Visit to NYC and MMA.

9-13-15 SHORT HILLS: Yesterday we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the MMA, to see the John Singer Sargent exhibit, which closes soon. There are rooms full of people from the turn of the previous century, including writers, artists and sculptors and their families, such as RLS, Claude Monet and Augustus St. Gaudens. The important objects, faces, some clothes are done in detail, but less important things and background are not detailed. It’s like a photo where the face or flower is in focus and the rest of the picture is out of focus. The Monets are done in an Impressionist manner. Later people are done in charcoal sketches. We also hit the roof garden and some old favorites. Worth a visit.

We got more rain last night and everything in the yard looks perky now. We got two inches in total.

New blooms: white star clematis [forgot to mention last time].


I just found this shot in my phone. I took it when we were looking at a house in Vermont with friends.  How big was that tree when the barn was put up? How long ago?

From the Sargent exhibition at the MMA - 'Madame X', was originally painted with the right strap off the shoulder, which caused such a scandal that Sargent fled Paris for London, and he repainted the strap as you see it.

Sargent/MMA 'Lily Millet'.

Sargent/MMA, 'Mrs. Hugh Hammersley', quite a dress.

Sargent/MMA - wife and son of Augustus St. Gaudens.

Diana/MMA by St. Gaudens stood atop Madison Sq. Garden in a previous incarnation.

From the MMA roof garden looking toward Central Park South. The clouds did deliver rain later in the day. That tall skinny one is the new, ultra-expensive condo building on 57th St.