With just one day in New York and in the aftermath of an arduous journey, the priorities were a walk in Central Park (what an oasis), some good food, and getting a feel for the place. We (I’m travelling with my partner, Kit Kelen) had a wonderful introduction to Philly before we’d even left New York, learning about the city and its art world through a serendipitous meeting with a couple of Pennsylvanian locals who we met at the railway station (and again, by chance, in the Art Museum).
In Philadelphia, we were struck by the urban cityscape, the murals, and the three excellent art venues which are all within easy walking distance of one another: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, and the Barnes Foundation. Highlights at the Philadelphia Museum of Art included an exhibition of works by Cezanne and Matisse, and a huge Mary Cassatt exhibition. It was wonderful to see Cassatt’s prints – I hadn’t realised she was a prolific printmaker as well as a painter – and especially interesting to see the four- colour etchings that were inspired by her delight in Japanese prints. The Barnes Foundation included a huge number of works – I especially appreciated seeing quite a few more Cezanne paintings. I learned, thanks to an excellent presentation, about the Barnes the man and the history of his collection, and the egalitarian and education-centred principles that motivated him.
