Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: closing November 3, 2019

When one thinks of Whistler and the Freer, the first thing that comes to mind is the Peacock Room.  And rightly so; it's an amazing achievement, to make art out of a room.  And those peacocks - telling the story of Whistler's falling out with Leyland, under the watchful eye of The Princess from the Land of Porcelain.  If you can see all this when the shutters are open (the 3rd Thursday of each month, in the afternoon), do so - it's a great treat.

But, Whistler is more than the Peacock Room, and Charles Lang Freer was a great admirer of Whistler's, so we get to enjoy his many, many talents.  In fact, Freer amassed the world's largest collection of Whistler watercolors, some of which are on display in the Whistler in Watercolor exhibit on now.  These pieces never travel (due to the conditions of the deed of gift establishing the museum) and are very fragile, so they're rarely seen.  Happily, we have an opportunity to look at them for the next couple of weeks.

These watercolors came about when Whistler was seeking to reinvent himself as an artist.  He'd lost Leyland as a patron and was involved in a lawsuit with John Ruskin, so he needed to make some money. Off he went to Venice, in search of inspiration.  What he produced were many seascapes, composed of three parts: sky, sea and shore; bustling street scenes, and quiet domestic interiors.  He also began to paint nocturnes (the Sackler had a big show of these not too long ago, so they can travel across the street), those moody, atmospheric night paintings.  And we get to see the fruits of those labors in this show.

Verdict: If you like Whistler or watercolors or paintings of the night, this is a show for you.

No Pottery, No Problem

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: closing mid-April 2019

First, I'm happy to report that the weekly mindfulness meditation class has returned to the Freer.  It's held on Tuesdays, starting  at 12:15.  The teacher is great, and it's a wonderful way to take a moment of relaxation in the midst of a stressful day.

And after the class, you can work in a visit to the Freer's collection - another way to take a break.  This week, I saw "The Peacock Room Revealed," which is the Peacock Room without any pottery on the shelves.  The gallery has removed the pieces that were there (I confess, I can't recall what they were - maybe that collection of lots of different styles that I saw several years ago), and while the staff is preparing to install a collection of blue and white porcelain, the shelves are empty.

Rather than bemoaning the emptiness, the Freer is billing this as a way to see the room all the more clearly.  And they're right.  I walked away with a greater appreciation of the room itself, when I wasn't distracted by other works of art.

Verdict: Even if you've visited the Peacock Room before, take a few moments to visit again.  You'll be surprised at what you notice.

Japan's Take on the Buddha

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: closing November 12, 2018

Today's the last day to see this one-room exhibit on Buddhist art in Japan - it's a lovely (if cold) day here in the DMV, so what better way to spend it than by visiting the Freer?

 The historical Buddha was born in the 5th century BCE.  I don't want to boil Buddhism down to one statement, but what was emphasized in the exhibit was the idea that a middle path between excessive consumption and total austerity is what leads to enlightenment.  There's clearly a political analogy to be made here, but I'll leave that to someone else to broadcast.

Buddhism came to Japan in the sixth century, and Japanese religious art is what is on offer in this show.  The fearsome fellow pictured here is the Lord of Burning Desire, and the Freer has helpfully tagged him with a red plaque, indicating that he's one of the "best" items in the room.  The carving and the color of the lotus he's sitting on are first rate.

There's also a discussion of what's inside the statuary.  Many of the pieces are hollow, and sometimes, sacred texts were placed inside, like a sort of reliquary.  I was reminded of the National Gallery's Degas dancer exhibit, which showed she had paint brushes and other items inside.  Not that I'm comparing a paint brush to a sacred text!  Just that they were both inside statutes.

Verdict: Worth a visit - you know the Freer: beautiful things, beautifully arranged.

Back to the Freer

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: closing November 4, 2018

I had not been back to the Freer since its grand re-opening, so I was doubly anxious to see this show.  I like Japanese screens very much, and I was eager to see what changes had been made.

I'm happy to report that my previous description of the museum: beautiful things, beautifully displayed, still holds true.  I still felt a sense of relaxation just walking inside the doors.  It is still my second favorite Smithsonian museum (a close second to the Sackler).

What I really like that's new is the use of red plaques in the rooms containing the permanent collection.  They point out the highlights of each room, so if you have a short amount of time, you can see the "best" of the Freer very easily.  For instance, I saw a knife, carved from a meteor that hit Japan in 1621, the only one of four that were crafted that survives to the present day.  How great is that?  It's art from outer space!

What I came to see was a display of Japanese screens, depicting a sense of place.  Note that these are winter scenes, which were put up in spring and summer to give the viewer a sense of coolness.  Very appropriate for DC in the summertime.  The set of two that I photographed are called "Resilient Friendship."  I love that term; aren't resilient friendships something we all need?

Verdict: It's the Freer, so it's wonderful.

Good-bye to the Freer and to 2015

It was with a heavy heart that I went to the Freer on the last day of 2015, as it was my good-bye to one of my favorite parts of the Smithsonian.  I always say I relax just by walking in the door, and truly, I can feel my tension melt away as I walk up the steps to the main floor.

As if the Freer and its collection of beautiful things beautifully displayed were not enough, 2015 brought a Thursday meditation workshop to the museum.  I became a regular participant and am heartily sorry to see that come to an end.

Why all the gloom and doom?  The Freer is closing for two years in order to renovate.  My understanding is that long-needed upgrades to their HVAC system and other infrastructure are on their agenda, so this is clearly necessary.  Still, it's a wrench to see it close.

I walked through the entire main floor and gazed at everything.  It's a small museum, so it didn't take long to make the circuit.   I discovered a wonderful display of Korean inlay ceramics, which I will assuredly revisit when the museum reopens.  I also went out briefly into the courtyard, which is a lovely space.  Perhaps I'll bring a book and read there during the fine weather in future.

Of course, it's not just my trips to the Freer which are coming to an end, but 2015 as well.  I'm writing this on January 1, 2016 - starting my year off with blogging!  I saw many wonderful things in 2015, both here in DC and in other cities.  I'm hoping this year will offer me more opportunities to widen my horizons.

Next fall will bring the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and if their exhibits are as good as the ones they've put up at the American History Museum, they will be excellent.  Plus, the East Building of the National Gallery is scheduled to reopen in fall as well.  I'll be glad (as I'm sure the curators will be too) to have their big exhibit space back again.  I like the West Building, but it's cramped for anything really large.  I'm very eager to see the rooftop garden as well - the views should be great.  I'm also planning to head to the Renwick, as it re-opened recently.  The show "Wonder" sounds great, and I confess, I'd like to see those neon signs that have generated such controversy.  2016 should be a banner year!

Verdict: Good-bye Freer - I shall miss you in 2016 and 2017, and look forward to seeing you again in 2018.

A Complement to the "View" Paintings

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through November 1, 2015

When one thinks of the Freer, one thinks primarily of Asian art, and with good reason.  The collection is wonderful, as anyone who's followed this blog knows. The pottery, the paintings, the screens, the sculpture, what I call beautiful things, beautifully displayed.

Freer collected American art as well as Asian, and it's this part of his collection that is on display in the show entitled, "Fine Impressions: Whistler, Freer, and Venice."

Freer was initially unimpressed with Whistler and was at a loss to understand his popularity.  Then he what I can only describe as a "Paul on the road to Damascus" moment in a fellow collector's apartment, and started buying Whistler pieces the next day.  Eventually, the two men became friends, and Whistler helped Freer amass what is arguably the finest collection of Whistlers in the world.

The show is of Whistler's etchings of Venice.  Not the touristy Venice, so beloved of "view painters" and post card photographers, but the other Venice - that inhabited by its ordinary citizens.  People in these pieces go about their daily lives, including hanging out an extraordinary amount of washing.  Shirts seem to hang from every window.  There's an intimacy that I like in these works, a universality of human experience; it's only the water-filled streets and the gondolas that put you in Venice and not in another city.

Interestingly, Whistler did all of his own printmaking, something artists often left to others.  His involvement in every aspect of the creation of these pieces gives you a sense of a single vision in these pictures.  No one else has super-imposed his or her ideas of how the scene should look.  This is how Whistler wants you to see his Venice.

The show also includes a fan and a ceramic bottle, which Freer said reminded him of Whistler's work.  I could not help but be reminded in my turn of the Barnes, with its juxtapositioning of "flat art" and handcrafts.

Verdict: A small show, easily managed in a lunch hour; it's on the ground floor of the museum, so head downstairs from the main entrance. 

Timely Japanese Screens at the Freer

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through September 7, 2015

If the crowds around the Tidal Basin are a bit too much for you at this time of the year, you can get a cherry blossom fix at the Freer (although it was plenty busy yesterday when I was there).  This exhibit of Japanese screens features two with cherry blossom motifs.  Perhaps not quite as lovely as being outside in good weather (which we certainly deserve here in the DC area, after our unpleasant winter), but they are charming, even if they are indoors.

The screens combine beauty and practicality, which appeals to me very much.  Not only do they serve to divide rooms, they also bring art into a room at the same time.  You can fold them to make them larger or smaller as needed, and each position makes a different piece of art.

In addition to the cherry blossoms, there are also birds and other flowers represented here - a feast for the eyes.  Add to that a springtime walk to and from the museum, and you have a wonderful way to spend a lunch hour.

Verdict: Another relaxing trip to the Freer, even if the crowds were larger than usual.

Chinese Influences on Japanese Art

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through June 14, 2015


There are two shows currently on at the Freer that highlight the Chinese influences on Japanese art. One is entitled "Oribe Ware: Color and Pattern Come to Japanese Ceramics" and the other is "Zen, Tea, and Chinese art in Medieval Japan." The display of Oribe Ware is in the little Gallery 6A, just off Gallery 6, and the display of art related to tea is in Galleries 6 &7, making it easy to see both in one lunch hour.

I confess, I'm at a loss to understand the Japanese fascination with tea. I like a nice cup of Twining's as much as the next person, but I don't make a religion out of it. As I knew from my visit to the Sackler to see Chigusa, the Japanese do make quite a ritual out of tea-drinking, which means they have some very fine items to store, display and consume tea. The rise of both Zen Buddhism and tea presentation coincided with greater contact with China, so the theory is that China may have been responsible for bringing these things, that we now think of as inherently Japanese, to Japan in the first place.

However the phenomenon started, Japanese tea ceramics are well worth seeing. There was a tea caddy and tea bowl that I liked very much - it's amazing to me that things created in the early 1600s are still around today, and looking as if you could use them.

It's not all ceramics on display, though. I also very much liked the painting "White Heron on a Snowy Willow." The delicacy of the bird's feathers caught my eye, even though the predominant color is white (and yes, I know white is not a color). And who could resist the painting of "Xianzi Catches a Shrimp"? The Buddhist master was said to have achieved enlightenment while consuming the crustacean, and considering the deliciousness of shrimp, who can doubt it?

Verdict: If you like Japanese art or the ritual of the tea presentation, make sure to see this show. And at this time of the year, when it seems as if winter is never-ending, who couldn't use a trip to the Freer?

Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Yuan Dynasty Legacy

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through May 31, 2015

This display is the second in a three-part series on Chinese landscape painting and focuses on the Yuan Dynasty.  This period followed the Song Dynasty, the subject of the series' first part.

One of the things I noticed when visiting this exhibit is the intimacy of Chinese landscape painting.  When you see American landscapes, they're often majestic, epic, awe-inspiring; these are drawn on a much more human scale.  I felt a much deeper connection with the works than I do with gigantic landscapes.  With those, I admire the art and the talent of the artist; the works are certainly breath-taking, but I can relate to Chinese landscapes so much better.

For what I think is the first time in all my trips to the Freer, I saw a piece that the curators had purchased - not a gift of Freer himself.  This was a painting done in the 1940s (so I knew it couldn't have been part of Freer's collection) that's a painstakingly accurate copy of a piece by Zhu Derun.  According to the wall notes, without the original to compare it to, you can't tell it's a copy.

Verdict: If you like Chinese landscapes, have a look.  I'm eager to see what the third installment will contain.

Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Song Legacy

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through October 26, 2014

With all due apologies to Carolina in the morning, what could be finer than a trip to the Freer in the afternoon?  Very little, and this is yet another lovely display that repays a visit.

I'm very fond of landscape paintings, and many of these are quite fine.  The Song Dynasty lasted a long time, from the mid-10th to the mid-14th century.  This period was the apogee of traditional Chinese painting.  Landscapes came into their own as subjects; they moved out of the background, as it were and took center stage.

The paintings from this time had a great effect on later painters, and often these later works have been mistaken for the efforts of earlier masters.  There are very few genuine Song Dynasty paintings still left, which is hardly surprising given their age.  Some of them are here in the Freer - yet another reason to be grateful for living in DC.

My favorite works were those in the Mi Family style - not much color to them, but they made the most of the blacks and grays at their disposal.  Mist is featured in all of these pictures - which is really untouched paper, a charming effect.

My only criticism is that many of the works are rather dark, which makes it hard to see any detail.  This is hardly the Freer's fault, as I can only imagine this is the effect of age and environmental conditions.  One thing I wish could be changed are the display cases - there's quite a bit of glare, which doesn't help matters.

Verdict: Another enjoyable time at the Freer.

Off the Beaten Path: Whistler's Early Works on Paper

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through September 28, 2014

When you enter the Freer from the Mall entrance, there's a staircase to your left in the entryway that leads down to a small exhibit space and connects to the Ripley, Sackler and African Art museums.  The small exhibit space on this lower level is where you'll find this Whistler show.  Usually, I'm off to see Asian art when I go to the Freer, but the museum also contains a nice selection of American pieces, especially pieces by Whistler, who, if my memory serves me correctly, was a friend of Freer.

These drawings and sketches were made when Whistler took a trip to the Rhineland with a friend of his, Ernest Delannoy.  They left Paris, intending to travel to Amsterdam, wandering around the French and German countryside along the way.  Wandering about can be an expensive business, and they ran out of money before they arrived at their ultimate destination, but their trip was not a total loss.  The works on display were the basis for some of Whistler's more mature works and represented his early explorations of themes to which he would return later.

Verdict: None of these drawings is terribly memorable; it's more of a show to satisfy one's cerebral interest in Whistler than one to provoke an emotional response.

Chinese Ceramics for Tea in Japan

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through September 14, 2014

Although this little exhibit is located in Room 6A, just off Room 6, where the "Bountiful Waters" show is currently on display, it's really more of an accompaniment to the "Chigusa" show at the Sackler.  These are examples of tea ceramics produced in China, but intended for export to Japan, where (as we know after our trip to see "Chigusa") a tea culture was flourishing.

One of the things I admire about Japanese tea culture is that it embraced flaws in ceramics.  I remember (vaguely now, I admit) seeing a show in this same room on ceramics that had been damaged and repaired, and how they were often more greatly valued after their injury, as to speak, than they were before.  The repairs themselves were works of art.  Since ceramics are inherently fragile things, it's really best to anticipate that they will suffer the slings and arrows, if not of outrageous fortune, then certainly of everyday use.  Celebrate the defects, rather than tossing out anything that has a scratch or dent.

I also like the fact that these utensils are both useful and beautiful.  So often, we tend to overlook the opportunity for beauty in our everyday lives that comes from owning  and using something well-designed and artistic.  There's no reason to think that, just because something is a common tool, that it can't be lovely.  These are all certainly both.

 I was also able to indulge my love of antiquities, as one of the bowls was from the 12th century.  Granted, that's not quite an antiquity, but it's old enough!  It's amazing to think of the things that were in the future when this bowl was made in the 1300s.  I'm always flabbergasted to think that any object could survive so many hundreds of years in good shape.

Verdict: A lovely little display, which dovetails nicely with the "Chigusa" and "Jars" exhibits in the Sackler.   

Bountiful Waters: Aquatic Life in Japanese Art

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through September 14, 2014

Imagine my surprise to head over to the Freer and be confronted with both noise and crowds!  As part of the Cherry Bloosom Festival (I'm assuming), there was a troupe of musicians on the front steps of the Freer, playing the drums.  And when I say playing, what I mean is pounding, and VERY loudly.  The cacophony drew a crowd - more people than I think I've seen at the Freer ever.  Happily, I was able to enter on the Independence Avenue side, and the noise was inaudible from inside.  Clearly, marble is an excellent insulating material.

Once inside, quiet and solitude reigned as usual, and I set out to see this lovely show on Japanese aquatic art.  Beginning in the 18th century, depictions of natural life became quite important in Japan, as sources of information on different species became available through trade with Europe and China through the port city of Nagasaki.   Mostly, Japanese artists were copying what they had seen in books, although some were able to work from life.

This exhibit features many painting of carp, especially leaping up waterfalls, as in the picture accompanying this post.  I like this idea; there's a playful quality about it that appeals to me.  One thing I saw that I don't think I've see before is a print block, from which numerous prints can be made.  Of course, I've seen many prints before, but not an original block.  Granted, the block itself isn't that exciting to look at - I wouldn't want to see a whole room full of them.  But one is interesting.

Another prime feature of this show is the "Large Fish" prints by Utagawa Hiroshige.  It's a series of fish painted with flowers, and very nice it is too.  I'm delighted to say that my favorite, Hokusai, was also on display; a very fine painting of 100 types of crustaceans was the thing that held my attention longest.

Verdict: A wonderful way to celebrate the blooming of the cherry blossom trees and the return of spring to DC, without the crowds.

Sylvan Sounds: Freer, Dewing, and Japan

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through May 18, 2014

"For those who have the power to see beauty, all works of art go together, whatever their period."  - Charles Lang Freer

Or, as a friend of mine put it when discussing furniture, "good goes with good."

Freer liked to combine Asian and American art; the painted screens and hanging scrolls he purchased were meant to complement his collection of Whistler and Dewing paintings.  The courtesans of the floating world were similar to Dewing's American models.

I found Dewing's works, of which the above is quite typical, a bit too pre-Raphaelite for my taste.  Any of the women appearing in his art could model for the character of Marianne in Sense and Sensibility.  Perhaps all the green backgrounds reminded me of the paintings in the National Gallery show earlier this year.

What I found most interesting about this one-room show is that I was able to find out a bit more about Freer himself.  Grateful as I am to him for his generous gift of art and money that's given me so many happy hours, I like to know a bit more about him: why he chose the things he did.  In the same way that he traveled in order to escape "the harness of business," he wanted art to be soothing, to transport him away from his daily cares.  Although I appreciate art's ability to speak truth to power and questions society's assumptions, I also like paintings that take me to a more relaxing and quiet place.

Verdict: A lovely small show, with both American and Asian art.

Women in Chinese Painting

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through April 27, 2014

Two trips to the Freer in one week - heaven on earth!  This show, considerably larger than the small case of Freer bibles I saw on Monday, is on both representations of women in Chinese painting and on paintings by Chinese women.

Even though they had none of the rights of men, women were critical to Chinese society; as Mao put it, centuries later, "women hold up half the sky."  In traditional Confucian philosophy, however, women had no control over their own destiny or ability to determine the course of their own lives.  They existed simply to serve men, to assist them to fulfill their potential.  How depressing.  Attending this show made me wonder why women have been assigned this second-class role in so many societies and to be thankful that I live in a (sometimes only slightly) more enlightened period.

Women painters were most likely to come from the households of male painters, and in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the figure of the courtesan artist emerged.  Women's paintings tended to look a great deal like men's paintings - dealing with the same themes and using the same techniques.

One of the themes I noticed particularly was that of the sad woman: neglected, idle and lonely, with nothing to do.  Even though they were members of the wealthiest part of their society, they had no role to play and no contribution to make.  A sad life to live.

Verdict: A more somber exhibit than I'm accustomed to see at the Freer, but one with a vast deal of food for thought.

Exhibiting Freer's Bibles

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through February 16, 2014

The Peacock Room has a temporary addition - two Bibles that Freer acquired in Egypt.  These are from the 5th and 6th centuries, so as you might expect, they're not in the best of shape.  The picture above is from the cover of one of the Bibles, which is probably the most interesting of the three objects on display.  The color is still pretty good, and you can imagine that these wooden plates would have given the manuscript a certain heft.

The shutters were closed when I went to see these antiques, and it made me realize that it's well worth it to visit the Peacock Room when the shutters are open.  The light sensitive nature of these manuscripts means that they won't be opening the shutters until next February, so you'll have to endure the darkness (and the room is really dark without some natural light).  It also felt smaller to me than it had on my last visit.  Not sure if that's also due to the shutters, or to faulty memory...

Verdict: Always worth while to see anything as old as these, plus you can easily add on another Freer exhibit in a lunch hour.

Charles Freer and the Arts of Japan

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through February 9, 2014

Between 1895 and 1910, Charles Lang Freer visited Japan four times.  That's neither a cheap nor short trip even today, but at the time, it was tremendously expensive and time-consuming.  To have gone four times in 15 years shows how interested he became in Japanese art.  On his first trip, in 1895, Freer was a knowledgeable tourist, but nothing more than that.  By the time he made his second trip, in 1907, he was a world-class collector.

Freer was able to obtain Japanese art in Europe and America due to the increased interest in all things Japanese in the mid to late 1800s.  This is the same craze that brought us "The Mikado."

The paintings on display are lovely.  There's one of a peacock that Freer described as "delightful," and I agree with his assessment.  Another that caught my eye was one of a crane - it's so realistic, you can see each feather delineated.  The technique is exquisite.

The show also highlights the work of Ernest Fenollosa, a great friend of Freer, who sold him a vast deal of Japanese art.  Fenollosa helped Freer to cull and shape his collection, to make it ready to give as a gift to the nation.  There's a wonderful sake ewer in this room with a copper glaze - the colors are muted, but grand nonetheless.

Verdict: A lovely way to spend some time.  Nothing like getting some information on how such a wonderful collection came to exist. 

Korean Style in Japanese Ceramics

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through February 9, 2014

Gallery 6A is a small space inside Gallery 6, one of the main exhibit rooms at the Freer.  Clearly, it's been my week to see shows in little places.  It's not large enough to show pieces of any great size, so it tends to focus on small items, like tea utensils or bowls.  The current display is Japanese ceramics with a Korean influence.

Korean ceramics arrived in Japan in the 15th and 16th centuries.  At that time, the Koreans were able to make ceramics that were far superior to anything available in Japan, thus, their work was in high demand.  Even after Japanese works were able to duplicate the quality of Korean pieces, their techniques were long admired in Japan, and Korean handiwork was often used as tea bowls.  Items with an inlaid decoration were particularly prized.

The works on display here are Japanese pieces from the 17th - 19th century, which show the influence of Korean design.  An item that caught my eye was a tea cup with a crane motif.  It's a beautiful small piece - the work is very fine.

Verdict: A trip to the Freer is always worthwhile; this small display can be combined easily with the larger show on Freer and Japan.

Old Tales Retold: Chinese Narrative Painting

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through October 20, 2013

Yet another lovely exhibit at the Freer, the most relaxing Smithsonian museum.  It's hard to think of a better way to unwind from a busy week than to go to the Freer on a Friday lunch hour and take in some beautiful things beautifully arranged.

This visit found me looking at Chinese narrative paintings - one of the first forms of pictorial art.  These are paintings that tell a story, replete with moral prescriptions for the viewer.  The figures are "paragons of virtue" (a phrase I have long enjoyed using in contexts more humorous than what is on view here) who remind those who gaze upon them of their own responsibilities in trying circumstances.  Since most people in 21st century America are not familiar with ancient Confucian teachings, the Freer is kind enough to provide summaries of the stories.

My favorite is "Tugging the Emperor's Robe," the story of an adviser to the Emperor who tugs on his robe in order to persuade him to reconsider a decision that could have led to catastrophe.  A version of speaking truth to power, I think, and a reminder that sometimes we all need to tug on someone's robe in order to make them reconsider wrong-headed notions.

An interesting pairing is "Gathering at the Orchard Pavilion," which depicts a springtime tradition of friends getting together by water to eat, drink and write poetry, with "Obtaining the Langting Manuscript by Deceipt," which tells the story of the emperor getting a copy of the preface to "Gathering at the Orchard Pavilion" from a monk who was concealing it.  Nothing like seeing the object that is the focus of a painting to make it come alive.

As with many of the Freer's shows of Chinese art, some of the paintings are full of vivid color, and others have darkened quite a bit over time.  With my love of color in art, I find my attention focused on the more lively offerings, but each piece has something to recommend it.

Verdict: When I have I ever not advised attending a show at the Freer?  A very pleasant outing, especially if you can combine it with a stroll over on a nice day.   

Whistler's Neighborhood: Impressions of a Changing London

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through September 8, 2013

This small exhibit is on the lower lever of the Freer, so walk down the staircase to the left of the Mall entrance, rather than entering the museum proper, to find it.

Whistler lived in Chelsea from 1863 - 1903, and, beginning in the 1880s, he made sketches of the daily activities of his neighbors out and about in the street and at the shops.  These were personal observations, not meant as social commentary, although they did feature the poorer elements of society.  The "change" in the title refers to the Chelsea Embankment project, which not only cleaned up the river (thereby eliminating the terrible stench), but also forced the poor away from the waterfront, to make way for the mansions of the upper classes.  The way of life Whistler's work portrays was vanishing.

The sketches are mostly pen and ink, which is not my favorite style, although a few do have bits of color, like the painting above.  Not the usual sort of fare one sees at the Freer, and without much vibrancy, not a show I especially liked.

Verdict: Worth a look if you're in the neighborhood, otherwise, not a must-see.