A side trip to Philadelphia

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While anchoring out in C&D canal, we rented a car and went to pay a visit to Philly. Aside of walking some nice neighborhoods we wanted to see the Rodin museum and a fantastic painting collection at Barnes galery. Both museums are first class. Rodin museum was (unexpectedly) a cornucopia of his works - 1st and 2nd casts (save Burghers of Calais whose copies seem to be present in every major sculpture collection around the world😊 One masterpiece made us laugh though - the statue of Balzac. The writer looks as having enjoyed and indulged in a few too many gastronomical and oenophile activities that his native city was to offer. Suffice it to say the monument was not an immediate success, being ridiculed all over Paris while some enterprising vendors sold caricature sculptures showing Balzac as a seal 😊 (See the pictures) But the museum which was built purposly for Rodin collection boasts about a hundred of his works and is the most thorough compilation of his works outside of Paris.

The Barnes museum is pretty amazing as well: every major impressionist is represented by several canvases. Renoir might have been the collector's favorite as there is a huge number of his works (which are a bit too sweet for my taste but mind you, if someone gave me one of those I would've hung it in my house, no question asked). There were many Van Gough, Gaugion, Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani, Braque as well as a copious number of great old masters. However, the picture taking at the Barnes was greatly inhibited by the vigilant staff that insists all that visual information stays classified! But in any case, both museums not to be missed.

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Photos

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Rodin, Honore De Balzac

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"the Seal De Balzac" sold on the streets of Paris

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Rodin, Danaid

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The Kiss

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Rodin, the Gate Of Hell

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The Barnes

Comments

[Bruce Beeber]

Love Philly
Another great 'installment' on your voyage up the North American coastline. Philadelphia is such a great city: art, history, education, politics, sports, defense... Having the Barnes now so accessible is wonderful. When do you anticipate reaching NYC?

[asmilingshark]

Bruce!
Hi Bruce, thanks for the comment! I have been lagging behind with this blog. We are actually in Marblehead now. But I have posted an entry About New York. We will call you guys when back home in September. Stay cool in that melting Hotlanta!:)