This blog post was written by Emily Whaley (IAC 2014-15) about a trip the International Arts & Culture Cohort took to the National Gallery of Art to see an exhibition featuring work by Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas. The two impressionists maintained a close friendship over the course of their careers and found inspiration in one another’s work. The post includes an original work of art by Tara Kosowski (IAC 2014-15) which was inspired by this trip to the NGA.
The excursion to the National Gallery of Art woke my inner fan-girl over the still-unbelievable fact that (during class time) we need only take a short walk to arrive at the world’s most famous and beautiful works of art.
Let me begin specifically on the Degas-Cassatt exhibit by mentioning my eternal partiality for all things Degas, aka I was very, very, very, very, very excited for this field trip. I appreciate that this exhibit wasn’t geared towards his most famous works because I’m worried people don’t realize he had more to offer than beautiful ballerinas. It was a magnificent idea to pair Degas and Cassatt, as opposed to the usual single-artist showing or large group with a loose, single commonality. The dynamic duo’s collaboration and mutual inspiration was tangible but not overbearing. Striking such a fine balance is no easy feat, and seeing the collaboration’s portrayal in person gave me a newfound appreciation for curation.
The gallery space was perfectly refined and appropriate for the occasion, and I applaud the extra mile taken to paint directly on the walls for the titles/information blurbs. From reading these blurbs I learned a lot about what different paints and mediums look like in person (cancelled copperplate, who knew?) which was especially fascinating for a fine arts appreciator with no fine arts background. To me it’s brilliant that the museum is essentially reborn with each new exhibit what with a fresh paint job and new (but in fact very old) wall décor. Another fascination came from the frame choices, with certain ones just as beautiful as the art they were showcasing. I tried to research exactly how museums choose frames/permit ones from private collections to remain, but the internet did not have much to offer.