Properties5
| Type | Check-in |
| On | The Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| Rating | 9 |
| Date | Oct 16, 2025, 10:30 AM |
| Note created | Oct 16, 2025 |
During my trip to New York on 2025 for SDSC, I had the chance to visit the Met. It was a very quick visit, but there were several paintings I really wanted to take a look at, just like the rooftop. These are some quick notes of the pieces that impressed me the most.
General Collection
- Henri Matisse’s Jazz (1947). Illustrated book with 20 pochoir (stencil) plates, including Icarus, Le Cirque, The Sword Swallower. Pure Matisse, with vibrant colors and strong shapes.
- John Wilson’s exhibition: “Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson” (Sep 20, 2025 – Feb 8, 2026). Charcoal drawings, prints and paintings depicting Black American life and social justice. It was randomly placed on a corridor and I loved it.
- The Abduction of Rebecca by Eugène Delacroix.
- Théodore Géricault’s Evening: Landscape with an Aqueduct: absolutely monumental (250 × 220 cm), with beautiful lightning from that era.
- A room full of not only Islamic art, but European depictions of North Africa countries.
- I found by accident a Sorolla! The Bath, Jávea. Gorgeous, just as everything he did.
Modern Art Wing
- Mark Rothko’s No. 16 side by side with Jackson Pollock’s Autumn Rhythm (Number 30). Two massive paintings; being Rothko one of my favorite artists. I can say after this visit, I feel much more fond of Jackson Pollock.
- White Flag by Jasper Johns.
- Madonna by Salvador Dalí. I am not a great fan of Salvador Dalí, but I found this piece extremely shocking in person.
- The Guiding Light by Harold Ancart, which I found absolutely beautiful.
- Necklacing by Michael Armitage, probably the one that shook me the most from the whole museum.
- Everything #4 by Adrian Piper, a very simple idea with a wonderful execution.
- Composition by Piet Mondrian, an artist I don’t like a lot proving that there are slightly more interesting works than their most mainstream ones.
- Painting by Joan Miró, which I find terrible every single time, with no redemption yet.
- America Today by Thomas Hart Benton. Whole room dedicated to a mural depicting his views on the country. Impressive.
Black Fashion Exhibit
I didn’t spend much time, but I enjoyed the lineup and the fact that they explain the origins of dandyism as a disguise in front of oppresion. It included pieces from Fear of God and Off-White.
European Paintings
I found this wing very boring, but these are my highlights:
- The Card Players by Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire, Madame Cézanne in a Red Dress
- View of Toledo by El Greco. One of only two surviving El Greco landscapes.
- Gertrude Stein by Pablo Picasso, an early portrait; The Blind Man’s Meal (Blue Period).
- Self-Portrait by Anthony van Dyck
- Venus and Adonis by Peter Paul Rubens
- The Fortune-Teller by Georges de La Tour – one of the few pieces of this wing that I truly enjoyed.
- Marie Joséphine Charlotte du Val d’Ognes by Marie Denise Villers. Originally misattributed to Jacques-Louis David, also known as Young Woman Drawing. I find this painting to be extremely haunting, and the lightning is just gorgeous.
- The Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne by Alfred Sisley
- The Dance Class by Edgar Degas. Also The Rehearsal of the Ballet Onstage.
- Water Lilies by Claude Monet; Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies.
- Circus Sideshow (Parade de cirque) by Georges Seurat.
- Place de Clichy by Paul Signac.
- Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat by Vincent van Gogh is probably the work that attracts the most people in its room, but I mostly enjoyed Cypresses and Wheat Field with Cypresses.
American Wing
Being my first time visiting the United States, I felt like I had to take a look at it. It ended up being one of my favorites. These are my highlights:
- The Ameya (The Candy Blower) by Robert Frederick Blum; an incredible piece from his trip to Japan – I think it’s funny this wonderful work was the first thing I noticed in this wing.
- Camp Fire by Winslow Homer. Another impressive Americana painting.
- A Reconnaissance by Frederic Remington. I find it incredible how the snow is painted during the night.
- The Etcher by Stacy Tolman. There is something about this portrait that just hits different.
- A complete collection of trompe-l’œil still life — super modern and vertical:
- Learning about John Brown and it’s impact on the art of the era:
- Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze. It is just massive.
- Hudson River School and how they treat light: