Before I can plunge into more recent adventures, I have one final must-see Chicago attraction to tell you about: The Art Institute of Chicago. Many of the planet’s most notable impressionist and post-impressionist art makes its home here, in downtown Chicago. The Art Institute of Chicago (which will henceforth be referred to as the AIC because I care about trees) spans an amazing one-million square feet, making it second only to Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Approaching it from the street, you probably wouldn’t guess it’s so vast. Only after you’ve found yourself wandering, and getting lost in the sheer scope of it, will you begin to appreciate the immenseness of this world-class museum. Put simply, the AIC is a tour-de-force of modern and post-modern art.

Marinara That’ll Turn You To Stone

Paintings and sculptures you’ve heard about, and seen photos of for your entire life, live here. Because it’s featured in the introduction of a well-known television drama, many people will be familiar with the duo of paintings, “Adam & Eve” by Lucas Cranach, for instance. And fans of the board game Masterpiece may recognize “Old Man with a Gold Chain” by Rembrandt, if they aren’t already fans of Rembrandt to begin with. Aside from the major “rockstar” pieces of the museum, there were also more unusual creations, such as a darkened sculpture room filled with hauntingly black square pillars and a photo of the head of Medusa created entirely out of spaghetti entitled “Medusa Marinara”. And I must say, seeing Medusa’s image interpreted in Italian cuisine is absolutely hilarious.

But even if you’re not an Art History major (and try not to pass out when I admit that I’m not), you’re sure to appreciate two works of art in particular. The first is the inimitable painting “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper. Finally seeing this painting in person was a special treat because I really enjoy the visceral way the painting evokes the era of which it’s from. If you really gaze into the painting, you can almost feel the hard, cold wood of the curving bar. A nearby sign said it

“…was inspired by “a restaurant on New York’s Greenwich Avenue where two streets meet,” but the image, with its carefully constructed composition and lack of narrative, has a timeless quality that transcends its particular locale.”

Indeed it does.

“A Sunday on La Grande Jatte” was just Incredible

But without a doubt, the painting I was most excited to see, and the painting you’ll probably recognize the most, is “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat (pronounced Soo-rah). I was first exposed to this lovely painting when I saw the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” many years ago. When I first entered the museum, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to see any of Seurat’s famous work because I’d been told much of the art had been temporarily shipped to a museum in Texas due to the remodeling that was currently being done. So, you can imagine how glad I was to hear that they did keep one of Seurat’s paintings; and thankfully they decided to keep this one, which is probably his most popular work.

Seeing “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte” in person was really amazing, and I even had time to take multiple macro photos, each getting progressively closer to the painting to capture the tiniest detail. I would certainly never touch the glass that’s over the painting, but I did take a macro photo close enough so that you can see even the individual brush strokes that reveal the style in which it was created. Do you see how everything is actually made up of tiny dots? That’s because this painting was created in pointillism style. Check Art Institute of Chicago album for the macro photos that reveal this detail in full size.

The Museum Itself is an Icon

You don’t have to be an Art History major to enjoy this museum. It features many of the iconic images you’ve probably seen before, but seeing them in person delivers a more personal, and more real, emotional impact. I spent about 2.5 hours exploring the museum, but some of it was inaccessible due to the remodeling. I’d expect that if it weren’t being remodeled, it would only require an afternoon to really get a grip on. If you want to save a few bucks, take advantage of the Free Thursday evenings from 5 to 8 PM. A truly delightful experience, the Art Institute of Chicago is not to be missed.

So get down there and check it out before they ship the Seurat to Spain!

Note: The author of this website does not make any claims to know the future movements of any Seurat works of art, painted or otherwise. Such claims are purely comedic and probably not even that funny. When questioned, the country of Spain declined to comment… but seriously, what is the deal with that medusa marinara?

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Photos from this trip are in the Art Institute of Chicago album. All photos in the Byteful Gallery can be used as desktop wallpapers because they are high resolution (1920×1440) just like the fullscreen & widescreen wallpapers.

Recommended Reading:

1. Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art Doesn’t Like Your Camera. We can change this.
2. Exploring Minneapolis Institute of Arts museum
3. Have You Seen The Bean? (Chicago Cloud Gate)
4. The Top 3 Exhibits at Chicago’s Field Museum
5. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is Glass!