On a business trip last spring to Washington DC, this writer had the fortune to have a few spare hours before a train departure, so a last minute walk through of the National Gallery became a possibility. Having seen many museums and many art exhibitions, this collection since the merging of the Corcoran to an already formidable group of paintings, made it mind blowing.
Looking at the Impressionists is always a trial. Photos are next to impossible to get because it seemed every Japanese and Chinese school kid was there on vacation. Persist. It's worth the time.
Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841 - 1919), Oarsmen at Chatou, 1879, oil on canvas, overall: 81.2 x 100.2 cm (31 15/16 x 39 7/16 in.) framed: 104.1 x 123.5 x 9.5 cm (41 x 48 5/8 x 3 3/4 in.), Gift of Sam A. Lewisohn, 1951.5.2
Gustave Caillebotte (French, 1848 - 1894), Skiffs, 1877, oil on canvas, overall: 88.9 x 116.2 cm (35 x 45 3/4 in.) framed: 118.7 x 146 x 11.4 cm (46 3/4 x 57 1/2 x 4 1/2 in.), Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1985.64.6
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 - 1890), Farmhouse in Provence, 1888, oil on canvas, overall: 46.1 x 60.9 cm (18 1/8 x 24 in.) framed: 74.9 x 88.9 x 10.8 cm (29 1/2 x 35 x 4 1/4 in.) Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.17.34
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 - 1890), La Mousmé, 1888, oil on canvas, overall: 73.3 x 60.3 cm (28 7/8 x 23 3/4 in.) framed: 99 x 86.3 x 10.1 cm (39 x 34 x 4 in.), Chester Dale Collection, 1963.10.151
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 - 1890), Roses, 1890, oil on canvas, overall: 71 x 90 cm (27 15/16 x 35 7/16 in.) Gift of Pamela Harriman in memory of W. Averell Harriman, 1991.67.1
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 - 1890), Green Wheat Fields, Auvers, 1890, oil on canvas overall: 72.39 × 91.44 cm(28 1/2 × 36 in.), Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 2013.122.1
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 - 1890), Girl in White, 1890, oil on canvas, overall: 66.7 x 45.8 cm (26 1/4 x 18 1/16 in.) framed: 96.2 x 73.7 cm (37 7/8 x 29 in.), Chester Dale Collection, 1963.10.30
Too many people to get in the way in the European rooms, plus the train beckoned. I had to run off to the American rooms, to see if the Corcoran works were given justice. They were.
John Qidor (American, 1801 - 1881), The Return of Rip Van Winkle, 1849, oil on canvas, overall: 101 x 126.5 cm (39 3/4 x 49 13/16 in.) framed: 139.1 x 159.4 x 9.5 cm (54 3/4 x 62 3/4 x 3 3/4 in.), Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1942.8.10
Thomas Cole (American, 1801 - 1848), Sunrise in the Catskills, 1826, oil on canvas, overall: 64.8 x 90.1 cm (25 1/2 x 35 1/2 in.) framed: 83.5 x 108.9 x 7 cm (32 7/8 x 42 7/8 x 2 3/4 in.), Gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1989.24.1
Thomas Cole (American, 1801 - 1848), The Voyage of Life: Childhood, 1842, oil on canvas, overall: 134.3 x 195.3 cm (52 7/8 x 76 7/8 in.) framed: 162.9 x 224.8 x 17.8 cm (64 1/8 x 88 1/2 x 7 in.), Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.16.1
Thomas Cole (American, 1801 - 1848), The Voyage of Life: Youth, 1842, oil on canvas, overall: 134.3 x 194.9 cm (52 7/8 x 76 3/4 in.) framed: 162.6 x 224.5 x 17.7 cm (64 x 88 3/8 x 6 15/16 in.), Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.16.2
Thomas Cole (American, 1801 - 1848), The Voyage of Life: Manhood, 1842, oil on canvas, overall: 134.3 x 202.6 cm (52 7/8 x 79 3/4 in.) framed: 162.6 x 231.1 x 17.8 cm (64 x 91 x 7 in.), Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.16.3
Thomas Cole (American, 1801 - 1848), The Voyage of Life: Old Age, 1842, oil on canvas, overall: 133.4 x 196.2 cm (52 1/2 x 77 1/4 in.) framed: 162.9 x 225.7 x 17.8 cm (64 1/8 x 88 7/8 x 7 in.), Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.16.4
Thomas Cole (American, 1801 - 1848), A View of the Mountain Pass Called the Notch of the White Mountains (Crawford Notch), 1839, oil on canvas overall: 102 x 155.8 cm (40 3/16 x 61 5/16 in.), framed: 135.9 x 189.6 x 14 cm (53 1/2 x 74 5/8 x 5 1/2 in.), Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1967.8.1
George Caleb Bingham (American, 1811 - 1879), The Jolly Flatboatmen, 1846, oil on canvas, overall: 96.8 x 123.2 cm (38 1/8 x 48 1/2 in.) framed: 116.8 x 143.8 x 10.5 cm (46 x 56 5/8 x 4 1/8 in.), Patrons' Permanent Fund, 2015.18.1
Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), Newport Mountain, Mount Desert, 1851, oil on canvas, John Wilmerding Collection
George Inness (American, 1825 - 1894), The Lackawanna Valley, c. 1856, oil on canvas, overall: 86 x 127.5 cm (33 7/8 x 50 3/16 in.) framed: 120.3 x 161.6 x 15.2 cm (47 3/8 x 63 5/8 x 6 in.), Gift of Mrs. Huttleston Rogers, 1945.4.1
Jasper Francis Cropsey (American, 1823 - 1900), Autumn - On the Hudson River, 1860, oil on canvas, overall: 151.8 x 274.9 cm (59 3/4 x 108 1/4 in.) framed: 200.7 x 321.3 x 21 cm (79 x 126 1/2 x 8 1/4 in.), Gift of the Avalon Foundation, 1963.9.1
Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826 - 1900), Niagara, 1857, oil on canvas, overall: 101.6 × 229.9 cm (40 × 90 1/2 in.) framed: 164.5 × 286.4 × 17.8 cm (64 3/4 × 112 3/4 × 7 in.), Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund), 2014.79.10
John Frederick Kensett (American, 1816 - 1872), Beach at Beverly, c. 1869/1872, oil on canvas, overall: 55.8 x 86.4 cm (21 15/16 x 34 in.) framed: 85.1 x 115.6 x 8.6 cm (33 1/2 x 45 1/2 x 3 3/8 in.), Gift of Frederick Sturges, Jr., 1978.6.5
John Frederick Kensett (American, 1816 - 1872), Beacon Rock, Newport Harbor, 1857, oil on canvas, overall: 57.2 x 91.4 cm (22 1/2 x 36 in.) framed: 85.7 x 119.4 x 10.2 cm (33 3/4 x 47 x 4 in.), Gift of Frederick Sturges, Jr., 1953.1.1
Fitz Henry Lane (American, 1804 - 1865), Lumber Schooners at Evening on Penobscot Bay, 1863, oil on canvas, overall: 62.5 x 96.8 cm (24 5/8 x 38 1/8 in.) framed: 97.8 x 129.5 x 10.2 cm (38 1/2 x 51 x 4 in.), Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Francis W. Hatch, Sr., 1980.29.1
Sanford Robinson Gifford (American, 1823 - 1880), The Artist Sketching at Mount Desert, Maine, 1864, oil on canvas, overall: 27.9 x 48.3 cm (11 x 19 in.) framed: 57.2 x 77.5 cm (22 1/2 x 30 1/2 in.), Gift of Jo Ann and Julian Ganz, Jr. in honor of John Wilmerding, 2004.99.1
Alfred Thompson Bricher (American, 1837 - 1908), A Quiet Day near Manchester, MA, 1873, oil on canvas, overall: 50.8 x 97.16 cm (20 x 38 1/4 in.) Paul Mellon Fund, Avalon Fund, and Gift of Jo Ann and Julian Ganz, Jr., 2008.66.1
Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826 - 1900), El Rio de Luz (The River of Light), 1877, oil on canvas, overall: 138.1 x 213.7 cm (54 3/8 x 84 1/8 in.) framed: 160.7 x 237.5 x 7.6 cm (63 1/4 x 93 1/2 x 3 in.), Gift of the Avalon Foundation, 1965.14.1
Thomas Moran (American, born England, 1837 - 1926), Green River Cliffs, Wyoming, 1881, oil on canvas, overall: 63.5 x 157.5 cm (25 x 62 in.) framed: 109.22 x 203.2 x 15.24 cm (43 x 80 x 6 in.), Gift of the Milligan and Thomson Families, 2011.2.1
Albert Bierstadt (American, 1830 - 1902), Mount Corcoran, c. 1876-1877, oil on canvas, overall: 154.1 × 243.5 cm (60 11/16 × 95 7/8 in.) framed: 214.9 × 302.3 × 21.6 cm (84 5/8 × 119 × 8 1/2 in.), Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund), 2014.79.4
Albert Bierstadt (American, 1830 - 1902), The Last of the Buffalo, 1888, oil on canvas, overall: 180.3 × 301.63 cm (71 × 118 3/4 in.) framed: 217.17 × 339.09 × 13.97 cm (85 1/2 × 133 1/2 × 5 1/2 in.), Corcoran Collection (Gift of Mary Stewart Bierstadt [Mrs. Albert Bierstadt]) 2014.79.5
