Mundane Monday - Culture Lunches

One of my favorite things about working for Brigham Young University is my access to so many cool things, like the Museum of Art, exhibits at the Library, lunch time lectures by visiting dignitaries, and even the cool hands-on science stations in the Eyring Science Center! About a year ago, my co-workers and I were talking about all of these cool exhibits and how we don't take advantage of them! So I've started doing just that on my lunch hours. A couple weeks ago I went to the Museum of Art on campus and toured the Minerva Teichert: Pageants in Paint exhibition. It was amazing. I wish she had more of her work on-line so I could show you my favorite pieces but this one will have to suffice.

Then just today, I visited the exhibition on Masterworks of Victorian Art from the Collection of John H. Schaeffer - again at the Museum of Art. I think I now understand why my fellow London study abroaders loved Victorian Art! I loved how wistful each piece was and how I felt like the paintings brought my fantastical dreams to real life! Although the most famous piece they had in the collection probably is not my dreamiest piece - Mariamne by John William Waterhouse.

The piece that was the epitome of my dreams was Chivalry by Sir Frank Francis Bernard Dicksee. What girl has not dreamed of her knight in shining armor coming to save her life and virtue? I am no exception. Look how fair she is. Does that not symbolize her virtue? And look at the sun setting behind her knight as he stands over her captor. It's like a vision of courage, honor, and selflessness. True love - right there. You can see it in her eyes.

But I must say, my all-time favorite Victorian piece is The Lady of Shallot by John William Waterhouse. I just have to mention it even thought it is not in the collection at the MOA.

This piece is immortalized in my memory forever... because of the movie Anne of Green Gables. And then I saw the original painting in London. Sigh. Remember when Anne acts out the scene of the poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson? Reciting the poem?

There she weaves by night and day A magic web with colours gay. She has heard a whisper say A curse is on her if she stay To look down on Camelot. And at the closing of the day The broad stream bore her far away, And as the boat-head wound along They heard her singing her last song, The Lady of Shalott.