The New American Wing @ The MET

Today I was able to catch the last day of the Member's preview of the New American Wing-Paintings.  The new gallery spaces were packed with members.  The galleries are spacious and are curated chronologically.  The works span from the founding of the country to the American Impressionists. The curator's also included American decorative arts.

There are many must see paintings in this new gallery, but there is only one that can rival all the others.  The piece de resistance is "Washington Crossing the Delaware" by Leutze.  The massive size of the canvas  and the magnificent custom gold leaf frame makes one to sit in front of this painting and just gawk.  The painting and the new gallery stirs up a specific sentiment of americana and a love for one's country.

I was happy to see the MET put more John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassat on view.  The American impressionists are well represented, but wished they devoted more space to them.  The gallery is a tad heavy on the American history, but is balanced out with the American landscapes from the Hudson River School and Remmington's West.

I highly recommend this gallery to art lovers. This is one of the best galleries the MET has opened in a long while.  It is your patriotic duty to check out this new gallery.

-C