Dutch
Master's
First One-Man Show
Dateline: 01/03/99
Ah! It must be sheer rhapsody for an artist to mount his first solo exhibition.
Of course, it's about 315 years too late for Pieter de Hooch (1629-1684) to bask in the glow of his first one-man show, but that's all the more reason that you shouldn't miss the newest exhibit at Hartford, Connecticut's Wadsworth Atheneum--one of America's oldest public art museums.
The first ever one-man show devoted to Dutch Master Pieter de Hooch's paintings opened December 18 and runs through February 28, 1999. [1/30/99 Note: The exhibit has been extended through March 14.] Organized with the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London, this exhibition features 40 paintings gathered from an international line-up of museums and private collections. According to the Wadsworth Atheneum's Web site, de Hooch "was one of the leading artists of Holland's Golden Age. He is renowned for his stunning depictions of interior spaces, courtyards, and tranquil domestic scenes."
The Wadsworth Atheneum is located at 600 Main Street in Hartford, Connecticut, and directions are available online. The museum is open 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and is closed Mondays. It is also open the first Thursday evening of each month until 8 p.m. General admission is $7.00. Seniors and college students with ID are admitted for $5.00; children ages 6 to 17 are admitted for $3.00; and there is no charge for children under the age of 6. Museum admission is free for all on Thursdays and prior to noon on Saturdays. For more information, call (860) 278-2670.
Before you go... Preview the show by ordering the 160-page Pieter de Hooch book authored by Wadsworth Atheneum director Peter Sutton that serves as the catalog for the exhibition. It was published in conjunction with Yale University Press and is available for online ordering from Borders.com.
Or, want to get a feel for de Hooch's work before you visit the museum? The Web Gallery of Art has 13 of de Hooch's paintings available for viewing online. Just double click any of the thumbnail images to see a screen-size view. And here's something neat! Use the postcard link at the bottom of the page, and you can turn any of the de Hooch images into an email postcard. Send one off and invite a friend to join you for a day of art and exploration in Connecticut's capital!
While you're visiting Hartford...
Dine right at the Wadsworth Atheneum's own Museum Cafe, chow on Cajun food at Black-Eyed Sally's--one of my favorite Hartford eating establishments--or search Active Diner's Hartford Restaurant Guide for further culinary inspiration.
Visit The Mark Twain House: Mark Twain's Hartford, Connecticut, home is delightful and provides a unique look into the life and humor of this American icon. If you've not seen enough art, head west a bit to the New Britain Museum of American Art and explore the evolution of American art from the colonial days to the present. Also nearby is the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, featuring aircraft and engine displays and many other fascinating exhibits such as Early French Aviation and History of Air Mail. Kids will love the Science Center of Connecticut, a hands-on science center and planetarium in West Hartford, Connecticut, which makes learning about our world entertaining and fun.
Staying Overnight? Rooms Plus Travel Guide has a listing and contact phone numbers for hotels in Hartford. Looking for a cozy bed & breakfast? Try Butternut Farm ten minutes from Hartford in Glastonbury or The Charles R. Hart House, six miles north of Hartford in Windsor.
Enjoy!
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