The Manet and Degas Exhibition Opens At the Met

Left: The Plum - Edouard Manet; Right: In a Cafe (The Absinthe Drinker) - Edgar Degas

A compelling art exhibit opens at the Metropolitan Museum of Art running from September 24, 2023 - January 7, 2024. The show brings together 2 huge French impressionist artists who in life were friends, rivals, and sometimes foes: Èdouard Manet (1832 - 1883) and Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917) were nearly the same age.

Racehorses Before the Stands - Edgar Degas

The Races at Longchamp - Edouard Manet

While the Met always has works of these two contemporaries on view from its own collection, this exhibition gathers 160 of their paintings and works on paper, including masterpieces from around the world, to show the two colossi fathers of modern French painters, side by side, illustrating how their careers crossed and diverged. 

Olumpia - Edouard Manet

If you find yourself in Manhattan, be sure to visit the Manet/Degas exhibit. Seeing 160 pieces from 150 institutions and private collectors all in one place is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not to be missed!

Edouard Manet & his wife, Suzanne playing the piano - painted by Edgar Degas as a gift,  Manet hated the painting and caused a rift with his friend by slashing it.

I've not gone myself yet, but will soon! Meanwhile, here's a write-up with more of the beautiful exhibition paintings in The New York Times. When I see it, I'll surely spot favorites!

Years ago as a Congressional intern (in the US Senate), I fell in love with an Edouard Manet painting hanging in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and frequently went to look at it. Right before I left town, I bought the poster, had it framed in New York, and it has been hanging in my living room ever since. I never get tired of looking at it. Click here for a peek. I love Manet's realism and harsh contrasts of light and shadows and Degas' brightness, lightness, and shimmer of color.

Do you have a favorite?

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One of the Christmas trees at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Queen Elizabeth IIs official residence in Scotland. A painting of King Charles II looks on. For more about him go here. His father, King Charles I is the portrait on the right.

For our Christmas blog let's travel around the world, as well as, back in time a bit. On my bucket list is a return to Great Britain at Christmas time. With the numbers of the Omicron variant of COVID rising, it won't be anytime soon, so let us rely on the blog for our Christmas visits this year ...

The Royal Family's trees at Windsor Castile

How beautiful are Queen Elizabeth II's 2021 trees in Scotland and Windsor? Her Majesty's trees arrived and were decorated in early December.

On to the Middle East ...

 Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

One day perhaps tourists will again spend Christmas where it all began in Bethlehem. Maybe this December the locals can enjoy Bethlehem even more without the usual crowds, although sadly when people stay away the commerce won't be there for the town either.

Our next stop is New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 9, 2021:

All photos at the Met: Carolyn C.

Here on the Upper East Side at the Met, my friend Carolyn invited me to see the new Walt Disney exhibit with her. She had an extra ticket for its opening. I had not visited the museum in 2+ years, and her company was the shot in the arm (no pun intended😊) I needed to go again. As it turns out, you do need your COVID shots in the arm, as well as, to show a state ID and wear a mask to get inside. Glad to oblige to keep everybody safe! 

We very much enjoyed the magic of Walt Disney consisting of footage of its animated films, movie posters, and various artifacts from the productions. As I mentioned to Carolyn, I didn't see Disney's Snow White (1938) or The Sleeping Beauty (1959) movies, but as a child, I had the records of the fairytales which I played over and over again; and the recordings came with Disney illustrated books so you could turn the pages as you listened to actors reading the parts, classical music, and dramatic sound effects. I remember the book images vividly as if I'd seen the films in theaters. Beauty And The Beast (1991) I also missed in theaters ... but I've seen enough Disney clips over the years to know all 3 animated films well.

Photo: Carolyn C. of The 17th Century Christmas tree at the Met

Naturally, we had to visit the 17th Century Christmas tree the Met always sets up at Christmas in the Medieval-Byzantine-Early Modern chamber complete with a soft Gregorian chant in the background. Every year it's become a Christmas tradition to walk over to see it. Like many other activities, I missed doing so in 2020.

Our last blog stop is a spot in my apartment. You get music in my home too.🙂

I tried to give this Nativity Scene away as I have another one but didn't find a taker, and so I'm displaying it myself this year. Hey, maybe I do need two.:) 

"Go Tell It On the Mountain" is from my favorite Christmas album of all time recorded by the Ames Brothers (1957), which I reviewed the year I began the blog here. As a young man, my father bought the vinyl album, and it played every Christmas on my parent's {Dad's stuff always became our stuff😀} stereo during my childhood, so when I moved to Manhattan, I bought a CD of it in a record store. Thus, the tradition continues! Unfortunately, record stores are another relic of the past.

Another glance at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland with Queen Elizabeth's decorating team.

I want to thank you, my lovely readers, for stopping by ... for your continued support ... and I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday in your own faith traditions. I'm happy to include you in mine by wishing you Peace, Love and, Joy. 

We may be from multi-cultures and traditions, but everyone is accepted and valued on THE SAVVY SHOPPER. Here we are united as one human global family. Free to be a little bit serious and a little bit frivolous ... and spread kindness continuously. On these restricted days apart people need it!😘💋

Merry Christmas Everyone!

xoxo

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