NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART WEST

On our recent trip to Washington D.C. to visit our daughter, we spent time at the National Gallery of Art.  Although I had been to the National Gallery a couple of other times, those visits were long ago, and my whole outlook on art museums has changed, particularly because of my interest in photography.

In short, the National Gallery is spectacular, both in terms of the art housed there and in terms of the presentation of that art.  I am posting here some photos of the west (main) building.  None of the exterior shots I took worked out, not because there was nothing notable to shoot but because I failed to capture it.  The interior includes a central rotunda.  Here is the one shot of the rotunda and coffered dome that I retained.  Not great.

As I mentioned, I thought the overall presentation of the art was terrific.   Here is a wide-angled shot of a main corridor that featured statuary.

Generally, gallery rooms, primarily featuring wall art, led off the corridor.  Here is a sampling of some of that art, beginning with the Renaissance period.

Yes, this last painting is by Leonardo da Vinci.

Later on our visit, we spent time in the gallery rooms featuring Impressionist artists, including Renoir, Van Gogh, Modigliani, and Toulouse-Lautrec.

The museum also included some wonderful sculptures, including the following.

Note the shoulder armor on this latter bust, consisting of lion heads.

I especially liked the following two sculptures.

But others I found just a bit bizarre.

Finally, is a detail from a gorgeous stained glass piece.

John.