Page 110 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

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Exploring the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

In addition to the major collections noted below, the European Paintings,
Museum of Fine Arts has important holdings in the arts Decorative Arts
of Africa, Oceania, and the ancient Americas. The museum and Sculpture
also houses collections of works on paper, contemporary This collection of European
art, and musical instruments. Several galleries are devoted paintings and sculpture ranges
to temporary thematic exhibitions. Other features of from the 7th to the late 20th
the museum include a seminar room, lecture hall, and century. It show cases numerous
well-stocked bookstore. There are regular talks, artist masterpieces by English, Dutch,
demonstrations, and events at the museum; check French, Italian, and Spanish
artists, including various
the website for the latest information.
portraits by the 17th­century
Dutch painter Rembrandt. The
collection of works from 1550
to 1700 is impressive both for
the quality of art and for its
size, which includes Francisco
de Zurbarán, El Greco, Paolo
Veronese, Titian, and Peter
Paul Rubens.
Boston’s 19th­century
collectors enriched the MFA
with wonderful French painting:
the museum features several
paintings by Jean­François
Millet (the MFA has, in fact, the
largest collection of his work in
the world) as well as by other
well­known 19th­century
Boston Harbor by the Luminist painter Fitz Henry Lane (1804–65) French artists, such as Edouard
Manet, Pierre­Auguste Renoir,
by other late 19th­century and Edgar Degas. Among this
Art of the America’s artists who constituted the collection are the hugely
Collection “Boston School.” Other notable popular and infamous Waterlilies
The MFA’s Art of the Americas highlights include seascapes (1905) by Claude Monet and
wing features work from the by Winslow Homer and the Dance at Bougival (1883) by
birth of the United States muscular figure portraiture of Renoir. The MFA’s Monet
through to the third quarter Thomas Eakins. The MFA also holdings are among the world’s
of the 20th century. The exhibits works by 20th­century largest, and there is also a good
collection includes master­ masters such as Stuart Davis, collection of paintings by the
pieces of both ancient and Jackson Pollock, Georgia Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh.
contemporary Native American O’Keeffe, and Arthur Dove. Early 20th­century European
art. Designed by the English The museum’s holdings art is also exhibited.
architect Norman Foster, of American silver are
the wing showcases approxi­ superb. In addition to
mately 5,000 works produced works by John Coney,
in North, Central, and there are two cases
South America. containing tea
The Colonial period in U.S. services and other
art is well represented, with pieces by Paul Revere
more than 60 portraits by (see p75). The MFA
John Singleton Copley, also traces the
perhaps America’s most development of the
talented 18th­century painter, Boston style of
as well as works by Charles 18th­century furniture
Wilson Peale. Other works through a definitive
on display are 19th­century collection of desks,
landscapes, including harbor high chests, and tall
scenes by Fitz Henry Lane, an clocks. Its famed
early Luminist painter; lush period rooms display
society portraits by John decorative arts in a La Berceuse by the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh
Singer Sargent; and paintings historical context. (1853–90)

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