The renovated American Paintings galleries had opened on January 16,
so I was eager to see them as soon as possible and compare to the MFA’s new Art
of the Americas wing. As expected, the Met does a wonderful job of showcasing all
periods and all regions of America.
Particularly striking were the huge, detailed landscapes by Frederick
Church and others in the Hudson River School. There were also paintings and
sculptures of the American West, which are lacking in Boston.
However, I concluded that the MFA has a better collection of the several key portrait painters: John Smibert (Colonial), John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart (early Federal), and John Singer Sargent (19th-20th Century) -- all of whom worked in Boston for at least some of their careers. Sargent, in fact, painted the ceilings of the MFA’s colonnade and rotunda. While the Met has the infamous Madam X, the MFA claims the largest collection of Sargent paintings. The MFA also shares possession (with the National Portrait Gallery) of the original Washington portrait from which all of Stuart's others are based -- including the one of the cover of the Met's map and guide.
The huge 12 x 21-foot painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware has a new frame that's supposed to replicate the original frame
However, I concluded that the MFA has a better collection of the several key portrait painters: John Smibert (Colonial), John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart (early Federal), and John Singer Sargent (19th-20th Century) -- all of whom worked in Boston for at least some of their careers. Sargent, in fact, painted the ceilings of the MFA’s colonnade and rotunda. While the Met has the infamous Madam X, the MFA claims the largest collection of Sargent paintings. The MFA also shares possession (with the National Portrait Gallery) of the original Washington portrait from which all of Stuart's others are based -- including the one of the cover of the Met's map and guide.
The huge 12 x 21-foot painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware has a new frame that's supposed to replicate the original frame
Our family with the same painting in 2005. I kind of like the salon style gallery
Madam X may be Sargent's best known painting, but the MFA has more
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