistic stories, feel the power, and surrender in awe.