12.14.2007

A Trip to the Renwick Gallery

Today, I decided to spend part of my lunch break at the Renwick Gallery. I've passed by that building so many times before and given that today is a rather slow at work and the sun is still shining, I decided to take a look.

First of all, the building is beautiful. The exterior and interior are both grand and reflect the architecture and styling of the time period. The grand salon really was grand, and I enjoyed viewing George Caitlin's stacked paintings of the "wild west" and the first peoples of America. I didn't get a chance to view the temporary exhibits on the first floor, but I did visit the rooms showcasing American crafts and decorative arts. I am still in disbelief that Wendell Castle's Ghost Clock is made entirely of Honduras mahogany (that just has to be a sheet and not bleached wood!). I also enjoyed "I am nobody" (I forget the artists), which I found haunting and raw yet beautiful.

I think I'll take one more trip to the Renwick before the end of the year to study the Ghost Clock once again, to adore the grandness of the upstairs salon, and to check out the exhibits on the first floor. Then, it's on to the Corcoran Gallery, Decatur House, and the Octagon. Am I missing anything else in this neighborhood?

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