TRIP TO HYDE 2020

We took a ride up to Glens Falls, to the Hyde Museum.  The virus in Warren county is very low, and these museums tend to be underattended.

This was no exception.  To go we needed to make reservations to enter, but we could do that and pay nothing by noting our NARM membership through the Clark.  I was a bit anxious because our membership had expired.  I joined again on line, but it will take a while to get the cards.  However, Clark sent a letter with all the information to use while the card was arriving.  As it turned out, the woman did not question our membership.  Perhaps she saw us with all the supporting paperwork.

That saved us $20.

As it turned out, we were two of perhaps five people in the entire museum.  We never were in a room with anyone else, nor rushed to finish.  Most of the other people we saw were guards.

Photography was allowed in most places, but the place was extremely dark, so they don't have much quality.  I take them more to remember what I experienced than to record anything approaching what we saw and experienced.

Our visit was limited to an hour, although I don't think it was enforced.  It was plenty of time for us.    

After the Museum we went to Cooper's Cave and sat outside.  It was very popular.  The Museum guard recommended it.  It was  just a burger place, but fine for us.  I ate chicken wings and had a great side salad.  Elizabeth had a ground salmon burger, but was not impressed.  The iced tea had an unusual taste, very refreshing.

One new exhibit did not let me take photos.  It was very modern and much of it loses me.  We did see one piece by this artist.  The title was very interesting, but I can't find it.  It may have been "The Acroatic Rectangle per Eighteen," 

It may even have been a different piece.  He seems to do these rectangles often. Why "acroatic" is used is beyond me.  That would mean a rectangle that could hear or be heard.

There was also a piece that was squares mounted on thin wire at four levels.  A fan about them kept them spinning and that kept the wired parts circling.  

I can't find any note that the Hyde even has this exhibit.  Perhaps it is not temporary.  I am not a fan of the very abstract.

Below are photos I took.  The newest exhibits also included work of the photographper J>S> Wooley.

https://www.hydecollection.org/exhibition/j-s-wooley-adirondack-photographer/

I live old photography and Wooley was very good.  He took shots of Lake George and other landscape with no people in them.  

https://www.hydecollection.org/exhibition/tradition-russian-lacquer-paintings/

These flying boats seemed fascinating.  What great fun.

On display were also some of the cameras used.

This was a great deal of money in those days.

There was a small exhibit of Russian Laquer.

https://www.hydecollection.org/exhibition/tradition-russian-lacquer-paintings/

It was interesting, but the pieces were too small for this one eye to really absorb.

Here is a Winslow Homer.

I did a mirror selfie

This is a very unusual Picasso

I always like seeing El Greco.  As well as my response to the art, there is a flash of memory of my days in Spain.  This is a particularly interesting piece.  I'm fascinated with the elongation of the hand as well as its strange position.   This poor fellow was related to Jesus, and beaten to death.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Less

This is really a wonderful portrait. Very realistic.

The house is part of the tour.  It was rich in wood and antiques and paintings and bookshelves.  There is a delightful inner courtyard with a grand skylight.

We have a post card of this piece on our bedroom wall along with a very similar piece by an artist we met in Italy when we visited.  We bought the print from him, and he used up any profit by opening a bottle of wine to toast the purchase.  Grand fellow!

There is some information here as well

https://www.hydecollection.org/blog/

There was a huge lumber operation just behind the museum, but it was difficult to photograph.

 

TRIP TO HYDE IN 2015

 With our friend Peter in the hospital and having a serious time of it, we could not go up to Vermont next week where there was limited wi-fi.   

So, we met Elizabeth's old roommate and Eddie at a grand diner in Glens Falls.  I loved the place.  The food was on my diet and good.  There were books.  We had a fine visit.

From their books I brought a biography, The Life and Death of Andy Warhol. I've skimmed it for some interesting bits, but I'm still not a great Warhol fan.

From there we went to the Hyde museum.  I had heard a woman on NPR discussing the two newest shows, Winslow Homer and Andy Warhol.  She talked to bridge the gap in their differences and explain how the two shows might easily fit together

http://wamc.org/term/hyde-collection#stream/0

hit "listen" to hear the discussion.

Well, I just don't get Warhol.  Cara with her art background tried to help, to show me the value of these very minimal sketches, but I continue to think of this more as presenting a celebrity who challenged the ideas of art and less of anything of value.  I'm sure, given the on of his painting just sold for 32 million the problem is more mine than Warhole's.

I did come to like the Marilyn Monroe paintings and once saw them in some gallery now long forgotten.  There was no Marilyn at this exhibit.

I did enjoy the Homer.  These were wood engravings.  Homer would sketch out what he wanted and skilled carvers would create the wood to make the prints.  I like his paintings better except for the watercolors which I like less than these detailed prints. 

 

 

This is Gloucester Harbor

I've seen many versions of this "Snap the Whip" piece.  It is part of the art that focuses on boys who would have been like the boys my grandfather grew up with.  I probably like them because of that.

We saw the print for this painting, but not the painting.  It was a bit creepy.  Here was a union sniper waiting to ambush a Confederate officer.  His buttons are missing so there is no glint from the sun to give him away.

***************

 

Then we toured the permanent collection.  I know I've seen this before, but I did not remember much except the courtyard.  I liked these collected pieces very much and was very excited to see El Greco in the mix.  I responded to it in a way I have not responded to El Greco in decades, perhaps never.  

Then a print of this one is on our wall in the bedroom.  It seemed a good companion to the print we bought from friends of Craig in Italy on our trip.  We met the artist and he opened a bottle of wine to celebrate the buying of the $20 print.  They went his profits.





Perhaps we bought it at the Hyde in some long ago visit that we now cannot remember.

Along with the works of art was the comfortable feel of the rooms which were real rooms in what had been a real house. Some of the antique furniture caught my sense of beauty, especially some of the wood pieces.  I do love wood grain looks.







The photograph does not do this piece justice.




The marble top really looked modern in design





Elizabeth liked this bathroom.

I normally don't respond too well to Madonna scenes, but I liked this one.  The overview of the ocean helped.

 

Cara likes this artist.

 

 

 

Here Eddie poses in one of the rooms

This scene reminded me a bit of one of my favorites at The Clark called The Amorous Proposal.  The same technique seems to be used to  highling the woman getting water.

 

 

 

This Renoir is certainly on of the calendar pictures my mother had above the stove.  I was always curious about them.  Mom was distainful, but it was a free calendar from the Buffalo Evening News.

 

 

 

 

By Catholic Digest Staff


St. James the Lesser
Feast Day May 3
 
James the Lesser, meaning younger, is traditionally celebrated as being the author of a letter in the New Testament. His mother is thought to have been a sister or close relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to Jewish custom, James was sometimes called the brother of the Lord, which could refer to any male relative. Their family ties gave rise to the idea that Jesus and James might have shared some similar traits in appearance, and the speculation that their physical likeness could have been the reason for Judas having to identify Jesus with a kiss. Also known as James the Just because of his righteousness and devotion, James became the first bishop of Jerusalem.