Excellent Eastern Adventure - Smithsonian

In the afternoon, I spent a couple of hours at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum, which I had never been to before. There was a nice selection of paintings both historical and modern.


The portraits covered the whole of American history -


-from Colonial times up through the present. There was a whole wing devoted to portraits of all of the American Presidents.


There were the obligatory landscapes of American countrysides...


My favorite section was the 19th century art. The majority of which I had never seen before.


My favorite set of paintings were by an artist that I've run across a number of times lately - Abbott Handerson Thayer. His figures were lovely - and somewhat melancholy. The series of angelic figures were sadly painted after the death of his apparently beloved wife. They were stunning in person.

Excellent Eastern Adventure - sculpture

There was a nice selection of sculpture - not exactly Italian, but some lovely pieces non-the-less...




(the 'heroic-Roman-leader' busts of various American presidents cracked me up. This is Andrew Jackson - in hero mode.)

Excellent Eastern Adventure - Folk Art

The folk art section (the home of the 'flying dog') had a very eclectic collection.

I have a thing about primitive skulls. 'Great head collection!


I especially liked the depiction of animals. Stone hare here...


This is something that we'd see out my way - folk-salmon adorn everything here from the malls, to the libraries and airport.


Rustic pig sculpture - all obviously constructed - except for the teeth -

Quite the jaw-bone in this critter!

Excellent Eastern Adventure - Misc. Art

A smattering of 'other interesting stuff'...


A thing I'm sure you never knew you always wanted to see! The Pre-amble to the Constitution - in license plates!


Cherubic carvings...


Vibrant Tiffany windows - which I had never seen in person before. The thing I found the most interesting was how *dimensional* they were - not smooth glass at all!


Kitsch art....


And 'nothin' says *American Art* like a cowhide and animal horn chair!