For all that I was sick this week, I had a lovely, sociable couple of days.
A friend of mine was in town for business, and met me at circus on Wednesday. We talked a wide variety of things, not least of which was the awesomeness of the kids doing circus. They are artists, those kids, and I am reminded of how impressive they are when guests of mine come visit.
Yesterday I met some out-of-town friends and we went to the art institute. I don’t get to the MIA often enough, and welcomed the chance.
Since my friends were driving the itinerary, rather than my kids, I saw some pieces I’d yet to see. There was a lolarious literal rendition of The Annunciation, by Girolamo da Santacroce, in which God fires the Holy Spirit at Mary. The Holy Spirit begins as a dove and then transforms into the infant Jesus still hurtling through the air at Mary. Who is kneeling in blissfully accepting mediation, or something like that.
I kinda wanted to tell Mary to duck, or at least put her hands up to catch him, or something.
I also came across a piece that was new to me, Location Shooting, by Alfred Leslie. It’s huge, and lovely, and foreboding, but also comforting to me. I burst out laughing when I saw it because it was such a delightful thing.
My son wanted to spend about a half-hour debating the engineering and symbolism of The Coaci Inkstand. Which is lovely and exquisite, and does stand in some irony near an oil painting of Jesus driving the moneychangers out of the temple.
I was pleased with K when, standing in a recreated historical dining room, she pointed out that we were in a Pirates of the Caribbean-style room. I checked the dates, and, yep, my daughter can correctly identify mid-to-late eighteenth-century American home decor. From a Disney movie.
I’ll take it as a win.
Filed under: Autobiography, Parenting | Tagged: art, homeschooling | 1 Comment »
