We were up around 7 a.m. to get ready to go to the Capital City to tour a Rembrandt exhibit. The exhibit is on tour in four cities in America, and the museum in the Capital City is the last stop before the paintings go back to London.
We packed individual lunches to take with us. We packed them individually, so that in case we could not find a picnic area, or if it was too hot, or stormy, to eat outdoors, we could enjoy our lunches in the van. We also took along an ice chest of water and cold drinks, as well as pump pots of coffee. The lunch consisted of chicken salad sandwiches on bread rounds, veggie chips, and slices of spice cake with whipped topping.
We arrived at the museum around 10:30, and spent two hours viewing the 48 works by not only Rembrandt, but if Van Dyck and Gainsborough. This exhibit included an audio feature that could be accessed by a cell phone number that asked for the viewer's phone number. I tried this several times, but simply could not access the audio, because it kept asking me for a staff number, which of course I didn't have.
So I asked a docent about it, and he was as baffled as I was. He said he would bring this glitch to the attention of staff. However, the audio could also be accessed by scanning a QR code. Naturally, I didn't have the app for that, but the docent, a very young man, downloaded the app on my phone, and then I was off and running.
The audio enhanced enjoyment of the exhibit, since it gave extra interesting tidbits about the paintings above the narratives posted on the walls near the works. I played the audio on speaker so Mother and Sis could also hear it. Hubbie, in typical fashion, had dashed off ahead to make his way through the exhibit as soon as possible, so he could sit and relax, while we leisurely enjoyed the paintings.
These masterpieces showcase life in the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s, mainly among the aristocracy, though a few feature rural life, going to market, and animal husbandry. Most aspects of human life are depicted...childhood, adolescence, young love, and aging, as well as fashions of the day, work, leisure, and cultural pursuits.
Many of the works were painted not only for beauty, but also as social, religious, and political commentary. The commentary, unless interpreted, is generally lost on today's viewer...just political cartoons of today, without interpretation, would be meaningless to future generations.
But once the viewer reads the accompanying narratives, and listens to the audio comments, the paintings become more relevant and fascinating to study, because they the tell stories of past ages.
Following the tour, we hoped to find a picnic table at which to enjoy our lunch, but there was only one under a shade tree, and another family already occupied it. So we ate in the air conditioned van, and watched ducks go about their business, including one male that waddled close to a female. At one point, he asserted his claim on the female by attacking and chasing away another male. During this tiff, the female flew off to another areas. But the male soon located her and continued waddling right behind her.
It was around 1:30 when we finished lunch, and we headed home. Got back a couple of hours later, and around 4 p.m. I put leftover lasagna in the oven to heat for supper. We had that with salad, cottage cheese, and buttered French bread.
After supper, we played Skipbo. Sis won two games, and Hubbie and Mother each won one. Nada for me.
Good day.
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