Monday, June 17, 2019

An artsy Sunday


I've loved Pre-Raphelite paintings since the day I saw my first one in a Berkeley poster shop.  That was 45 years ago. I bought two "John Waterhouse" posters I couldn't afford at the time. The colors are all faded now, but I can't seem to part with them for sentimental reasons.


In London last September we made a special trip to the Tate British Museum to see the Victorian paintings. The room was jammed with students and tourists. The Pre-Raphelites have gone in and out of fashion over the years-- apparently they are "in" again.

We could have just waited for the new exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, called "Victorian Radicals: From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts and Crafts Movement."  Quite a mouthful.


The detail and vibrant colors of the originals are beautiful.  Many of these well known works have never left the United Kingdom until now.

The collection is on loan from the Birmingham Museum of Art, and featured famous artists such as Edward Burne-Jones, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris.


One of my old favorites, called "Pretty Baa Lambs," by Ford Madox Brown.


The artist captured such a charming, skeptical look on the baby's face.  Other familiar works included:

"The Long Engagement"
Arthur Hughes 

"Persephone"
Dante Gabriel Rosetti

William Morris textiles

After the exhibit and a trip to the gift store, we joined the sea of tourists jamming the Pike Place Market.  Smart locals avoid the market like the a plague on summer weekends, but hey, when in Rome?  We shared a passable fish and chip for lunch, then headed home before the crowds got even worse. 


I made John a small steak for dinner and his favorite dessert. I hope your Father's Day was just as nice.


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