Amy told me about Google Art Project and I’m completely impressed. Google has created an archive of art collections from museums around the world. You can zoom way, way in and see every tiny brush stroke. You can read notes about each piece, even view related videos. It’s amazing!
I can’t imagine it’s anywhere near complete. At least, several of my favorites from the Denver Art Museum aren’t listed yet. But I love seeing what’s already there. Including The Floor Planers by Gustave Caillebotte — it’s in my top 5 favorite paintings ever.
Is your favorite listed? Which art museum/collection/work do you hope they add next?
P.S. — When I was 19, I spent 6 months in Washington D.C. doing an internship at the National Archives. While living there, I spent as much time in the Smithsonian collections as I possibly could. Lunch hours at the National Portrait Gallery are some of my favorite memories.
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Wow that’s amazing!
My wife also had an internship with the Smithsonian during college. After graduation we moved to DC and have been here ever since. It’s neat to take my son to these places and re-learn them through his eyes. To my pleasant surprise, the Smithsonian has done a great job making the museums kid-friendly – even when they aren’t explicitly for kids. The great-big indoor courtyard at the Portrait Gallery is a perfect example of this. Bop around with the kids for a while, taking in the art and sights, then head to the courtyard for well-earned break and some lunch.
So true, Jimmy! They do a great job of making the museums kid-friendly. I found the same thing to be true in NYC too.
The Floor Planers is also one of my favorite paintings! When we were last in Paris I stared and stared at it, marveling at how the artist had differentiated the sheen in the already planed floor and the yet to be planed. It was too realistic to believe it was just art! Sigh.
Last time I was at the D’Orsay it was being restored and we couldn’t see it. I was so disappointed!
It was on my top 10 list when we visited Paris almost 5 years ago. I too stood there and stared and stared at it. Mesmerized by the talent necessary to depict something so carefully. I do not have that talent. ;)
Gabrielle, I moved to DC to take an internship when I was 21 and spent every weekend exploring the Smithsonian. I ended up living in DC for five years and have been back home in CA for more than a decade and of all the things I miss about it, those free galleries are high on my list.
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This is the painting I chose in my high school painting class when we had to copy a master. :-)
Wow! What a great choice.
Wow. No, I had not heard of this yet. This is great timing, too. My son is doing a month of art. Thank you!
Wonderful! I hope this helps.
There are only 5 Waterhouses. He’s my favorite.
I hope they add more soon!
You have just described heaven to me – - lunch hours strolling aimlessly around the Smithsonian! What an experience!
My favorite is the Freer and the original castle. I didn’t see the Freer in person until after the launch of Google Art Project two years ago. I think Google Art Project is just wonderful!
It was great! Makes me happy to think I took advantage of those lunch hours.
I recently visited the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI and saw the horses sculpted by Deborah Butterfield. Loved. I know you love cows so you may love her work too. I would also add Cranbrook Art Museum! Both of these places are amazing. I grew up in Maryland near DC and I spent a lot of time in all the DC museums and galleries. You just can’t get enough. The Corcoran Gallery of Art might be my favorite but it’s a hard choice.
You just can’t get enough is right!
Which pieces from the DAM are your favorites?
I always spend the most time in the Western Collection. It’s really well put together. Which doesn’t surprise me — no one understands the west like the west. : )
My very favorite is Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez, which I finally got to see in person last summer in Madrid. I noticed nothing from the Prado is in the collection yet, and my other favorite from Spain, Picasso’s Guernica, is also not there. Fun to browse, though!
It will be fun to see the archive grow.
Thank you for sharing this great resource. I’m already in love with google and now it is sealed.
This is one of my favourites too! When I was last in Paris, I spotted it and now I’ve got a magnet version on my microwave. When I look at it, the image evokes such good feelings for me. :)
thanks for pushing me to give it another try. I love John Singer Sargent.
An Article is written about the new update of the “Google Art Project” and what actually is at the website and how to use the project………@ http://senseitlab.blogspot.com/2012/04/google-art-project-now-stable-along.html
Even White House can also be seen there visually with the effort of “Google Art Project Team”