When: closing May 13, 2018
The last time a government shutdown was looming, this show hadn't yet opened. Happily, Congress got their act together, so I was able to see this show. Sadly, I had to rush out and see it because the current funding runs out on Thursday. Have I mentioned before that this is no way to run a country? I stand by that opinion.
Michael Sittow was born in what is now Estonia and studied art in what was then the Netherlands. He had many powerful clients, including the royal families of Denmark and Spain, as well as the Holy Roman Emperor. Although it is believed that Sittow painted in other genres, only his portraits survive.
They're very human portraits, whether of earthly rulers or holy saints. He clearly had a preference for a certain type of beauty, as his female portraits all look very similar. The work that really stuck with me was an altarpiece, with portraits of four saints. They seem to "pop" off the wood - a trick of shadows makes them look three dimensional.
Verdict: This is a small show, so easily managed in a lunch hour. I enjoyed it much more than I had anticipated - the works are quite engaging.
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