A place where everyone is welcome to explore and experience art, creativity, and shared humanity. Mellon in 1937. Pei, and the verdant 6.1-acre Sculpture Garden.
FREE ADMISSION
About the Gallery:
Masterworks by the most renowned European and American artists, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile ever created by Alexander Calder, await visitors to the National Gallery of Art, one of the world's preeminent art museums. The Gallery’s collection of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals,
and decorative arts traces the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present. Open to the public free of charge, the Gallery was created for the people of the United States of America by a joint resolution of Congress accepting the gift of Andrew W. The Gallery’s campus includes the original neoclassical West Building designed by John Russell Pope, which is linked underground to the modern East Building designed by I.M. Temporary special exhibitions spanning the world and the history of art are presented frequently.
Operating as usual
You deserve some flowers today. 🌷
In need of a pick-me-up? See some of the most radiant floral paintings ever made 🔎👉🏽 bit.ly/3FGPHeT
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🖼 Balthasar van der Ast, "Basket of Flowers," c. 1622, oil on panel, Collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon
Spring is a lovely reminder that there is beauty in new beginnings. 🌱🌸
See our predictions for the new season ahead.
Check out our essential guide to spring. 🔎👉🏽 https://bit.ly/42pyC2I
Not getting pinched today.
Wishing you a happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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Nancy Crimi, “Dress,” c. 1938, watercolor and graphite on paper, Index of American Design
Nancy Crimi, “Woman's Shoe,” c. 1936, watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard, Index of American Design
🎂 Happy birthday to us!
On this day in 1941, we opened to the public. It's been an honor to serve the nation for these 82 years, and we can't wait to do it for 82 more. See the before and after 👇🏽
Have you seen our exhibition celebrating Black artists from the South? Now you have another chance. “Called to Create” has been extended through December 31!
A heads up: the exhibition will close from March 27–March 31 to deinstall light-sensitive works.
Learn more 🔎👉🏽 https://bit.ly/42hPyIq
Caption this painting.
Throughout history, artists have often depicted windows as portals between two realms: the real and the imagined, the intimate and the unfamiliar, Earth and the afterlife…
In this painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, the artist is making a comparison between the intimate and the unfamiliar. We see that the window is a divide between a private residence and a public space. The window separates the young woman and her chaperone from the onlookers that exist outside of their world: their beholders on the street down below and the viewers of this painting.
🖼 Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, “Two Women at a Window,” 1655/1660, oil on canvas, Widener Collection
Renaissance painter Jan van Eyck’s close observation and meticulous technique captured the physical world with a degree of realism that has never been surpassed. The artist forever changed the art world by becoming one of the first artists to master the technique of oil painting.
But what is most fascinating about Van Eyck’s work is that the artist layered many complex, hidden symbols throughout his paintings.
Uncover more hidden allegories in Van Eyck’s “Annunciation” 🔎👉🏽 https://rb.gy/bd9yvt
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🖼 Jan van Eyck, “The Annunciation,” 1434/1436, oil on canvas transferred from panel, Andrew W. Mellon Collection
📍 West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 39
😱 Name a painting that reminds you of a nightmare you once had.
We’ll go first: “Four Seasons in One Head” by Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
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🖼 Giuseppe Arcimboldo, “Four Seasons in One Head,” 1590, oil on panel, Paul Mellon Fund
📍 West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 27
What do Christina Fernandez and Edward Hopper have in common?
The answer may surprise you. Click here to find out https://rb.gy/zygf7n👈🏽🔍
They were born on different coasts, in different time periods. One was a New York-born painter who explored themes of isolation in his work. The other is a Los Angeles–based photographer who has made photographs that intertwine Mexican American culture, migration, and labor issues. Yet, there are many similarities between their work. Can you guess what they are?
Want to hear from one of the artists live? Join us for a hybrid conversation with Christina Fernandez this Friday: https://rb.gy/dt33hu
National Gallery of Art
Monday just got a whole lot better. The National Gallery is thrilled to announce that we are opening a new exhibition bringing together works by over 50 Native American artists practicing across the United States.
The show will be curated by artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and will feature a variety of mediums—including weaving, sculpture, beadwork, painting, performance, and more.
Opening on September 24, don’t miss your chance to experience an art exhibition celebrating the history and self-determination of Indigenous peoples.
Plan your visit 🔎👉🏽 https://rb.gy/rwol1s
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📷 Cara Romero, “Indian Canyon,” 2019, archival pigment print, Courtesy of the Artist, © Cara Romero. Courtesy of the Artist.
You haven't seen the color red until you've seen this Jacob van Hulsdonck painting. 💋
Made in 1620, this exquisite still life captures the very best qualities of the Flemish artist's work. Set atop a plain wooden table, a beautifully articulated Wan-Li bowl is filled with dazzling ruby-red berries. 😍 The vibrant and dramatic display is spotlit against the painting's dark, earthen brown background...🔦✨ *breathtaking*
Some say it's impossible for this glowing still life not to catch your eye. And there's a reason why the paint in this composition is so striking...can you guess why? (Hint: What material is it painted on?) ⬇️ Drop a comment to take a guess. Then see if you've answered correctly 🔎👉🏽 https://rb.gy/9ybsxr
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🖼 Jacob van Hulsdonck, “Wild Strawberries and a Carnation in a Wan-Li Bowl,” 1620, oil, The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund
📍 West Building, Ground Floor, Gallery 13A
If you answer this question correctly, you certainly know your art history:
Which American artist, known for her intimate and charming portrayals of women and girls, painted this 1878 oil on canvas? , brought to you by Katy Hessel; host of The Great Women Artists podcast. 💙
Drop a comment with your guess. ⬇️ Then check your answer 🔎👉🏽 bit.ly/3JwkkGb
The category is: (S)heroes. ✨
In honor of Women’s History Month, here are some of our favorite portraits by women artists past and present. �
Which is your favorite? 1, 2, 3, or 4? Drop a comment to share ⬇️
What’s especially interesting about these portraits is that they each provide clues to the personalities of the people in them. �
Roughly 600 years ago, the very first portraits ever made featured Renaissance sitters positioned in very stiff side profiles—this was considered to be more “appropriate” and “modest” in the early 1400s. But because you couldn’t see the entire faces of these sitters, you miss the subtle details that provide clues to their personalities. For example, when you take a close look at Cecilia Beaux’s “Sita and Sarita,” you’ll notice how Sarita’s confident posture and fierce gaze allude to her sharp wit and intelligence. (Another clue to her intellect = she has a cat. 🐈⬛)
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1 — Amy Sherald, “They call me Redbone but I'd rather be Strawberry Shortcake,” 2009 Oil on canvas 54 x 43 in. National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of Steven Scott, Baltimore, in honor of the artist and the 25th Anniversary of NMWA © Amy Sherald, Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth
2 — Eva Gonzalès, “Nanny and Child,” 1877/1878, oil on canvas, 25 × 32 in., Chester Dale Fund
3 — Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, “The Marquise de Pezay, and the Marquise de Rougé with Her Sons Alexis and Adrien,” 1787, oil on canvas, 48 x 61 in., Purchased as the Gift of the Bay Foundation
4 — Cecilia Beaux, “Sita and Sarita,” 1921, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, William A. Clark Fund)
If you’re in the mood for an incredibly heartwarming , read on ⬇️
Victoria Ashby is a high school English teacher from Tupelo, Mississippi. She came to the National Gallery to attend our Institute for Educators—where teachers from across the country come to the museum to work together on creative projects that explore new ways to re-energize their classrooms. In 2020, Ashby took a break from teaching and had an experience that forever altered her way of looking at the world:
“I am a social butterfly. At the beginning of the pandemic, I got really depressed because I had no human interaction except for my children. I was so used to being around people and being a teacher. I learned that you have to find the good in everything. You have to find some positive in everything you do… So I became a truck driver! Seriously. I went to truck driving school so that I could have some interaction. At night when I parked, I interacted with all these different people and got to hear their stories. The only hardest thing was learning how to park an 18-wheeler. But failure is when you choose not to try. Flash forward to a few years later—that’s why I came to the National Gallery’s Institute. When I got here, on the first day I started talking to teachers who were in the same position I was in, who were so eager and willing to try new experiences and to find new ways to inspire their students. It awakened me to the fact that they’re going through the same thing. It made me realize that I can help them and they can help me. It made me think about teaching in a different way.”
A huge thank you from all of us at the National Gallery to all the teachers out there who put in a tremendous amount of effort to educate the next generation. You are making a difference, and your work shapes our future.
If you’re a teacher who’s interested in working with other educators to get the support they need to help their students, we welcome you to join our Summer Institute for Educators in July.💛 And good news: applications are now being accepted through March 27! Learn how you can join us 🔎👉🏽 www.rb.gy/yucgvz
House Hunters: art history edition.🏡 Which do you choose?
1, 2, 3, or 4?
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1 — Edward Hopper, “Haskell's House,” 1924, watercolor over graphite on paperboard, 13 x 19 in., Gift of Herbert A. Goldstone
2 — Paul Cézanne, “House of Père Lacroix,” 1873, oil on canvas, 24 × 19 in., Chester Dale Collection
3 — Jan van der Heyden, “An Architectural Fantasy,” 1670, oil on oak panel, 19 x 27 in., Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
4 — Claude Monet, “The Artist's Garden in Argenteuil (A Corner of the Garden with Dahlias),” 1873, oil on canvas, 24 x 32 in., Gift of Janice H. Levin
What if there were no male artists?
It’s a question that author Katy Hessel explores in her new bestselling book “The Story of Art without Men.” Now, Hessel turns the tables on traditional art history once again: this time, with five new essays centering the overlooked stories of women in our collection.
Discover the side of art history they probably didn’t tell you in school 🔎👉🏽 www.rb.gy/qvbjkm
What happens when some of the world's best artists walk into an art museum?
🎹 A musical performance by artist Lonnie Holley
📖 A live reading of “Stitching Love and Loss: A Gee’s Bend Quilt” by author Lisa Gail Collins, ahead of the book’s release
🎤 An artist talk between Sanford Biggers, vanessa german, Renée Stout, Tau Lewis, and Christopher Myers
Join us on March 10 for an unforgettable afternoon with some of the most influential contemporary artists of today 🔎👉🏽 https://rb.gy/2mdcy0
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(🎥 Footage courtesy of Matt Arnett)
(🖌 This program is inspired by our exhibition "Called to Create: Black Artists of the American South," now on view. This event will explore how the exhibition’s themes, artists, and their practices have entered various new worlds—from galleries, to museums, to artists’ studios, to academia—and to what extent they have transformed one another.)
*Reopens laptop after slamming it shut on Friday*
For more than 60 years, Norwegian Artist Edvard Munch experimented with passionate visual expressions of intense human experiences.
Munch’s “The Scream” is one of the most famous images in art history. The artist created this print two years after his iconic painting. Eyes wide with horror, the figure in both paintings is a universal symbol of angst and anxiety…the most relatable embodiment of a Monday morning.
Take a deeper dive to see even more Edvard Munch drawings from our collection 🔎👉🏽 https://rb.gy/idbp5q
🖼 Edvard Munch, “Geschrei (The Scream),” 1895 lithograph, 19 x 15 1/4 in., National Gallery of Art, Washington, Rosenwald Collection, © Munch Museum/Munch Ellingsen Group/ARS, NY 2013
Gustave Caillebotte’s garden is where you find yourself when you need to lose yourself. 🌱✨
As a leader of the impressionist movement, Caillebotte wanted you to feel like you could step inside this painting. By capturing the flickering qualities of sunlight, he wanted the painting to feel like a fleeting moment in time. The artist heightened this feeling by filling the canvas with afternoon shadows and wispy clouds that mollify the light blue sky.
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🖼 Gustave Caillebotte, “Dahlias, Garden at Petit Gennevilliers,” 1893, oil on canvas, 61 x 44 in., Gift of the Scharffenberger Family
"I've been sitting in this position for 263 years. Someone paint me a pillow."
What do you think this sitter was thinking while she posed for this painting? Was she really sleeping?
How can you tell? Some say Pietro Rotari's portraits are so realistic they capture a sitter’s essence. 🔍
The Italian Baroque artist accentuated the intricate, physiological elements in his paintings so that your eyes catch the things you might ordinarily miss: the faint blushing of a cheek, frizz on a lock of hair, gently closed eyelids...
*chef's kiss* Rotari had quite the gift for details. 🤌🏽
🖼 Pietro Rotari, “A Sleeping Girl,” 1760/1762, oil on canvas, 17 x 13 in., Samuel H. Kress Collection
Spring arrived early at the National Gallery😍🌸
Can't wait for cherry blossoms? Our iconic pink azaleas are now in bloom, and our West Building Rotunda is bursting with color. ✨
These lovely spring florals are brought to you by our brilliant horticulture team. They ensure that visitors are sure to see beautifully designed and maintained grounds year-round, interior spaces that provide a quiet respite, and stunning seasonal floral displays as seen around the Rotunda.
Plan your visit 🔎👉🏽 www.nga.gov
What happens when some of the world's best artists walk into an art museum?
🎹 A musical performance by artist Lonnie Holley
📖 A live reading of “Stitching Love and Loss: A Gee’s Bend Quilt” by author Lisa Gail Collins, ahead of the book’s release
🎤 An artist talk between Sanford Biggers, vanessa german, Renée Stout, Tau Lewis, and Christopher Myers
Join us on March 10 for an unforgettable afternoon with some of the most influential contemporary artists of today 🔎👉🏽 https://rb.gy/2mdcy0
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(🎥 Footage courtesy of Matt Arnett)
(🖌 This program is inspired by our exhibition "Called to Create: Black Artists of the American South," now on view. This event will explore how the exhibition’s themes, artists, and their practices have entered various new worlds—from galleries, to museums, to artists’ studios, to academia—and to what extent they have transformed one another.)
The wait is over ✨
is officially open. 📍
Stop by our East Building Concourse today to experience the remarkable history and work of one of America’s most influential modern artists.
A witness to social injustice, political corruption, and racism, Guston experienced personal traumas that left an enduring mark on him, and his work. Just as he searched and struggled to understand the world around him and the role of an artist within it, he invites us to do the same. Plan your visit 🔎👉🏽 https://rb.gy/3pbqqi
What if there were no male artists?
It’s a question that author Katy Hessel explores in her new bestselling book “The Story of Art without Men.” Now, Hessel turns the tables on traditional art history once again: this time, with five new essays centering the overlooked stories of women in our collection.
Discover the side of art history they probably didn’t tell you in school 🔎👉🏽 www.rb.gy/qvbjkm
“The wall around the window does not create two worlds.” — Henri Matisse
Matisse's “Open Window, Collioure” is an icon of early modernism. A small but explosive work, it is celebrated as one of the most important early paintings of the fauve school: a group of artists—including André Derain—who decided to paint with very bold, unmixed colors and thick brushstrokes, pushing the art world into a more experimental territory.
The lyrical beauty of this painting belies the optical and conceptual complexity of the work. When it was completed, André Derain wrote that even the shadows in “Collioure” were a "whole world of clarity and luminosity." ✨
What’s more, the painting also contains a dazzling variety of brushstrokes, from long blended marks to short, staccato touches. Matisse represented each area of the composition with a different handling of his paintbrush, creating an overall surface effect of pulsating cross-rhythms.🪄
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🖼 Henri Matisse, “Open Window, Collioure,” 1905, oil on canvas, 21 x 18 in., Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John Hay Whitney
“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.”
— Camille Pissarro
^a mental reset for today
Camille Pissarro, who was committed to socialist principles, identified strongly with the land and with the farmers who cultivated it. While many of his fellow impressionists chose subjects from city life, Pissarro wanted to capture the true essence of the country.
Did you know that Pissarro painted this composition outdoors in a single session? What is it called when artists create their work in the open air? Find the answer 🔎 👉🏽 rb.gy/tjslci
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🖼 Camille Pissarro, “The Fence,” 1872, oil on canvas, 14 x 18 in., Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
📍 West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 87
Pop-up performances, exclusive tours, family art activities and more await you every First Saturday of the month in our East Building. Join us for the next on March 4 🔎👉🏽 rb.gy/ioxgsj
We hope that your only priorities today are resting and wellness.
📖😴
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🖼 Pietro Magni, “The Reading Girl (La Leggitrice),” model 1856, carved 1861, marble, height without base: 48 in., Patrons' Permanent Fund
📍West Building, Ground Floor, Gallery 8
Hands up if you can hear this painting. ✋🏽
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🖼 Ludolf Backhuysen, “Ships in Distress off a Rocky Coast,” 1667, oil on canvas, 45 x 65 in., Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
📍 West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 49
The art you love at an affordable price.💙 Shop our custom prints and get your very own masterpiece delivered to your front door. 🛍👉 rb.gy/ketvxa
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🖼 Mary Cassatt, “Little Girl in a Blue Armchair,” 1878, oil on canvas, 35 x 51 in., Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Welcome to Washington DC circa 1901.
If you wanted a photo taken of yourself in early 1900s DC, your only option was to go to a photography studio. And on Pennsylvania Avenue, a large stretch of studios and galleries were booming with clientele—a clientele that was entirely white.
In a segregated Washington, Black residents had to go elsewhere to sit for portraits with their families. Where did they go? Black Broadway.
In the early 20th century, the historic Black neighborhoods surrounding U Street and Howard University in Northwest Washington, DC were considered the nexus of Black culture, art, and business, second only to Harlem. And the vibrant community was made even more pronounced by the many hundreds of thousands of photographs that were created in the famous Scurlock Studio. Read on 🔎👉🏽 rb.gy/y8aysq
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📷 Addison N. Scurlock, “Shep Allen (center) with newsboys at Howard Theatre,” 1936, negative, Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
📚 Get the full story in our new publication, “Beauty Born of Struggle: The Art of Black Washington” 📖
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Is it true that Leonardo da Vinci bought birds in the Florentine bird market just to set them free? You may be surprised to discover the answer ⬆️💡 In honor of #AskAConservatorDay, a National Gallery of Art conservator and curator answer questions that a few visitors have submitted in our comment box. 📥 Get ready to uncover some fascinating revelations about history’s most renowned artists, and enjoy a few museum facts that may just blow your mind. 🙃 Is there something you’ve always been curious to know? Drop a comment with your question and you may get a response from a National Gallery specialist. ⬇️ Join us to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the conservation division at the National Gallery of Art.✨ In a new online series of recorded talks launching on November 7 and live discussions beginning November 14 on nga.gov, dive deep into the world of conservation. Discover what it actually takes to carefully preserve famous (and very delicate) works of art 🔎👉🏽 bit.ly/3UIxhjd
Mom and Dad. In this series of three photographs, Janine Antoni uses prosthetic makeup to transform her parents into each other. If children look like their parents, then Antoni finds a blended and complicated look at herself in this fabricated family portrait. The work is an exploration of gender roles and a poignant statement on the parental unit as a merging of perceived personalities into a single entity. Did you know that tomorrow is the last day to experience “The Double: Identity and Difference in Art Since 1900?” Add this exhibition to your Halloween plans tomorrow. ✨ Plan your visit 🔎 👉🏽 bit.ly/3Whgl4y __ 📷 Janine Antoni, “Mom and Dad,” 1994, Cibachrome triptych, Courtesy of the artist and Luhring Augustine, New York. Image: © Janine Antoni (@janine_antoni) Courtesy of the artist and @LuhringAugustine, New York
On a scale of 1-10, how much of a cat person are you? We’ll go first: 11. In honor of #NationalCatDay, here are some favorites from our collection 🐈 (Wait for the surprise✨) From big cats to small kittens, artists have represented felines in various forms. For example, lions have been depicted through time as trusted companions of gods or powerful rulers on Earth. While other feline species—domestic cats in particular—often represent more humble qualities: adding sentimentality or tenderness to portraits and still lifes. Do you know which of these paintings was compared to John Singer Sargent’s work when it was first exhibited? Discover the answer 🔎👉🏽 bit.ly/3DkdVd0 ___ Cecilia Beaux, “Sita and Sarita,” 1921, oil on canvas, 44 × 33 in., Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, William A. Clark Fund) Auguste Renoir, “Woman with a Cat,” 1875, oil on canvas, 22 x 18 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin E. Levy Edouard Vuillard, “Théodore Duret,” 1912, oil on cardboard on wood, 37 x 29 in., Chester Dale Collection Sir Peter Paul Rubens, “Daniel in the Lions' Den,” 1614/1616, oil on canvas, 88 x 130 in., Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
It may be October, but Winter is coming ❄️ In five weeks, grab your skates and head to the Sculpture Garden ⛸ The National Gallery of Art ice rink will reopen on November 26. Plan your visit ✨👉🏽 bit.ly/3yO5m8Q
Today, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, transferred ownership of 31 Benin Bronzes to the Nigerian National Collections. The one sculpture from the National Gallery, 29 from NMAfA, and one from RISD Museum are among the first Benin Bronzes to be repatriated to Nigeria by American institutions on the basis of the 1897 British colonial raid of the Royal Palace of Benin. “This is just the beginning of a relationship that we will continue, beyond this historic day. My colleagues at the National Gallery look forward to working with and learning from our colleagues in Nigeria, for years to come,” said National Gallery of Art Director Kaywin Feldman. Learn more about the repatriation ➡️🔎 bit.ly/3VhkKUO
In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, take in the beauty of this meditative experience performed by Navajo pianist and composer Connor Chee. ✨ Chee’s piece, called “Pathways,” is inspired by the traditional Navajo practice of running east toward the rising sun in the morning: “This is to show the Holy People we are ready to work hard and earn their blessings,” said Chee. The tradition is rooted in the Diné belief that a healthy life path is guided by balance, spirituality, and community. Start your day on a serene note ☀️ Experience the full performance 👉🏽 bit.ly/3RS7ram What’s more, you can see Chee perform live in our West Garden Court on November 20. 🎶
John Singer Sargent fell in love with Spain. The prolific American artist traveled to the country many times throughout his life. Each time he visited, he gained a deeper appreciation for the people, art, and music he encountered there. Spain had an enduring impact on Sargent’s artistic imagination and career. Discover how and why this happened when a new exhibition, “Sargent and Spain,” opens 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 in our West Building. ✨ Plan your visit 🔎👉🏽 bit.ly/3Urj62l
Sonia De Los Santos tells heartwarming stories through song—from memories growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, to times spent sitting on her grandmother’s front porch to tales encoded with messages of hope. On October 9, we invite you to hear her sing these songs in Spanish and English in two free concerts for all ages in our West Garden Court. 💛 #HispanicHeritageMonth Reserve your spot 👉🏽 bit.ly/3E2uf49 🎵
The wait is over. After two years, the Alexander Calder mobile has returned to its rightful place in our East Building Atrium.✨ After coming down in 2020 to accommodate the replacement of our Atrium skylight, the museum is thrilled to announce that we have completed reinstallation of the largest mobile Calder ever made. Interesting fact: Did you know that Calder once planned this sculpture to be created with steel? Once the artist realized that the monumental mobile would need to be light enough to respond to the gentle air currents in the Atrium, you’ll never guess who collaborated with the artist to devise a genius solution. Find out who 🔎👉🏽 bit.ly/3Sn4Syk (Alexander Calder, "Untitled," 1976, aluminum and steel, 358 x 911 in., gross weight: 920 lb., Gift of the Collectors Committee)
The only inner dialogue that you can actually see and hear. 🌀✨ “The Double” is an exhibition that flips reality, splits time, and causes us to see ourselves seeing. This is the first major exhibition to consider how and why contemporary artists have employed doubled formats to explore perceptual, conceptual, and psychological themes. So, naturally, we asked museum visitors to explore this concept of “doubling” even further by stepping into our duplication machine and interviewing themselves about their reactions to the show. Stop by our East Building Concourse to immerse yourself in this fascinating exhibition (on view through October 31) ➡️ bit.ly/3yaaZOv 🪞
“Is it ok to touch the art in a museum?” 🤔 You asked. We answered. In honor of #AskAMuseumDay, National Gallery of Art employees answer questions visitors submitted in the museum’s comment box. And we can confidently say, you are in for one enjoyable experience. Is there something you’ve always been curious to know? Drop a comment with a question you may have about art or museums and you may get a response from a National Gallery specialist. ⬇️ Watch the full episode on the museum’s YouTube channel 📺👉👉bit.ly/3RJvbOV
Winter is coming ❄️ Tomorrow marks the first day of ice skating at the National Gallery of Art ⛸ Starting at 11 a.m., our Sculpture Garden fountain becomes a frozen wonderland 🌬 Come glide through the ice with us and sip on some hot cocoa—free for all skaters opening weekend ✨➡️ go.usa.gov/xeX9N
Have you ever been in a quiet environment, and felt the urge to laugh loudly? It takes an unbelievable amount of skill to refrain from laughing out loud when your thoughts are as funny as Haywood’s. 😂 If you like art as much as you like a good joke, this family program is for you: Starting Sunday, Nov. 14, join comedian, Haywood Turnipseed — who’s worked at the National Gallery of Art for over six years as a lead telecommunications specialist — to channel your inner stand-up writing punchlines inspired by works of art by some of the greats. Come for the art, stay for the comedy, and come back again for Haywood’s infectious laugh (trust us, it’s the best you’ll ever hear). Sessions available Sunday at 10am and 12pm, and Tuesday at 5pm ➡️ nga.gov/calendar.html
Now open at the National Gallery of Art: “The New Woman Behind the Camera,” a new exhibition celebrating women who made revolutionary changes in life and in the field of photography in the early 20th century ✨ 🏛Don’t miss this groundbreaking exhibition on view at the National Gallery ➡️ go.usa.gov/xe2sA
Enter if you dare… While you won’t step on any toes, be careful not to get trapped in this haunted house from the 1400s, courtesy of Hieronymus Bosch. In this painting, Bosch shows us the last moments in the life of a miser, just before his eternal fate is decided. A little monster peeping out from under the bed curtains tempts the miser with a bag of gold…an angel kneeling at the right encourages him to acknowledge the crucifix in the window…. Then death, holding an arrow, enters the grim scene. 🖼 Hieronymus Bosch, “Death and the Miser," 1485/1490, oil on panel, 36 x 12 in., Samuel H. Kress Collection
Behold: the power of the sea… 🌊 #ArtASMR Now open at the National Gallery of Art: “Clouds, Ice, and Bounty: The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Collection of Seventeenth-Century Dutch and Flemish Paintings” — a new exhibition featuring some of the finest productions from artists including Frans Snyders, Jacob van Ruisdael, and more. One of our favorites featured in the show is Simon de Vlieger’s arresting marine landscapes, “Estuary at Day's End.” See this painting up close and in person at the National Gallery through February 2022. Learn more about “Clouds, Ice, and Bounty” ➡️ http://go.usa.gov/xM76Y ✨ 🖼 Simon de Vlieger, “Estuary at Day's End,” 1640/1645, oil on panel, Patrons’ Permanent Fund and The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund in memory of Kathrine Dulin Folger
Your imagination when you stare at Jean Siméon Chardin’s “Soap Bubbles” long enough… Did you know that, in the 18th century, bubbles were not only a form of entertainment but also symbols of the transience of life? ✨ The artist, French Painter Jean–Siméon Chardin, was celebrated during his time for the simplicity and formal harmony of his scenes of everyday life. Chardin, the son of a Parisian cabinetmaker, was so revered that Louis XV gave him an art studio and living quarters in the Louvre later in his life. 🖼 Jean Siméon Chardin, “Soap Bubbles,” probably 1733/1734, oil on canvas, 36 x 29 in., Gift of Mrs. John W. Simpson
Like the light of California. A lot of the colors in artist Sarah Cain’s work reminds her of the view from her Los Angeles studio window. What do these colors remind you of? If you haven’t had a chance to see Sarah Cain’s (@sarahcainstudio) installation “My favorite season is the fall of the patriarchy,” it’s time to make a visit this weekend. ✨ Cain's work will temporarily be deinstalled, as we remove the central painting on October 4 in coordination with the skylight construction project. The ongoing skylight replacement and renovations presented an opportunity to invite Cain to create a temporary site-responsive work that incorporates the construction wall and protective sculpture coverings. We're grateful for the vitality and vibrancy Cain’s installation has added to the East Building’s Atrium since it was unveiled on June 18. We'll keep you updated! 📸 by @dyne
An abstract artist, a teacher, a dream chaser, a lover of nature… Artist Alma Thomas was all of the above. While many are just now learning about the late artist’s legacy, there’s no denying that once you hear her story, you’ll never forget her name. Get to know Alma Thomas on behalf of the city that loved her. #AlmaThomasDC And after, join us this weekend for a celebration of her life and legacy at the National Gallery ➡️ bit.ly/3o5MdLa
Happy #AlmaThomasDay ❤️ Today, Mayor Bowser announced that September 22 is officially “Alma Thomas Day.” What makes the day even more special is that today would have been the late artist’s birthday. But who is Alma Thomas? Yes, she was an abstract artist, but to many, especially those in the DC community, she was so much more. This week and next, join us, the Phillips Collection, and other institutions across DC to celebrate the life and legacy of artist Alma Thomas by taking part in virtual and in-person events in honor of the artist’s lasting legacy.✨ Join the celebration 🎊➡️ go.usa.gov/xM5CR Stay tuned for more events to come this month and follow along with us on social to learn more an important part of DC history.
Starting this Wednesday (Sept. 22), the National Gallery welcomes you to join us in honoring the life and legacy of Washington, DC artist Alma Thomas. ✨Join us ➡️ go.usa.gov/xM8JC ✨ Featuring Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Studio Museum Director Thelma Golden, Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander, and more, the festivities kick off on Wednesday at 5 p.m. #AlmaThomasDC
When life gives you Monday, dip it in glitter ✨ Since the late 1960s, artist Lynda Benglis has been expanding the boundaries traditionally assigned to materials and gender with bold, physical, and tactile works. In the 1970s, Benglis began making sparkle knots: tied tubes of wire mesh wrapped in cotton bunting and embellished with decorative elements. Benglis described her decoration as “Pollock-izing the knots with…flakes of sparkle,” in reference to Jackson Pollock’s painting technique. See this and other works by the visionary artist in a special exhibition of Lynda Benglis’ work, on view on the East Building’s Mezzanine through January 2, 2022. 🔎 See more details and get a virtual tour of the exhibition ➡️ go.usa.gov/xMjnr 🖼 Lynda Benglis, “Sparkle Knot XII,” 1972, aluminum wire mesh, cotton bunting, plaster, paint, and glitter, Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection, 2007.6.90
Be right back…daydreaming about wandering through the streets of Paris in 1908 ✨#ArtASMR This decorative screen is a painted view from Edouard Vuillard’s apartment window. In the summer of 1908, Vuillard took up residence in a fifth-floor Parisian flat at 26, rue de Calais, which would remain his home for the next eighteen years. During this time, he painted several street scenes from his window. Stare at this painting with us in person any day you’d like from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 🖼 Edouard Vuillard, “Place Vintimille,” 1911, five-panel screen, distemper on paper laid down on canvas, 90 x 23 in. per panel, Gift of Enid A. Haupt (located in our West Building on the Main Floor: Gallery 80)
Unlocking the secrets of Vermeer 🔎✨ See what lies beneath the surface of a Johannes Vermeer painting from 1664 with advanced imaging technology courtesy of our curators, conservators, and imaging scientists 🔬 And take an even deeper dive in a fascinating new piece on our blog by our associate senior editor, John Strand ➡️ go.usa.gov/xFeen 🖼 Johannes Vermeer, “Woman Holding a Balance,” 1664, oil on canvas, 15 5/8 x 14 in., Widener Collection
“Into Bondage” is a depiction of African people captured into slavery, bound for the Americas, as a central figure gazes toward the sky, conveying a sense of hope. Aaron Douglas, one of the most accomplished and influential visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance, created this painting in 1936 for the “Hall of Negro Life” at the Texas Centennial Exposition, the first recognition of Black culture at a world’s fair. 🆕 Coming to the National Gallery this Spring: "Afro-Atlantic Histories," a new exhibition that visually explores the impact and legacy of the African Diaspora across four continents through works of art from the 17th to 21st centuries, including Douglas’s “Into Bondage.” Stay tuned for more information about this unprecedented exhibition opening April 10, 2022, at the National Gallery, and get a sneak peek when it debuts at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston on October 24. "Afro-Atlantic Histories" is co-organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the MASP - Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand in collaboration with the National Gallery of Art. Major support for this exhibition is provided by the Ford Foundation. 🖼 Aaron Douglas, “Into Bondage,” 1936, oil on canvas, 48 × 36 in., Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase and partial gift from Thurlow Evans Tibbs, Jr., The Evans-Tibbs Collection), © 2021 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Everything is beautiful. This is how artist Alma Thomas viewed the world. The National Gallery of Art is proud to honor the life and work of this pioneering artist and Washingtonian through a citywide celebration coming this September. 🎊 And starting September 22, we’re kicking things off with our John Wilmerding Symposium on American Art ✨ In partnership with arts and educational institutions across DC, the symposium will honor the lifelong creative practice and legacy of Alma with an emphasis on Washington history. 🖌 Learn more about Wilmerding and the other outstanding events to come next month ➡️ go.usa.gov/xFvkJ And in the meantime, visit AlmaThomasDC.org for more details and let us know how you #FindBeautyInTheEveryday ____ In proud partnership with The Phillips Collection, American University, Howard University, DC Public Library, Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery, National Museum of Women in the Arts, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Destination DC, and Visit Washington DC.
#ArtASMR — Watch this 19th-century painting by Gauguin come to life and transport you to the French pastoral town of Brittany. 🌾 In 1888, Gauguin defined his goal for this painting as "…synthesis of form and color derived from the observation of only the dominant element." 🐄 Moooove your eye across the horizontal procession of the cows in the foreground…notice how this even line across the canvas mirrors the structure of the entire composition — the entire painting is arranged into bands of idyllic fields and farmlands, layered one on the other. 🖼 Paul Gauguin, “Haystacks in Brittany,” 1890, oil on canvas, 29 x 36 in., Gift of the W. Averell Harriman Foundation (West Building, Main Floor - Gallery 83)
How do you create a site-responsive installation thousands of miles from the site? Ask artist Sarah Cain. If you've visited our East Building as of late, you've noticed that the Atrium has a colorful new addition. ✨ Thanks to @sarahcainstudio, the interior of the building is temporarily bursting with vibrant flows of day-glo hues, giving the space a fresh, new *and* pulsing energy. 🖌 Yet, did you know that the artist planned this massive work of art across the country, in her Los Angeles studio? #MicDrop If you haven’t had a chance to discover this dynamic, exuberantly-colored installation yet, stop by the National Gallery of Art to fully immerse yourself ➡️ nga.gov/visit "It’s sort of like exploring for treasures or something. The closer you get, the more there is." — Sarah Cain
What’s your favorite Olympic moment of all time? 🏆 This one's ours… Five runners grimacing as they muster all they have to stride toward the finish line. Artist Jacob Lawrence created this screenprint to commemorate Black athletes participating in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Lawrence captured the strength and determination of these runners, who competed on a world stage in spite of the discrimination they faced at home and abroad. Because the 1972 Olympics took place in Germany, Lawrence’s image also served as a powerful reminder of another historic Olympics held in Berlin in 1936 during Hitler’s Nazi regime, where runner Jesse Owens defied racial stereotypes to be the first American track and field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics. ✨ 🖼 Jacob Lawrence, “Olympic Games,” 1971, color screenprint on wove paper, 34 × 25 in., Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of the Print Research Foundation
What’s your favorite Olympic moment of all time? 🏆 This one's ours… Five runners grimacing as they muster all they have to stride toward the finish line. Artist Jacob Lawrence created this screenprint to commemorate Black athletes participating in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Lawrence captured the strength and determination of these runners, who competed on a world stage in spite of the discrimination they faced at home and abroad. Because the 1972 Olympics took place in Germany, Lawrence’s image also served as a powerful reminder of another historic Olympics held in Berlin in 1936 during Hitler’s Nazi regime, where runner Jesse Owens defied racial stereotypes to be the first American track and field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics. ✨ 🖼 Jacob Lawrence, “Olympic Games,” 1971, color screenprint on wove paper, 34 × 25 in., Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of the Print Research Foundation
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