The Art Institute

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

On our recent trip to Chicago, we dedicated an entire day to the Art Institute.  It was gargantuan!  We did our best to see as much as possible, but I know we missed entire galleries of assorted antiquities.  I left feeling exhausted and overwhelmed… but in the best way possible.  It was definitely a case of sensory overload for this particular art historian.  While I had done some research on the Institute’s collections before visiting, there were still quite a few surprises.

I was prepared to see two very important Van Goghs, “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper, an assortment of Monets and the epic masterpiece by Seurat – all of which were total rockstars and did not disappoint.  However, their collections are so epic in scope that one must visit every room and gallery so as not to miss a hidden gem.

I was very surprised by the excellent collection of Miros and Brancusis.  I did not expect to see a piece by Suzanne Duchamp in the collection, but it was wonderful.  I was taken aback by pieces by Berthe Morisot (“Woman at Her Toilette”) and Mary Cassatt (“The Child’s Bath”), both of which I use in my lecture on women Impressionists.

Seeing artwork that you have researched and studied and have presented to others in an educational setting in real life is such a unique and powerful experience.  There’s nothing quite like it in the world.

Leave a comment

The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.