Blog 2, MFA, the American Wing, with Mark Slawson

After all the Asian we wound up in the American wing, worked through there for an hour, then went to dinner in the new restaurant "465" (the museum's address on Huntington Ave)(lovely restaurant, delicious small plates, ridiculously expensive wine-by-the-glass, I mean really, $15. per glass), and then wound up in the "Gender Bending" clothing design exhibit.  Faaaabulous!

Samuel MCIntire  1757-1811

Chest-on-chest

William Hook  1777-1867

Two rooms from the Oak House

taken with the pano function on an I phone

Desk and bookcase

Rhode Island (Newport) about 1755-70

Absolutely jaw-dropping

John Singleton Copley

Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Winslow  1773

I've been visiting art museums all my life, including some of the greatest, and to be honest, I have never been taken with

portraits.  Until I saw this one, this week.  It is breathtaking.  The portrait makes you want to sit down and get to know them both.  He looks like a man you would immediately like and enjoy, and the same for her.  She looks as if she has

some deep, and very meaningful memory going on, or reacting to what he has just said. 

He looks like he is thinking, "Eh? Eh? Am I right?"

There are other portraits in and around the Copleys, but they just enhance his accomplishments. 

John Singleton Copley

Boy with a Flying Squirrel (Henry Pelham) 1765

detail of above

According to the description, Copley was very ambitious, and wanted very much to have an international reputation. 

He sent this to Sir Joshua Reynolds, the great English painter, who wrote back, complimented him, 

and invited him to England.

Thomas Birch

Engagement between the "Unites State" and the "Macedonian"  1813

I recently finished "Six Frigates", the story of the creation of the American Navy during the war of 1812, 

by Iam W. Toll, a very good read.  So it was great to see these two nauticals of two important engagements. 

Thomas Birch

Engagement Between the "Constitution" and the "Guerriere" 1813

The battle where the English broadsides bounced off the live oak sides of 

the "Constitution", earning her the title "Old Ironsides"

Gilbert Stuart

John Adams  1823

Horation Greenough

"Arno"  1839

Desk and bookcase

Mexico(Puebla de los Angeles), mid-18th century

detail of above

Diego Romero 

American (Cochiti), born in 1964

Mok a sushi bowl  

Santa Fe, 1999

Alessandro Trincone

Ensemble from the "Annodami" collection 2017

The Gender-bending clothing exhibit was not only some of the most creative clothing

imaginable, but the exhibit's environment was a work of art in itself.  

Victor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren

Look 32 from "One Woman Show"  2003-4

Walter Van Beirendonck

Woest (Fierce): Ensemble  2017-18

Maybe the most beautiful male ensemble in the show.  But I think you would have to weigh about 

120 to really look good in it.  Maybe in a later life. 

I mean, why should women have all the fun?

more male/female outfits.