Rue de la Bavole, Honfleur
Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926
Oil on canvas, about 1864
Bequest of John T. Spaulding 1948, MFA #48.580
"Dating from the beginning of Monet's career, this view of a street in the old port of Honfleur is a relatively traditional subject painted with great simplicity and directness. Monet's palette here still retains the color black, used to render half tones and shadows. His later Impressionist paintings would do away with black in favor of blue, green, and purple." (From info card)

And I did! After the Impressionists, we went back in time. A scene by Turner of the unfortunate slaves on the Zong slave ship, whose starved bodies were dumped into the ocean stays with me, red luminous angry sky, choppy devouring ocean. We'd learned about this incident in the movie Belle. It was a turning point leading to gradually ending slavery in Britain.

What next stays with me is Rembrandt's luminous portrayal of Minerva. I'd seen this one prior in web-photos, but nothing can substitut for direct experience. Fortunately, there's a padded bench nearby where Julia and I sat a long time, appreciating this and other paintings by Rembrandt. A husband and wife, each in ruffs, each with their own painting, were to each side of Minerva. Rembrandt had some amazing tiny paintings, he and some other Dutch artist. An interior scene with a beloved pet dog, his fur so perfect, how did they manage such tiny perfection?

After the restoration of lunch (salmon with artichokes and leeks for both Julia and I, potato salad for me and chilled gazpacho soup for Julia), we headed for 'art of the Americas'.

I marveled at the intricate perfection of the arts and crafts movement.

Somehow the memory of a quatrefoil pitcher,(screen capture here if museum website is 'down'), first silver piece MFA ever acquired, is getting merged with the Art Nouveau perfection of Josef Hoffman, who was Austrian. A tiny blue and clear glass cup and saucer, created with the blue layer over the clear, and then the blue being carved away to reveal a 'plaid' design.

And the cabinetry! A cabinet that looked positively alive and undulating had vines travelling all around it.

I've gained new appreciation for Sargent. Amazing portraits of women, whose eternally youthful faces gaze out at the viewer in tranquil ease. And an artist I've never heard of, Tarbell! I remember a sunset scene of Boston Commons that enchanted me.

All the displays nicely combine paintings with furniture and vases, bowls, lamps of the era, to really give a sense of the aesthetics.

So much beauty!

Sometime after the American Impressionists but before the Copley and the 'painting Peales', we grew weary. There was maybe only a half an hour before the museum closed anyway. 'Home' to get another of the delicious damascus date shakes. and then to nap a bit.

After resting, we took advantage of a Mensan lecture, "Future Sex", by Dr. Helen Fisher. She has a new way of testing and catagorizing people:

I neatly figured out the mechanics of the attraction between Julia and I. Julia and I are both mentally adventurous Explorers. We take risks for mental adventure, do not spare cost for mental adventure. More books? Yes, if it will aid our research. Expensive trip to Boston? Yes, if we know we'll return with a wealth of mentally stimulating new ideas.

Physically, Julia and I are both Builders. We do not take risks physically. Paragliding, river rafting? No! But we cautiously choose the best nutrition we can. Kale? Yes! Now that I'm older, and know the importance of teeth and gum health to both heart and brain, yes to the every six month teeth cleaning.

Julia definitely comes up as the nurturing negotiator. She's frequently indecisive and looks to me for my decision. Fortunately, she's usually happy with what I select!.

We are both very happy with the experiences we've chosen this week!