Impressions on Post-Impressionism

Given that I want to see four special exhibits at the art museum to complete #51, I decided earlier this year to become a member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since joining the museum less than six months ago, I've been to two special exhibits and attended two of the Art After 5 events, one of which featured the glorious Swinging Foxes (shameless plugs for friends' bands are encouraged on the blogosphere, no?). My membership has more than paid for itself at this point, and I plan on milking it for all it's worth during the remaining six months of its life.

Now, I have what I consider to be a limited knowledge of art. I remember the basics from high school classes, and I make an attempt to retain what I learn after seeing an exhibit or researching on my own; however, I always feel as though I should know more. Hence why I put this objective on my list.

So, which two special exhibits did I see?

The first was Van Gogh Up Close.

The second was Gauguin, Cézanne, Matisse: Visions of Arcadia (which you can still see through September 3, 2012).

Both were wonderfully curated exhibits, but the Van Gogh collection was simply phenomenal. I found it to be extremely engaging and educational. The pieces on display beautifully communicated the story of Van Gogh's life, and I feel that I learned a lot of interesting details.

Can I tell you all about it now? No (womp womp). But I can tell you that the (blurry photo of the) painting to the right was done for his namesake. After a series of melancholic pieces, the framed Almond Blossoms painting hung brightly at the end of the exhibit, revealing the joy and hope Van Gogh felt at the birth of his nephew. It was my favorite of all the paintings we saw that day.

There are a number of exciting upcoming exhibits at the museum. Suggestions on what to see next would be appreciated!