Speed is Big on Impressionism

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Clever marketing from the Speed

Admittedly, I know very little about fine art. But I was fascinated by the collection of Impressionist works on display at the Speed Museum’s newest exhibition: “Impressionist Landscapes: Monet to Sargent.”

The exhibit, which I saw Friday night, includes more than 70 paintings by some of the most legendary painters of the 19th and 20th centuries.  The main attraction, of course, is Claude Monet, and the Speed secured four Monets, including one that it owns, for the show. But I was drawn to others, like Julien Dupre’s “In the Pasture.” It’s a dramatic piece showing a farmhand struggling to control a cow.

While the landscapes of mountains, the sea and trees are all pretty in their own way, I prefer the art featuring people, such as Charles Cournety Curran’s “On the Heights” featuring three women in profile. Or the piece from American Jane Peterson called “The Red Parasol.” But that’s just my impression of the Impressionists. For a review from an actual art critic, try this link to the C-J.

The exhibit at the Speed is there until May 22.

This one from William Glacken is one of my favorites
Here's one from Claude Monet.