How exciting to see one of my favorite paintings in the flesh! I first (and last) saw the real “Olympia” by Manet in Paris in 1978. She has hung on my wall, in small reproduction form, ever since in Ithaca, Boston, Stamford, Wichita, Kansas City, Des Moines and, of late, Chicago. I forgot how big the original was.
I gasped when I spotted another favorite “The Balcony” in the distance. I came for Olympia. The Balcony was a bonus! I am between posters for The Balcony. Or was until I bought a small reproduction at this show. My original poster got water damage a few years ago. I last saw the balcony in the Mid-1980s and not one but two friends got me the poster as a gift. Fond memories.
The show at The Met, BTW, is Manet and degas who were friends and rivals. I prefer Manet but was impressed by Degas in this show and it was interesting to see the two artists work side by side, sometimes of the same scene – for example a beach / and see the different choices they made, from color (Manet = more vivid) to perspective to moment.
TakeBetsywithyou 