Thursday, May 7, 2009

Monet and the Impressionists Exhibition

We have just got back from the Monet and the Impressionists exhibition at Te Papa. It has been on for several months, and finishes in 10 days, so we just got in in time.

The painting above was in the exhibition, or one very like it. Monet did lots of series, and I can't always tell them apart.

(As a public service, the City Council had today as a no-fee day for locals. You had to bring your rates bill or library card or similar to prove eligibility. A bit of a queue this evening, about 25 minutes, but not as long as I thought it might be. We saw several people who had taken the same opportunity.)

It was lovely! Actually some of the paintings were just ok, but some were a joy to behold. Like listening to music, or watching dance!

Most of the paintings were between about 35cm square and 1m square. Apparently monet's later water lilies paintings were 5 or 6m long or more. (There was a large photo of him working with one in the background.) Bern saw one at MOMA in New York years ago.

Elanor came too. When she visited the Rita Angus exhibition with her class (I went as a helper) she complained afterwards that they got moved along too fast by the art teacher who was showing them around. So I said she could look at the paintings for as long as she wanted to this time. In the end she was finished before I was, but not by too much.

We went to buy postcards, but they didn't have any of my favourites, unfortunately. El chose one, and we got the promotional leaflet for our scrapbooks.

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