NYC Guide - Visiting the MET: The American Wing

The American Wing is a favorite destination for the visitors of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so I was particularly pleased to be able to visit it on my recent trip to the Met. This is where the joint works of the curatorial staffs of the Departments of American Decorative Arts and American Paintings and Sculpture are on display.

Displayed in the Early National Portraiture and History Painting entrance to the American Wing are paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts from Federal Era (1790-1825). Images of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, celebrated founding fathers of the American nation, are among the most numerous ones in the exhibition. They define the chronological and stylistic focus of the gallery. In general, American art of this period speaks to the energy, optimism, and innovative spirit that characterized the early days of the republic.

The first painting that caught my attention was Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington"(1795). Stuart's most popular portraits of Washington are the so-called Athenaeum type, of which there are as many as sixty replicas dating from the turn of nineteenth century to the artist's death. The image of Washington is at the same time lifelike and iconic-a compelling quality that is pleasing and exciting, and I saw in the eyes and faces of other people at the exhibit the same reaction as my own when they stopped to look at the Stuart's painting. One of the remarkable features of the painting is the blue-gray shadows that dominates Washington's skin tone. This gives his face the appearance of aristocratic paleness and at the same time makes it look marble-like, adding to the illusion of an iconic statue. At the same time, the somewhat exaggerated eyebrows add life to his face and make him appear authoritative.

In another portrait of the first president of the United States, John Trumbell's "George Washington," he is standing near the Hudson River before the battle of Trenton. Here, the image is much different from the Stuart's work because, although Washington still dominates the landscape, he is surrounded by nature, which gives a completely different mood and perspective to the painting than the one done indoors. Here, while still a heroic figure, Washington does not seem iconic or larger than life. The combination of cold, gray colors of the landscape, the blue-and-black of the general's uniform, and his set, determined facial expression present this American hero in a different light: a hero and a warrior rather than a politician and a father of the new country.

Another part of the American Wing contains the Folk Art gallery. The Folk Art gallery displays a rotating selection of American paintings and textiles. While there are many designations for this kind of art-native, plain, rural provincial-at the Metropolitan they use the term 'folk' because it is traditional and recognizable. Folk artists worked according to criteria set by their rural clientele, many of whom were socially shy. Elements of pride and class status in these works are apparent but circumspect.

Edward Hicks' "Niagara Falls" is one example of such art. The falls, seen from the Canadian side, are replete with moose, beaver, rattlesnake, and eagle, all traditional emblems of North America. It is hard to believe that so many animals can occupy such little space in reality, but in the painting such a combination represents the bountiful nature of the North American continent, and as such achieves its goal.

Samuel L. Waldo's "The Knapp Children" is another impressive example of the folk art. This ambitious group portrait shows the sons of Shepherd Knapp, a wealthy and aristocratic leather merchant in New York; they range in age from two to thirteen. While the children appear well dressed and well cared for, there is something in their postures and facial expressions that leads a careful observer to conclude that they are shy when meeting strangers and not used to the attention they are receiving at that moment from the painter.

Thomas Chambers' "The Constitution and Guerriere" impressed me with its incredible spatial range. This painter had produced some landscapes but is best known for his marine scenes. His use of strong colors is often arbitrary as such very striking. This painting commemorates the first important naval battle of the War of 1812 between the American and British frigates. It is clear how the painter uses color contrasts to pit the daring and audacity of people brave enough to meet in combat in an open ocean with the eternal might of the sea itself.

I could probably write forever here, describing, among many others, the colorful, crowded scene of John Francis' "Still Life With Fruit" and the rich palette of earth tones and the unique interplay of color and light in Louis C. Tiffany's "Snake Charmer at Tangier, Africa." To say I was impressed with the exhibit would be an understatement. I was overwhelmed and grateful to the museum for saving these masterpieces so the people of modernity - both residents and visitors of our great city - can truly appreciate the beauty of the past.