The first museum I visited was the Albany Institute of History and Art (AIHA)located at 125 Washington Ave in Albany New York. It is on the corner of Washington and Dove Streets.
This picture is as you are walking in to the courtyard of the museum:
You cannot read it to well-but the words "Albany Institute of History and Art" are in the concrete wall.
This picture taken on the curb. Note the sculptures in the courtyard:
This picture is taken from across the street:
The museum is located just down the street from the Albany Library and just up the street from State buildings and the City of Albany City Hall buildings. It is a prominent building with eaves and detailed architecture. The outside is a tan brick. There are sculptures on the lawn in front of the building and big atrium windows. The primary intent of this museum is for history and art. It is one of the oldest museums in United States. I visited this museum on Saturday, April 17, 2010 . I arrived there around noon. My husband dropped me off and came back for me two hours later. There was not alot of people there. In fact, I saw only one person in the exhibit area I was in. On the third floor, I encountered about 5 people. As you walk into this building, there are three floors. You are greeted by the large stairway. The admission to get in for students was $8.00. The first thing I noticed as soon as I walked in as how bright this museum was. The first floor is check in and was educational meeting rooms, the second floor had the museums own collection "Hudson River Panorama, 400 years of history art and culture", the third floor had sculptures and the Egyptian display including the famous mummy (I love that display!). Also, in the lobby was a write up about George Rickey. I was interested in seeing that since I just reviewed one of his sculptures in a prior assignment.
After climbing up the stairs and to the right as you walk into the Hudson River display, the first stop is the introduction to it. The display is broken down into five different themes: 1) Community and Settlement, 2)Natural History and Environment,3) Transportation, 4) Trade, Commerce and Industry and 5)Culture and Symbol. This area gives you a summary of what you may find in each one of these areas. After leaving that area, you walk down a long corridor to get to the 5 separate areas. The hallway is decorated with wallpaper that has the Hudson River map on it. For my exhibit selections, I choose them out of the same theme of Culture and Symbol.
In this area , there is 5 different subsections within it that helps explain it. There were alot of items in this section. It contained sculptures, paintings, dishes, porcelain, and portraits. It was well organized and all items were easily identifiable and nicely arranged so you could understand how it related to the section that they were in. All items were laid out so you would follow a natural progression of right to left in viewing all the objects. All objects had a summary card and all subsections had a poster describing what you may find in that area and why it was important. This is definitely an inviting space. The bright colors and the flowing layout made it easy to follow. Some items are in display cases, others are hung on the wall, some are displayed on pedestals.
Unfortunately, at this museum, they did not allow pictures inside the display on the second floor, where this exhibit was located. I was able to take one picture at the introduction to the exhibit.
Here is the formal information regarding the first object I reviewed:
Title: Plate with view of the Highlands, North River
Artist: Joseph Stubbs
Location: England
Material: Transfer-printed earthenware
Date: ca 1820
This item was a 9 inch round ceramic dish. It was located in a glass display case containing the plate as well as other related objects. You could not walk completely around it. But, it was at the end of the display case so you could actually see the back of the plate. On the back of it it read "Large steamship in the foreground. This plate was in the famous Halsey Collection." The plate has mountain views, flower, steamship, person fishing. The prominent color was a royal blue color. There was also lighter blues and whites in it. My eye was drawn to the mountains in this plate. It was a very detailed, very realistic drawing. There were many plates in the different themed sections that went along with those themes. This plate was in the subsection entitled "Hudson River Tourism". The information provided at the museum states that steamboats were a transport system and were very important to the tourism industry. A plaque in the museum stated that people wanted landscape tourism. "In 1807, John Lambert observed what people wanted: stunning scenery, pleasant farmlands and gardens and sites of historical importance. " Traveling along the Hudson River fit the bill for that.
I could not take a picture of this plate and I could not find a picture of it on the internet. Here is a similar type plate created by the same artist.
Plate made by Joseph Stubbs, Dale Hall Works, Burslem, Staffordshire, England, about 1812 - 1829. Image: Philadelphia, Bank of the United States; Image Source: 1800 Engraving by W. Birch and Son, Pennsylvania, from the Elloise Baker Larsen Collection; Catalog Number 62.917M
Here is the formal information regarding the second object I reviewed:
Title: Washington
Artist: John Rogers
Material: Painted Plaster
Date: 1875
This sculpture was found in the sub section of this exhibit entitled "River of Nostalgia". This section reviewed the history of the Hudson River and those that were involved in the American Revolution. The sculpture is about 30 inches tall. It is a very detailed sculpture of George Washington. It is very detailed and very realistic. The name WASHINGTON is on the bottom of the sculpture. Although, my impression of it is that it did not look like other pictures of George Washington that I have seen. In fact, I did not realize that the Washington name of it stood for George Washington until after I read the information about the sculpture. The color of the material is an off white. It is a sculpture of George Washington leaning against a brick wall. He is wearing formal military attire with long tails, high boots, ruffled shirt. He has one leg bent and the other out straight. He is holding a hat in one hand and a pair of gloves in another. A sword is fastened to his clothing. There are many buttons. They are plain but are a decorative feature of this sculpture. You are not able to walk around the sculpture as it is placed in the corner of the exhibit area. His hair is perfectly coiffed. The facial features are perfect. Almost too exact.
Here is the information regarding the third object I reviewed:
Title: Rip Van Winkle Leaving Home
Artist: Albertus Del Orient Browere
Material: Oil on board
Year: ca 1836
This painting was found in the subsection titled "Rip Van Winkle's New York". It is a realistic painting . Lines are prominent in the house, table and trees. It is a painting of Rip, wife , child and dog in front of presumably their home. Rip is walking away carrying a gun. The woman and child look like they do not want him to leave. Rip is known for leaving his chores and wandering off. The characters in this painting are wearing old time clothing. You can only see a profile view of Rip as he is walking away. But, it is assumed that he is doing it with a smirk on his face. The woman is doing chores, the boys is sitting on the porch and the dog is chasing after Rip. Rip Van Winkle is a legendary character associated with the Hudson Valley Region. The use if colors is great in this picture. Many deeper hues are used. Green is the dominant color in this picture.
Unfortunately, I could not take a picture of it and I could not find it on the internet. Here is a picture from the same artist
Date: 1833
Description: Total
Vendor: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image Copyrights: Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art
You are able to take pictures on the third floor. Here are some pictures I took. As you can see the architectural columns are beautiful. The door ways are grand and have wood carved details.
After picking me up from the Albany Institute of History and Art, my husband and family drove down to the New York State (NYS)Museum. I explored the art display, the rest of my family explored the museum. After about an hour, we met up and visited the rest of the museum together.
The second museum I visited was located on Madison Avenue in Albany. It has a bridge that covers the entrance to the museum that is connected to the State concourse which has a beautiful fountain and view of the Egg.
These are pictures of outside the NYS Museum . This one is from across the street. You can see the bridge that covers Madison Avenue.
The outside of the building is white. This is a very busy museum. The main displays for the museum are all on one floor. The art exhibit that I reviewed was entitled "Seeing Ourselves: Masterpieces of American Photography." As soon as you enter the museum , this display is through the main doors to the right. There is no fee to enter the museum, but a donation is suggested. This collection is a travelling exhibit owned by George Eastman House, the world's leading museum of photography and film located in Rochester, New York.
This museum is dark. I do not like the dark lighting. It is hard to enjoy the displays. Also, there are alot of shadows in viewing the exhibits. The floor is carpeted. The walls that the photographs were on were a maroon color. Taking pictures inside the display was not allowed. However, I was able to take one outside of it. On the day I visited, directly across from this display, there was a large symposium on Indians. The doors to that were open and they were selling T-shirts outside of the display. It was a very big distraction to the exhibit.
As you enter the exhibit, there is a guard booth. As I was visiting, there were 3 "guards" there, I wanted to ask if I could take pictures of an entryway. They were busy talking about if one of them should file a grievance about some sort of issue they had. So, I patiently waited. Interestingly enough, you are not allowed to take pictures of the pictures.
I was allowed to take this picture which is directly outside the exhibit:
This is an exhibit of different types of photographs that have been taken over time. The exhibit is grouped into 5 different categories. The five different sections are: American Masterpieces, American Faces, America at War, America the Beautiful, American Families.
As you walk in, you walk clockwise in viewing the photographs on the wall. Some photos are taken by professionals, other everyday people. The point of this display is to make us stop and evaluate how pictures have influenced our life. How they show change. How they can show emotion and grief. Photographs are hung all around the interior and exterior walls. They are hung according to the groups.
Here is the information regarding the first photograph in the exhibit:
Title: Yosemite Valley, Summer, Yosemite National Park , California
Artist: Ansel Adams
Date: ca 1935
Material: Gelatin Silver Point
This picture came from the section entitled "American Masterpieces" As we read this semester, Ansel Adams is an environmental conservationist. He was actively involved int he Sierra club. His idea of art was to help conserve the outdoor and preserve it.
In this picture, you are viewing mountains, sky,(clouds) and greenery at the bottom. The mountains are majestic. In the photograph, you can view the shadow of something large, although you do not see the item that is causing the shadow. Your eyes are drawn to the contrast between all the great items in the picture. It appears that the picture has a textured feel to it, even though you know it does not. It appears that the mountain are coming out at you. I think that this picture was taken to help other enjoy the natural beauty of our country.
The second photograph I reviewed was
Title: Windblown Jackie
Artist: Ron Galella
Date: October 7, 1971
Material: Gelatin Silver Print
This picture was taken out of the collection that was entitled American Faces. I chose this picture as I have always been fascinated by Jackie O. It is a picture if Jackie O walking down the street with her hair wind blown. She is dressed casual and has a face full of hair. She has a hair clip in her hand. Cars are in the background. She has a sweater and casual clothing on. Big smile on her face. Her eyes are staring right at you. Even in this casual pose walking in the street, she is walking with grace.
The third picture I reviewed was
Title: Combat, Korea
Artist: David Douglas Duncan
Date: 1950
Material: Gelatin Silver print
This print came out of the collection titled America at War. It captured the emotion of a soldier at war. It is a head shot of a young man with blood on his face, visibly upset. You can see the thumb of another person on his shoulder attempting to console him. You can see a little of his army fatigues. You can see his dog chain, there us grass in the background, The man has short hair and a little beard hair. The photographer truly captured the anguish and pain on the young mans face.
I could not find the same picture that I viewed at the museum the internet. Here is a similar picture by the same photographer.
Theis picture appeared in Life Magazine October 27, 1967. It was taken by David Douglas Duncan. An ex-Marine who covered combat in the Pacific and Korea
I realized that after I reviewed all the pictures, that all three of my choices were the same Gelatin silver print. Gelatin Silver print can be defined as a photograph printed on paper with a light-sensitive gelatin coating. Gelatin silver prints are the most common type of black and white prints today.
Out of the two museums I visited, I enjoyed the exhibit at the AIHA more. The atmosphere was more relaxing. There was alot more detail to the exhibit. I know that these two exhibits are completely different types and different types of museums. However, my preference was definitely AIHA.
From the AIHA, my favorite object that I reviewed was the picture of Rip Van Winkle. I think that the old oil painting and the interesting details of the people were alot to look at. For the NYS Museum, my favorite photograph was the Combat, Korea picture. It captured such emotion. It was as if you could feel that persons pain and agony.
