Randuwa II: November 2018

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Walters Art Museum: 1 West Mount Vernon Place, Ceramics (Mostly)

What exactly does the Walters Art Museum use this historic mansion for? Well, before this most recent renovation, it was the home of the Asian Collection. Now it's mostly and sparsely populated with works from the Museums ceramics collections. Toss in a couple of paintings and a modest third floor room for children's workshop/art making/education/community outreach. Finish with a back sunroom that has an ad hoc food service component, and that's about it.

So here are some of the ceramics that caught my eye, and a painting for added measure. Thus, too, ends our visit to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Remember, it's free and open Wednesday through Sunday most of the year.

Incense Burner (Koro) with Tokugawa Family Crest (Aoi Mon)

Japanese

circa 1775 - 1800

Seraphim, 2015

Japanese

Fujikasa Satoko

1980 -

View of North Africa at Dawn, 1902

French

Henri Emilien Rousseau

1875 - 1933

Flower Vase with Coiled Dragon

Chinese

circa 1710 - 1725

Peach Blow Vase

American

circa 1886

Walter Art Museum: 1 West Mount Vernon Place, the Hackerman House

At last I come to the original motivation for my visit and it feels a little anticlimactic. I already been immersed in art for over 2 hours and honestly I'm little tired. From the Asian Collection there is just a short set of steps to climb and then I am in the Hackerman House. It seems like there are two reasons to be here. The first is to admire the Pre-Bellum architecture, although, it's not completely clear was that original element of the design is still true to it's designer's vision. The place has been upgraded and renovated a couple of times as owners, tastes and technology changed. Still there are a lot of dramatic visual lines to explore.

The second reason will be in the next post.

Walters Art Museum: Asian Collection

Thus far we traversed nearly the full extent of the original building and 1974 annex which comprise the majority of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Now we are going to take a detour down a staircase to the Asian Art collection, because it will let us entered the newly renovated Mount Vernon mansion that is also property belonging to the museum and I have never seen it. Truth be told, exploring this historic home was the reason I chose to make the trip.

Having seen the size of the Americas Collection, I was not surprised to find at the end of the stairs a couple of small galleries. I realized immediately that I have never been to this part of the museum before and settled in to explore the objects in these two small galleries. What I didn't realize if that just beyond them is an amazing continuation of this collection that took me by surprise in a wonderful way! How on earth had I missed this in the past? Without further ado, some of the highlights, including wide shots of the amazing spaces.

Pagoda, 1915

Japanese

Guanyin (Savior of Those in Distress)

Chinese

circa 1350 - 1425

Buddhist Shrine

Thailand

19th Century

detail of Buddhist Shrine

Turning away from the first two galleries and entering a portal I was like, "wow! I've never seen this before."

Sarasvati (India's Beloved Goddess)

Indian

10th-11th Centuries

Musical Mode, possibly Kanara Putra

Indian

circa 1700

Ganesha

Indian

circa 1000 - 1050

Chakra Purusha

Indian

5th - 6th Centuries

I turned a corner and glanced at this statue. Then did a double take. What on earth is he holding? Oh! No. No way! What the fuck? WAY! And how says Art Museums are boring?!

Ascetic Deity

Indian

10th - 11th Centuries

And yes, we've all heard it said, "The size of your Nirvana doesn't matter, it's what you do with your enlightenment". But I think this chap might have a worthy counter-argument to offer!

Walters Art Museum: The Walter's Salon

Saving the best for almost last. My favorite space in the entire Walters Art Museum is the recreation of the family's 1883 Salon. The room is chock-a-block with wonderful paintings in the Salon style from floor to ceiling. If I could wish for one thing, it would be hydraulic lifts to being the visitor to eye level with some of the works that are hung the highest! Here are a few of my favorites.

The identities of the painters and information about the works are found laminated cards, suffice to say I didn't take the time to make any notes in this room, so you just get to enjoy the works, although the first work I believe is titles "Sappho and Alcaeus" and it's by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.

Walters Art Museum: Impressionism

Also on the fourth floor or the 1974 Annex are a handful of Impressionist works. Nothing extraordinary, just a few lovely paintings.

Windmill Near Zaandam, 1871

French

Claude Monet

1840 - 1926

Springtime, 1872

French

Claude Monet

1840 - 1926

Route to Versailles, Louveciennes, 1869

French

Camille Pissarro

1831 - 1903

The Cafe - Concert, 1879

French

Edouard Manet

1832 - 1883

Walters Art Museum: Gerome and Friends

The 4th floor of the Walters Art Museums 1974 Annex is dedicated to some of the favorite paintings actually acquired by the Walters (father and son) and they had a penchant for Academicism in all of its iterations: Historic theme, mythological themes and Orientalism. All three of which found flower in the works of the French painter and sculptor, Jean-Léon Gérôme. While the Walters did introduce me to Gerome, many of the works they own are among my favorites. I'm going to break this floor into three parts and start with Gerome specifically and a few other painters and sculptors in this genre who's works on located in the first gallery and along the two corredores.