Last week I went on a field trip. Everyone at the office was given a free day off anytime during July with the stipulation that we do something special. Wasn't that nice!
My first couple of ideas didn't pan out and it is just as well that they did not because I ended up having such a wonderful time.
I took myself downtown to The High Museum to see 35 masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age including Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Oh, my! What a treat! I bought a Dutch Lunch ticket which was admission + lunch and just wandered around leisurely. I don't always do leisurely so this made it extra special. I lingered over breakfast, casually drove down, and took my time at the exhibits.
I loved seeing these large portraits, marriage portraits by Frans Hals depicting Jacob Olycan and his wife Aletta Hanemans. Look at all that lace! Imagine being able to paint that. Or being able to capture the black on black brocade of his jacket. The details in these were absolutely amazing.
This is View of Haarlem with Bleaching Grounds (ca 1670-1675). Again, amazing detail but from such a long distance. I learned from this that the linen industry was important to the city's economy and the linen was laid out in the sun to bleach all around the edges of the city, a process that took several months. I had been so intent on looking at the clouds and the church in the distance that I hadn't even noticed the linen until I read the notes.
Such a wonderful trip. I really should get out more often. : )
