Saturday, July 1, 2017

Like Father, Like Daughters

Where: National Gallery of Art, West Building, Ground Floor

When: through July 16, 2017

Ian Woodner was an art collector, especially fond of drawings.  He began collecting in the 1940s, and did not limit himself to any particular historical period.  His daughters, Dian and Andrea, joined in his passion, and gave a substantial portion of his collection to the National Gallery in 1990, after Ian's death.  In addition, they have promised more pieces to the NGA, some of which are on display in this show.

It covers a wide span of time, from the 1300s through to the present.  I was very happy to see some Durers among the offerings; I love the precision of his works.  A piece entitled "Initial Q with a Procession of Children" by Zanobi Strossi caught my eye - painted in 1430, but vividly colorful.

Leonardo da Vinci was among those present, with "Grotesque Head of an Old Woman," pretty far away from the Mona Lisa - more like something out of Dr. Seuss. Hendrick Avercamp's "Winter Games on the Frozen River Ijsse" I saw in the small exhibit of art from the "little ice age" period.  I very much like seeing things again - makes me feel full of artistic knowledge to recognize something.

Louis-Leopold Boilly's "The Public in the Salon of the Louvre, Viewing the Painting of the 'Sacre'" was a piece I liked, as it depicts people in a museum, a subject of which I never tire.  In the final room, we had modern pieces, including two I recognized by Louise Bourgeois.

Verdict: Although I'm not a big fan of drawings as an art form, I do recommend this show.  Nicely arranged (chronological order - my favorite kind) and a fine tribute to one family's generosity.

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