The best part about the Smithsonian museums is that they offer free access to some of the world’s best collections right here in the District of Columbia. A favorite museum of ours here at FamousDC is the National Gallery of Art. The NGA is home to some of the most amazing paintings in the world, and is a great place to go on a fall afternoon. Here are some paintings that you just can’t miss.
Leonardo da Vinci’s, “Portrait of Ginevra de’Benci”
Not everyone can say that they live minutes from paintings done by a great artist from the Italian Renaissance. However, in D.C. you can. While in the NGA, make it a point to go see da Vinci’s work. Like we said, it’s not something everyone can do during their lunch break, but us Washingtonian’s most definitely can.
Vincent Van Gogh’s, “Self-Portrait”
Van Gogh has remained a mystery to many of us. We know his story, but we never really knew what was going on in his mind. But, like many of us, we can get a better sense of who he was through his own “selfie.” Van Gogh’s self-portrait is a can’t miss in the NGA because it brings us just a little closer to understanding the amazing painter himself.
Vincent Van Gogh’s, “Roses”
In addition to his self-portrait, one can’t go to the NGA without checking out some of Van Gogh’s other works. A master at the swirled brush stroke, museumgoers to should definitely stop and take in Van Gogh’s “Roses.” It’s a beautiful work that will make you want to go pick up some white roses for yourself as soon as you leave the gallery.
Pablo Picasso’s, “Family of Saltimbanques”
We all know Picasso for his famous cubism technique. However, those of you who really know Picasso’s history, you’ll know that he went through a “rose period.” “Family of Saltimbanques” is from this period of Picasso’s career, and is located in a room alongside many of his other paintings, being the largest work on the wall. It’s highly recommended to stop and marvel at the painting to get a better feel for Picasso’s earlier career.
Pablo Picasso’s, “Le Gourmet”
In addition to his “rose period,” Picasso also went through a “blue period,” where his works and narratives were told through shades of blue. “Le Gourmet” is located in the same room as “Family of Saltimbanques,” which means you can see both works in one shot!
Auguste Renoir’s, “Pont Neuf, Paris”
Renoir could capture a moment. In “Pont Neuf, Paris,” Renoir depicts a scene from the everyday lives of Parisians in 1872. His use of colors and light brush strokes reels viewers in and makes us wish we could be right there at Pont Neuf too.
Claude Monet’s, “Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son”
You cannot visit the NGA without seeing a Monet work. A master of impressionism, his works are a must see. His “Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son” is a beautiful work that uses strong light and quick brush strokes to show a tender moment between Monet’s wife and son.
Contents
- What to see in the National Gallery of Art?
- Famous Collections
- Chalice of the Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis
- The Feast of the Gods
- The Alba Madonna
- Vincent Van Gogh
- Self-Portrait
- Lavender Mist
- The Sculpture Garden
- Film Programs
- Media Arts
- Family Programs
- Jazz Programs
- Education Programs
- NGA Nights
- National Gallery of Art Library
- Public Transit
- Tour programs of the National Gallery of Art
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The National Gallery of Art is a magnificent art museum. The museum enchants you with its monumental collection of master paintings, sculpture, photography and decorative arts. It is located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th streets at Constitution Avenue NW. The National Gallery of Art was established in 1937 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress. Andrew W Mellon was the U.S secretary of the treasury and ambassador to Britain. He funded and donated a significant amount of his art collection for its construction.
It has an amazing collection of around 141,000 painting, drawings, sculptures, and photographs. These collections depict the development of western arts from the middle ages to the present day. European collections of this gallery have around 9000 drawings from the 11th century till date. The collections include a version of Saint Martin and the Beggar by El Greco and work by Matthias Grunewald, Cranach the Elder, and Frans Hals among the others. The print collection of this national gallery has 75,000 prints and rare illustrated books. The sculpture and decorative arts include works as the Chalice of Abbot Suger of St-Denis and a collection of work by Auguste Rodin and Edgar Degas.
What to see in the National Gallery of Art?
Gallery’s east building awaits you with the largest mobile created by Alexander Calder. National Gallery of Art possess more than 40 work by Alexander Calder and also works by artists like Georgia O’Keefe and Mark Rothko. East buildings main feature is a high atrium that is designed as an open court which is enclosed by a sculptural space.
A magnificent sculpture of a blue rooster on the roof is another attraction of the east building. It also gives you a glimpse of 20th-century contemporary art. The art includes the work of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Jackson Pollock.
You shouldn’t miss the gift shop while you are there as it holds a collection of a wide variety of gallery reproductions, publications, and jewels. Take home the memories from here in the form of souvenirs and gifts for your dear ones. An American architect I.M Pei has designed the east wing, and the amazing architecture will impress you throughout your tour.
East wing and West wing are connected by a lighted underground walkway called "The Concourse." Around 41,000 LED lights will lead your way as you move from one wing to the other. John Russel Pope designs West Wing of the National Gallery of Art DC in a neoclassical style. It welcomes you with sculpture galleries that have more than 900 pieces of artwork. The nineteenth-century French galleries will amaze you with its collection of Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh paintings.
National Gallery of Art has possession of the only Leonardo Da Vinci painting, Ginerva de’Benci in the entire Americas. The painting is 540 years old and is painted on both the front and back. A crest is painted on the back, and the front is the painting of the beautiful woman Ginerva de Benci, who was also a poet. You can also see the magnificent portrait of Countess Ebba Sparre who was one of the ladies in waiting for Queen Christina of Sweden.
Famous Collections
Chalice of the Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis
The Chalice is an ancient sardonyx cup that existed in the 12th century. It was one of the vessels that were used to celebrate the Mass on June 11, 1144, at the abbey church of Saint-Denis. The cup’s features indicate that it was probably designed in Egypt during the 2nd or 1st Century BC.
The Feast of the Gods
Feast of the Gods is one of the most important mythological paintings from the renaissance in North America. This painting is based on an episode of Ovid and has captured the beauty of gods, enjoying themselves at a feast table with all its glory.
The Alba Madonna
The Alba Madonna is a tondo painting by the Italian artist Raphael which portrays Mary, Jesus, and John the Baptist. It has been in possession of the National Gallery of Art since 1937.
Vincent Van Gogh
Self-Portrait
Self-portrait of Vincent VAN GOGH with his gaunt features and intense gaze is another masterpiece that the gallery beholds. This painting was one of the last self-portraits he made before he passed away. Van Gogh has made 2000 paintings and drawings in his short career.
Lavender Mist
The famous painting has shades of black, white, russet, and orange color that brings out the creative side of Jackson Pollock. This painting was painted in an old barn where he painted the picture using house paint on a canvas laid on the floor of his barn.
The Sculpture Garden
Do not miss out the beautiful sculpture garden right next to the National Gallery of Art when you are there for a visit. This magnificent garden is around 6 acres. It is located near the west wing of the gallery and is the perfect place for you to relax. The construction of the sculpture garden was completed in 1999 after 30 years of planning. It features 17 sculptures taken from the galleries collection. It is surrounded by trees and has walking and seating areas. There are six public entries to the sculpture garden.
One of the constitution avenues is at 9th street, and three entries are on the 7th street. Two entries on the National mall is reserved for people with disabilities. One of the famous sculptures in this garden is Robert Indiana’s famous AMOR. The garden has a beautiful fountain and a circular pool and is also used for ice skating from November to March. The Pavilion Café in the sculpture garden is there to offer you drinks and food after a day of a long tour.
Film Programs
The National Gallery of Art is the best place for you to try out classic and contemporary movies around the world. Film programs in this art gallery include screenings, scholarly notes, and filmmaker discussions. So, the viewers will get an idea about the history of cinema. During weekends they arrange restored works of historical value, silent movies with music and experimental media by video artists for your entertainment.
The National Gallery of Art is an associate member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). Screening events will take place in the east wing auditorium, and the film programs are free of charge for you. Most of the films are screened in the original format, and the seating arrangement is on a first-come, first-seated basis. Doors to the auditorium will open thirty minutes before the show, and the programs are subjected to change.
Media Arts
National Gallery of Art museum features not only a wide variety of paintings, sculptures, photographs or decorative arts. It also features visual arts in video, audio, projection and other non-traditional media. The gallery has a collection of the famous artists in this field like Joseph Beus, Rineke Dijkstra, and Bill Viola. As an example, you can see that Leo Villareal’s Multiverse (2008) light your way while visiting the moving walkway in the east wing building.
Family Programs
Family programs in the National Gallery of Art will help you develop your observation and logical skills. It also brings adults and children together to spend quality time. Most of their programs are age-specific, and you can also find some programs designed for a broader age range.
All family programs are free, but some require advance registration while on-site sign-in can participate on the particular date of the program. The museums family programs include Art investigators, family workshops, drop-in art-making, and storytime. Families are also invited to enjoy a wide variety of movies that includes classics, short stories. Selection of movies will be so that it is suitable for both adults and children.
Jazz Programs
The Jazz in the sculpture garden of National Gallery of Art begins at 19th season in May. It is a free concert and have Jazz artists perform a wide variety of styles like Brazilian Folk Jazz, Alternative modern, Django Guitar, etc. The performance happens every Friday evening from 5.00 to 8.30 in the sculpture garden.
Education Programs
National Gallery of Art also hosts several education programs. Lessons and activities for particular age groups will be provided to the teachers to integrate into their teaching classes. As part of the galleries free loan program; educational institutions, community groups, and non-profit TV stations throughout the United States can borrow teaching resources and DVDs from them. School tours for students from pre-kindergarten to class 12 have original works of art on docent-led tours that will add up to their classroom training.
High school students have studio art-making and visual journalism training that is led by specially trained museum educators. The students can have group discussion and reflective writing that will enhance their knowledge during these programs.
Art around the corner program of this gallery has many activities. The activities include deriving a response from an artwork the students see, acquire knowledge about art vocabulary and also changing their ideas to different forms of arts. Gallery also offers a variety of education programs for adults.
Drawing salon has a series of workshops through which you can improve your skill through observation and discussion. The writing salons workshops are conducted by local writers to review your works. You can also have discussions with recognised artists. You can also attend programs conducted by distinguished guests in the gallery.
NGA Nights
You can enjoy live music and dance performances after hours at the National Gallery of Art. The gallery educators conduct pop talks and also hands-on training on art-making in the east building. They provide free registration for these events, but booking should be made at least one month before the event.
National Gallery of Art Library
National Gallery of Art Library is located in the East building. The library is a national art research centre for advanced study in visual arts and visiting scholars. It has a collection of over 12,000 volumes of early printed books. It also sources materials related to the history of western art, including the Italian, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, and American schools. They also have exhibitions throughout the year in the east building study centre atrium.
These exhibitions are mainly about particular areas of their collection and also help you to understand the historical themes more clearly. It has a wide variety of collection catalogues, biographies of artists, manuals to architecture, color theory, travel literature and emblem books. They also offer nearly 50 art-related subscription databases, specialised dictionaries and encyclopedias and image collection on onsite. It also possesses a collection of microfilm and microfiche.
Public Transit
The National Gallery of Art, DC is located on the National Mall. There is an entrance on constitution ave NW around 5th street and one on the national mall side. You can reach there by metro, and the closest one is Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter station on the green and yellow lines. Metro buses have stops at 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. You can also travel there by Washington D.C circulator bus.
Tour programs of the National Gallery of Art
If you are at a loss of what to visit in the National Gallery of Art, DC, there are daily tours that focus on specific galleries and themes. They also offer free self-guided tours and audio tours of the gallery. The gallery also provides public tours using verbal description to people who are blind. They also have tours on American sign languages regularly. There are also tours of the permanent collections happening regularly in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.
The gallery also provides free maps which have information regarding the accommodations, restrooms and is available for you at information desks. Entry to the National Gallery of Art DC is free of charge, and it is open from Monday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. It is also open from 11 am to 6 pm on Sundays. It is closed on December 25 and January 1st.