Tale of Three Cities

On my recent trip to Europe I visited over 15 Museums of art. Usually when I have gone over to Europe I go with a painting group and do a some sight seeing. On this trip I went alone so that I could see many works of art.

I started my journey in New York visiting the Metropolitan Museum of art which had a show called"Valentin De Boulogne Beyond Caravaggio".

In London At the National Gallery they had another show called Beyond Caravaggio Beyond Caravaggio. 

It was interesting to see these two shows that had many followers of Caravaggio and his influence on their art.  Caravaggio 's paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting. Caravaggio painted from life where others where not pure to this procedure. 

While in London I went to the Tate gallery and the Tate modern. The National Portrait gallery was particularly interesting to me because of all the John Singer Sargents. 

I took the Eurostar to Paris and stayed a few days visiting the Museum O'rsey and the Louve as well as the Pompidou. The Marmottan, has a wonderful selections of Monet's. I also loved the musse de Montmartre. A small interesting museum devoted to the bohemian artist's that worked in Montmartre.

I did sneak a little painting in and had to paint a little cafe scene in Paris of course.

I Returned to London and finished off my art tour visiting the Royal Academy and The Victoria and Albert museum. However I think I felt the visit to the Courtauld Museum was perhaps my favorite. The impressionist's and small works of some great masters was inspiring.

There where was a lot of ground to cover in a short time.  I made the visit about seeing as many great works of art to inspire me. I was never a big fan of Peter Paul Rubens however, I have a renewed admiration for his work in light of seeing such a large variety of his work.

Monet was never my favorite impressionist painter, and I always felt the work of Van Gogh to be over rated. However all that changed due to this visit. When confronted with so many works of these masters you can't help but realize how inspiring and beautiful their paintings are.