I was an art history major in my undergrad days, but in all honesty, the typical Renaissance painting exhibit can be a bit of a snoozer even to an art geek like myself. Not so for this salon style display of European paintings at the RISD Museum where the effect of the tightly stacked artwork against the deep blue wall is anything but boring.
I stop by this dramatic gallery every time I’m at the museum because it never fails to take my breath away. The blue is sophisticated enough not to overwhelm the artwork, but brings a modern sensibility to the display of old paintings, which range in age from the Renaissance to the 19th century.
The RISD Museum is located at 22 Benefit Street, Providence, Rhode Island. Visit risdmuseum.org for more information and hours.
For more examples of paintings displayed on colored walls, read Rachael’s post on Apartment Therapy DC, Color Dilemma: Do Bright Walls Hurt or Highlight Artwork?
(Images: Sarah Rainwater)
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Comments (5)
I know what you mean. I am happy to see museums and galleries use wall colors other than white or dull gray as backdrops.
A few years ago, I visited the National Galley of Art to see a small, but choice, exhibit of pieces commissioned by the Medicis.
One small chamber was devoted to oversized still lifes with ornate frames. The floral and fruit compositions were stunning. What made them pop was the purplish-black wall color (eggplant was more like it) and the unique spotlighting effects. Walking into that small windowless room literally took my breath away.
Another exhibit which used a similar technique of dark, dramatic spaces and moody lighting was the recent Terracotta Warriors at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It was a knock-out as much for the presentation as the objects themselves.
This is really nice.
You should see the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. They decorate almost every room with the theme of art. Beautiful stuff.
Considering most of these works were displayed in homes with colorful walls, it seems right for museums to do the same.
Thanks, Sarah. The blue on the walls is Benjamin Moore "New York State of Mind," and it was selected for this gallery by RISD's former Museum Director Hope Alswang, who is passionate about art, design, and color. It is a rich, generous, and buoyant foil for the collection and for the dazzling array of gold frames. The space delights visitors, regardless of how much they know about the history of art.
Sarah,
Nice to see the RISD Museum get some press! Was their new show The Brilliant Line open when you were there. I think it opened two weeks ago. The show is great and the large space it is in was painted an incredible, dark purply, chocolaty brown.
Very interesting for an engraving show.
They have a great interactive/educational module for the exhibit at www-dot-risdmuseum-dot-org.
Check it out.