Cimbrone

These paintings are extraordinary. If you love the color and sensuality of 19th and early 20th century French art, do not miss this exhibit. Think Mattise. Think Vuillard. Oh my God, they're gorgeous. And, sadly, the catalog photos are a pale shadow of the greatness that is the canvases themselves.

mclaurie

Thanks for the heads up. I forgot it was closing.

Centralparkgirl

I forgot too and I will be out of town this w/end. How much time do you need for this exhibit alone?

Cimbrone

You can actually see them all in 1/2 hour. An hour if you linger. It's not a huge exhibit.

Cimbrone

Make a bee-line to the back of the museum, staying just to the left of the big staircase and heading through that medieval room where they put the tree and creche at Christmas.

Centralparkgirl

Thanks so much Cimbrone. I will try to get there tomorrow or Wed. I can do an hour.

Centralparkgirl

I also haven't seen 'Raphael to Renoir' which is closing soon - not enough hours in the day!

Cimbrone

I think you'll be glad you went. Let me know...

I stood before some of them and wanted to weep.

Cimbrone

I was referring to the Bonnards above. I did see Raphael to Renoir...also worthwhile. I actually prefer some of the drawings in their permanent collection.

Centralparkgirl

>

WOW! I will let you know.

I stood before some NYer cartoons at the Pierpont Morgan yesterday and laughed my head off.

jroth

Noting that you can see the Bonnard show in 1/2 an hour would not be doing justice to Bonnard and what he is all about. You need to pause in front of each painting and spend some time with it. There is much in his images that require some meditation and visual study. There is a lot of mystery that he evokes with his use of color - especially whites. Take your time.

Cimbrone

Undoubtedly, jroth. However, centralparkgirl seemed short on time. Better to get to see them, even if not properly, than not to see them at all.

Centralparkgirl

I just needed a ballpark (whether one hour or three). I didn't think that that you could look and weep and be out in 30 minutes. I'm going today when they open and glad I saw this posting. This happens to me all the time - I think I have ages to see an exhibit and before you know it, it's done.

Centralparkgirl

Reporting back - they were gorgeous, just as you said cimbrone. Thanks again for this post. I did the audio tour and some of it was good. Do you know the story behind the painting of the blonde woman and Marthe who's in the corner?

Cimbrone

The blonde woman was his mistress and model, Renee something, who killed herself when, after promising to marry her, Bonnard changed his mind about it. The dark haired woman is his wife, Marthe, who convinced Bonnard to stay with him. He started the painting after Renee's death and came back to it after Marthe died many years later. Both women hadn't been in the picture together until after they were both dead (understandably). Notice that the dead mistress has the more prominent place in the painting.

Centralparkgirl

Did you do the narration on the audio guide? lol - similar explanation! Yes, the mistress is glowing and there's light behind her.

Cimbrone

Oh. I thought you were asking for the story. Sorry. I actually didn't even listen to the audio tour. Glad to see my googling proved accurate