Chicago - the awesome Chicago Art Institute

Like many other large museums, the Art Institute of Chicago could take you days to go through.  We spent two half days here on a 5 day visit to Chicago and barely skimmed the surface.  There were many impressionist works but the modern art collection is impressive.  What I'd found most fascinating though was the collection of 68 exquisitely decorated rooms of miniature period furniture in the Thorne Room in the basement.  I could spend hours going through each window case - they are great fodder for the imagination!  Below are some of my favourite pieces at the Institute.

Renoir's The Wave

Degas Dancers

The Captive Slave by English painter John Philip Simpson, 1827.  This was a very bold statement at the time as it was six years before the Slavery Abolition Act was passed by the British Parliament.  Ira Aldridge, the free-born son of  a New York lay preacher who posed for the picture would go on to an important career on the London stage.

Unmistakable Frank Lloyd Wright hanging here and there

The famous Jackson Pollock drip, pour and splash...

I love this!  Gerhard Richter's Woman descending the stairs

Don't forget to turn around and look outside the wall to wall windows in the new wing to catch another perspective on the magnificent Chicago towers (they might be behind blinds if you visit in late afternoon)

Neat design - a collapsible stool

A granite buddha from the 12th century

and here are some of the miniature rooms...

http://www.artic.edu/http://www.artic.edu/