Yale Center for British Art

I visited the Yale Center for British Art Friday, April 18th, 2007. I actually couldn't see it until I was standing in front of it. I knew it was supposed to be there, but from the outside, it looked less like a museum and more like an office building! The people were lovely, as was the museum. I was really surprised that the architecture outside betrays the architectural gem that exists within. The staircase, the cement columns, the open galleries, the natural light, were all beautiful and really works-of-art in their own right. The architect, Kahn, was the foremost architect of the time. You MUST read this biography on Kahn (he died in a strange place...) http://www.designmuseum.org/design/louis-kahn.

Paul Mellon is the philanthropist who granted his massive collection of British art to the museum, which he had built, to Yale University. His works of art include sculpture, paintings, books, maps, etc.

The unimposing facade of the museum:



A few photos of the incredible architecture of the building. Do remember to double click to see a close-up of the detail.

Some of the beautiful art:

George Stubbs "Zebra"

Oil on canvas

1763

Walter Sickert "The Camden Town Murder"

Oil on Canvas

1908

I thought this was sad. The murdered woman is a prostitute, named Emily Dimmock. But who is the man? A lover? The landlord? The murderer? Her friend? Who knows...

Double click to read the plaque...

LOOK! It's Lawrence of Arabia!

Robert Polhill Bevan "The Caller at the Mill"

Oil on canvas

1918-1919

This painting depicted a scene during the time of the Spanish Influenza. This is the piece that I would have chosen to write about this week...

Atkinson Grimshaw "Evening Glow"

Oil on canvas

1884

Look closely at the trees. I swear they look like a photo!

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema "Entrance to a Roman Theater"

Oil on canvas

1866

This was also very stunning. The details were exquisite, the colors vivid, and the scene interesting. Even the frame was unique, with it's hand-carved comedy/tragedy theatrical masques.

George Romney "Ann Wilson with her Daughter, Sybil"

Oil on canvas

1776-1777

This one also made me feel very sad. Ann lost her daughter Sybil when the girl was six. Her head is "bowed in grief" with "her daughter like a memory or apparition at her side."

As a mother, I can connect with her tremendous love for her child. How tragic, her loss.

Sir Thomas Lawrence "Lord Granville Leveson-Gower, Later 1st Earl Granville"

Oil on canvas

1804-1806

Robert Burnard "John Gubbins Newton, and His Sister, Mary Newton"

Oil on canvas

1833

John Martin "Belshazzar's Feast"

Oil on canvas

1820

After the feast, Daniel interprets the super-natural writing on the wall to prophecy the fall of Babylon...

I like the portraits above all else, especially ones with children, but the museum had few.

Edward Alcock "Portia and Shylock from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice"

Oil on canvas

1778

I hope you enjoyed my photos. Let me know if you have questions about any of the photos. I generally photograph most of the plaques as well, so I'd be glad to answer questions if I can.

Beth