Philadelphia Museum of Art: American Art 1850 - 1950: 10 Views +2 from American Art 1650 - 1850

 Once I'd finished touring the Special Exhibition: "Mary Cassatt At Work," I had to decide how to spend my limited time (approximately 2 hours).  My first Choice was the nearby section of galleries featuring American Art from 1850 to 1950, and then tagged on the rest of American Art in galleries featuring works created between 1650 to 1850.

With so many amazing works of art to consider, I just let myself adhere to images and objects that caught my eye and then spent extended time considering them and their connection to me.  The first ten are from the second floor galleries, and then I tag on two more from the first floor galleries.

A COMING STORM

1863

Sanford Gifford, 1823 - 1880

There is a concept within landscape painting that was uniquely elevated by the Hudson School of Landscape artists.  It's known as the "sublime".  It is a quiet, grandeur, a sense of greatness that inspires awe.  Sometimes it's the result of the overwhelming scale and/or exoticism of the subject matter.  Sometimes it's captured in a sense of mystery and foreboding.  You know it, when you see it.  Of all the works I know by this personally favored artist, I see it, and I know it more in this painting than in any others of his oeuvre.

ORCHIDS IN THE JUNGLE

circa 1870

Martin James Heade, 1819 - 1904

VALLEY OF CADORE, ITALY

1873

George Inness, 1825 - 1894

STILL LIFE FOR NATHAN FOLWELL

1878

William Michael Harnett, 1848 - 1892

This painting, typical of this artist's subject matter, was so exquisitely rendered with such fine details.  I had to just highlight a few.

PROFESSIONALS AT REHEARSAL

1883

Thomas Eakins, 1844 - 1916

HUNTSMAN AND DOGS

1891

Winslow Homer, 1836 - 1910

THE ANNUNCIATION
1898

Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1859 - 1937

Henry Ossawa Tanner is one of my favorite American Artists, and this is his masterwork in my opinion.  There is so much to consider.  The utter humility expressed in the portrayal of Mary--and yet, she projects a purity of faith wrapped in innocence.  But the most amazing aspect is the Holy Spirit.  Not a form like those of god we see everywhere as the old silver-bearded European.  Instead, Tanner paints the Holy Spirit as simply Light.  It's revolutionary.

PERTAINING TO YACHTS AND YACHTING
1922

Charles Sheeler, 1883 - 1965

Sheeler is one of the Great American Regionalism Artists. Painters who reflected in their work the essence of their geographical origins.  He is deeply well known for his industrial geometric paintings, as well as some amazing interior drawings Shaker simple in their composition.  This work was like NOTHING I'd ever seen by Sheeler before.  I was gobsmacked by the combination of geometric forms and shading to accentuate multi-dimensionality.  The color palate, the movement, the forms everything just sings to me.

JAM SESSION

1943

Claude Clark, 1915 - 2001

PORTRAIT OF JAMES BALDWIN

1945

Beauford Delaney, 1901 - 1979

An excellent choice for public viewing on the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the Greatest American Novelists, Essayists and Intellects: James Baldwin (1924 - 1987)

From the second floor, I went to the first floor to check out the Cafe.  I was hoping to eat at the museum.  Unfortunately, the Cafe was booked.  I looked at the self-serve offerings and eschewed that option when weighing the price point versus quality.  I'm sure the museum feels it can charge above market rate prices because there are no other options; however, you always have the option to say, "No, Thank you."

From there I visited the other American Art galleries featuring works from 1650 to 1850.  Here's my "plus 2" selections.

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

circa 1750

anonymous (painted in Peru)

There is this whole arena of Spanish-American art with religious intentions that was created by European immigrants from Chile to New Mexico and everywhere Spain planted its colonial foot.  It is largely ignored when contextualized within the traditional oeuvre of American Art.  I was blissfully ignorant of this until I visited the Denver Museum of Art back in 2017.  It was a revelation!  Seeing this work in these galleries at the Philadelphia Museum of Art was so affirming.

PEACHES COVERED WITH A HANKERCHIEF

1819

Raphaelle Peale, 1774 - 1825