Museum of Fine Arts: going solo ♥

There are two types of people in this world.  Museum people and non-museum people.  I am a museum person.  I love them.  I especially love them on rainy Sunday afternoons.  By myself. 

I don't mind going places alone.  When I was in my twenties I would never have attempted such things.  Now that I'm older it truly doesn't bother me at all.  I enjoy the quietness and not having to talk.  I don't mean for that to sound strange, but I spend so much of my day talking and trying to please other people,  sometimes I crave that alone time. 

This past Sunday,  Rob and John were having a special father/son day so I took the opportunity to go into Boston to the Museum of Fine Arts.  Boston if full of so many wonderful museums. 

This one is my favorite. 

I spent 4 hours at the museum on Sunday.  Here is just a small sample of some of things I saw...

This weekend the MFA was having their annual Art in Bloom exhibit.  Garden clubs from around the state are assigned a piece of artwork and they make their "interpretation" of it out of flowers.  It's always interesting to see what peoples visions are.  This was the icing on the cake. 

I picked a good day to go!

Whenever I go to a museum I always gravitate to the things I love most.  The familiar.  And if I experience something new along the way then so be it. 

My first stop is the impressions room in the Art of Europe section. 

There was a very well dressed couple posing in front of this painting, coping the pose.

 I snapped this picture just as they left. 

Did I also mention that I love people watching "museum people"? 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Dance at Bougival, 1883

Claude Monet ♥

Water Lilies, 1907

The Water Lily Pond, 1900

Vincent van Gogh ♥

Ravine, 1889

After I've checked the "must sees" off my list I can relax and start exploring. I love history and reading about how other people lived in different time eras.  Seeing artifacts in real life pulls me into the experience of it. 

This is a 17th century bed. I feel like I've read about this bed in a book.  Maybe every historical novel I've ever read. 

How they lived....

The tableware of a 16th century French king. 

I get lost in halls like this.  I'm one of those annoying people who stop and read everything.

*plus I paid the extra $5 for the headset and had a guided tour : )

Rooms like this make me swoon. 

Imagine those sculptures were made all my hand. No machines.  Incredible.

I stopped to refuel with a coffee and a chocolate hazelnut croissant ♥

Coffee with a view ♥

Silver from the German royal court in 1747.

 Here are some of the flower arrangements that were scattered through the galleries.  Sorry if my photos aren't that great.  There were big crowds around them and I only had seconds to snap a picture.

This one was submitted by my town, Weymouth. 

It was also (by sheer coincidence) my favorite!

On display were three original Tiffany windows, 1886-1889.

Aren't they beautiful?

And a Tiffany lamp, 1910 ♥

I spent a big chunk of my day in the Art of America section.  John has been learning about the American Revolution in Social Studies this year, so the events are very fresh in my head. 

I told him all about the things I saw.  He wasn't impressed.  I didn't imagine he would be : ) 

Gilbert Stuart

Washington at Dorchester Heights, 1806

Some of the painting are massive in size.  They must have taken ages to complete.

Colonial chairs from Boston homes.

For all my tea loving friends.....♥

This portrait of Ann Tyng was painted by John Singleton Copley in 1756.  I adore her pink tea set. 

I think we have more in common with historical people than we realize ♥

Beautiful furniture that looks like something you would find in your grandmother's house.  I remember mine had a secretary desk similar to this one.  These pieces were made in Newport Rhode Island in the mid 1700's.  I wonder what filled those drawers back then. No doubt something embroidered and lovely.

Instruments from the 1600's.  They haven't changed all that much : )

A harpsichord from Paris, 1736.  I'm dreaming of the beautiful chamber music played in French palaces, while the ladies dance for the King. 

Clearly I've seen too many period movies....:)

I've only scratched the surface, but you get the idea.  If you ever travel to Boston I highly recommend taking an afternoon to visit here.  I promise you won't regret it!

That night my legs were tired from all the walking, but it was worth every step.  I left with new knowledge and insight into many things.  I enjoyed my day very much ♥