Through a trip to NYC, I want my nieces and nephew to gain an
appreciation of the best artists in the various styles of art.   For
example, I want to be able to stand in front of “X” painting in “Y”
museum and say “Z” painter is considered to be the second best artist
in “A” style/period and this is considered to be one of his best
pieces of work.

To do that, I need to know the different styles of
painting/sculpture/art, which artist are considered the best (i.e.,
top 5 or 10) of their respective styles, and which museum in NYC has
the best (or some) of his or her work.

As my question probably suggests, I have a limited understanding of
art.   Therefore, any suggestions/ideas regarding the best ways to
increase my knowledge in a limited amount of time would also be
appreciated.   Currently, I live in the NY/NJ area.  

Finally, if you are familiar with the NYC area and you have a favorite
place to visit or thing to do, it would be great if you would include
that information in your reply.

Thank you!

---

Request for Question Clarification by richard-ga on 06 Oct 2003 10:55 PDT

Hello:

I know art, and I know New York City.

But because neither your trip nor my answer can run forever, I would
like to give you a tour through one or more of New York's greatest
museums, focused on their greatest masterpieces, sorted by era, style
and artist, and some information about each work.

Will that be an acceptable answer?

Richard-ga

---

Clarification of Question by nmtmnh-ga on 07 Oct 2003 07:08 PDT

I apologize if my original question sounded like I was looking for a
book on art history.

I agree that it is more appropriate to talk in terms of “masters” of
particular style of works rather than a “top 10” list.   I also agree
that it would be helpful if I provided a list of 5 or 6
categories/styles of art.   However, I don’t know 5 or 6 to list.

Kids being kids, I think they will get more from going to several
museums than they would from spending 2 days in the Met (for example).
  So my current plan is take them to the Met, the Frick, and two or
three other museums.

Perhaps the following background will give you a sense of what I’m
looking for:  To this day, I get a kick out of seeing a painting or a
scripture in a museum that I remember seeing in a book during high
school art class.   I want the kids (based upon this trip) to have
that “I’ve seen that” and “I’ve heard of him” experience when they see
pictures in books or hear people discussing artists.   And, given that
art (and artists) in museums tend to blur together,   I don’t think
they will get that “experience” unless I can point them in the right
direction.   And I can’t point them in the right direction without
your help.

Thanks for your consideration of my question/need.

Hello and thank you for your question.

Certainly the Frick in New York is an ideal starting point, and it's a
wonderfully compact building, itself a treasure.
Virtual Tour
http://www.frick.org/html/vtmnf.htm

Here are the must-see pictures in the Frick collection.  I have sorted
them in chronological order.  In each case the cite will tell you
about the picture, and I've included images of each.  If you want to
pare the list down further, you could limit yourself to pictures that
as you say you remember seeing in a book during high school art class.

I considered assigning each picture to a historical era or style, but
I really think you'll do well enough to see this as a progression of
how the greatest painters have viewed the world, century by century.


DUCCIO DI BUONINSEGNA
THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST 
ON THE MOUNTAIN
Painted between 1308 and 1311.
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg15f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Ducciolg.jpg

FRA FILIPPO LIPPI
THE ANNUNCIATION
Painted c. 1440. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg19f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Lippilg.jpg

JAN VAN EYCK AND WORKSHOP
VIRGIN AND CHILD, WITH SAINTS AND DONOR
Painted c. 1441–43. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg18f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Eycklg.jpg

GIOVANNI BELLINI
ST. FRANCIS IN THE DESERT
c. 1480
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Bellb4.jpg
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg8f.htm

HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER
SIR THOMAS MORE
Dated 1527.
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg7f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Holbnb1.jpg

TITIAN (TIZIANO VECELLIO)
PIETRO ARETINO
Painted probably between 1548 and 1551.
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg25f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Titn2lg.jpg

AGNOLO BRONZINO
LODOVICO CAPPONI
c.1550-1555
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Bronzlg.jpg
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg28f.htm

PIETER BRUEGEL THE ELDER
THE THREE SOLDIERS
Dated 1568
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Brughllg.jpg
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg24f.htm

EL GRECO
THE PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE
Painted c. 1600. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg31f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Grec3lg.jpg

FRANS HALS
PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN
Dated 1635. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg35f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Hals2lg.jpg

DIEGO RODRÍGUEZ DE SILVA Y VELÁZQUEZ
KING PHILIP IV OF SPAIN
Painted in 1644. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg39f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Velzqzlg.jpg

REMBRANDT HARMENSZ. VAN RIJN
SELF–PORTRAIT
Dated 1658. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg38f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Rembt3lg.jpg

JOHANNES VERMEER
MISTRESS AND MAID
Painted probably between 1665 and 1670. 
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Vermr3lg.jpg
[incredibly for a museum this size, this is one of three Vermeers on
exhibit]

FRANÇOIS BOUCHER
THE FOUR SEASONS: SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, WINTER
1755
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/bouch3lg.jpg
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg52f.htm
  
JEAN-HONORÉ FRAGONARD
THE PROGRESS OF LOVE
Four panels painted in 1771–73
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg53f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/frag1lg.jpg

GILBERT STUART
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Painted 1795–96. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg61f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Stuartlg.jpg

JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID
COMTESSE DARU
1810
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg63f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Davidlg.jpg

FRANCISCO DE GOYA Y LUCIENTES
THE FORGE
Painted between c. 1815 and 1820
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg9f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Goyab1.jpg

JOHN CONSTABLE
SALISBURY CATHEDRAL FROM THE BISHOP’S GARDEN
1826
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg67f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Const2lg.jpg

JEAN-AUGUSTE-DOMINIQUE INGRES
THE COMTESSE D’HAUSSONVILLE
Dated 1845. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg68f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Ingreslg.jpg

ÉDOUARD MANET
THE BULLFIGHT
Painted in 1864. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg74f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Manetlg.jpg

JAMES McNEILL WHISTLER
SYMPHONY IN FLESH COLOR AND PINK: PORTRAIT OF MRS. FRANCES LEYLAND
Painted in 1872–73. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg79f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Whist2lg.jpg

CLAUDE-OSCAR MONET
VÉTHEUIL IN WINTER
1878 or 1879. 
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg76f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Monetlg.jpg

HILAIRE-GERMAIN-EDGAR DEGAS
THE REHEARSAL
Painted probably in 1878–79.
http://www.frick.org/html/pntg3f.htm
http://www.frick.org/assets/images/Degasb1.jpg

----------------
Now, on to the Met.  As you may know, the Met is huge, and you'll do
well to look at a limited number of its greatest pictures (see below)
and then let your guests decide if they'd like to reserve time for
some other of its collections, perhaps the armory.  Here are the tops
of the tops:

Introduction to European Paintings
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/department.asp?dep=11
The Met's European collections greatest masterpieces are:

Five pictures by Vermeer [!], including
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher, ca. 1660–67
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=11&item=89%2E15%2E21
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=11&full=0&mark=1&item=89%2E15%2E21

Allegory of the Planets and Continents, sketch, 1752
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo 
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=11&item=1977%2E1%2E3
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=11&full=0&mark=1&item=1977%2E1%2E3

37 paintings by Monet, including
Garden at Sainte-Adresse, 1867
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=11&item=67%2E241
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=11&full=0&mark=1&item=67%2E241

21 oil paintings by Cezanne [my favorite!], including
Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses, early 1890s
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=11&item=51%2E112%2E1
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=11&full=0&mark=1&item=51%2E112%2E1



----------
Introduction to American Paintings and Sculpture
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/department.asp?dep=2
The Met's American collection's greatest masterpieces are:

Stuart's portrait of George Washington, 
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=2&item=07%2E160
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/images/ap/images/ap07.160.L.jpg

Bingham's Fur Traders Descending the Missouri, 
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=2&item=33%2E61
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=2&full=0&mark=1&item=33%2E61

Cole's View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a
Thunderstorm (The Oxbow),
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=2&item=08%2E228
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=2&full=0&mark=1&item=08%2E228

Church's Heart of the Andes, 
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=2&item=09%2E95
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=2&full=0&mark=1&item=09%2E95

Eakins's The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), 
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=2&item=34%2E92
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=2&full=0&mark=1&item=34%2E92

Sargent's Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau) 
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=2&item=16%2E53
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=2&full=0&mark=1&item=16%2E53

and finally, perhaps the Met's greatest American masterpiece,

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze's monumental 1851 canvas, Washington Crossing
the Delaware.
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=2&item=97%2E34
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1zoom.asp?dep=2&full=0&mark=1&item=97%2E34

--------------

Well, we could go on and on, but personally I think that's as much as
your nieces and nephew are going to scrutinize closely.  Let me know
if you want any other museum's highlights; but I suggest that you
cover these two museums, and then go see the Lion King!
http://www.claws-and-paws.com/tlkob-faq/index.shtml


Search terms used:
Frick ~masterpiece
"Metropolitan Museum" ~masterpiece

Thanks again for bringing us your question.  
Enjoy your trip!

There are two problems, I think, in answering your question as it is
now posed.
One is your request to give rankings: best, second best, etc. There is
no ranking agency for art, and no two art cirtics would ever be in
complete agreement. But those works generally accepted as masterworks
could be identified.

The second problem is that a survey of the best in NYC of ALL
categories would take a VERY long time to compile. It seems to me the
best way to approach this (given the limited time you will have in NYC
and the limited time of the GA researcher who might tackle your
question)would be for you to list, say, the five or six categories
that interest you most: for example, Italian Renaissance art, Dutch
art of the 18th century, pre-modern Spanish art, etc. Then what could
be done is to give you the NYC locations where you can see the best
holdings in the several categories you request, with special mention
made of the masterworks not to be missed.