Wadsworth Museum Hartford CT

Mladen Curakovic
Spring 2010 Museum experience
Wadsworth Atheneum.

To introduce my museum experience I believe that it would be right to give you the basic history of the museum that I have visited. Wadsworth Atheneum is the America’s oldest public museum since 1842. Hartford art patron Daniel Wadsworth started the museum. He founded the Wadsworth Atheneum in order to share the wonders of art with the public. In the mid-nineteenth century, average citizens had little if no exposure to fine art, antiquities, or beautiful objects. Only the very wealthy purchased paintings or decorative arts, and then only for their own enjoyment. Thus, Wadsworth's generous gesture was an exciting turn of events that raised the cultural fortunes of an entire community.
When I was getting to the museum I decided to make my museum experience even more fun by thinking that if I had million dollars and had to pick one painting to buy which one would it be. Getting to the museum was no problem and finding a parking spot was no problem. When I got inside the staff tagged my camera and told me what I can and cant take pictures of.
The museum has collections of European art, American decorative arts, American painting, Contemporary art, Costume and textiles, European decorative arts. All of these exhibits were amazing and fun to look at. While at the museums first floor I was blown away by the six centuries of impressionist Renaissance favorites paintings.
While looking at many exhibits and other collections of many different paintings from all over the world I was extremely impressed. However one painting that struck me the most was the Apparition of Face and fruit dish on a beach by Salvador Dali. Being a big fan of Salvador Dali and the surreal type of artwork I was happy that I got to see one of his art peaces in person. This painting is done so well and professionally that one may look at it and think that it was done on the computer however it was painted in such detail that it is unbelievable.
Being a big fan of Vincent Van Gogh while at the museum I found one of his paintings there as well. It was a self-portrait painting. I have to say though I was shocked to see that the painting was not larger. Instead it was little bit larger then a 12 by 12. However the detail and style of painting was truly amazing and it is obvious when the person sees it in real life why it is in the museum.
The one exhibit that I found the most interesting was the Hudson River school. This exhibit was filled with paintings that were ninety five percent landscape and atmospherics style paintings. These paintings were done so well one might stand next to it and think that someone took a photograph of the landscape.
Coming back to the one million dollars that I would spend on the painting I think that if I was to buy a painting it would have to be the Vincent Van Gogh self portrait. I know it would be more then one million dollars but if I had to choose one it would definitely be that painting. This museum experience was amazing because knowing that we have the Americas oldest art museum in our back yard that is amazing in every way possible is just a awesome privilege.
Mladen Curakovic.