1 Good Thing Overheard in Museums Lately

I wanted to counterbalance a previous post entitled 5 Annoying Things Overheard in Museums Lately, by including one non-annoying and quite good thing that I overheard a few weeks ago. It involved this painting, Keith's Union Square (c. 1903-1906) by Everett Shinn.

(thanks to Brooklyn Museum online for the image!)
I don't know anything about Everett Shinn, but I do like this painting. A lot. It's kind of over in a corner of the Brooklyn Museum's American Art wing (their American Art collection is wonderfully arranged and deserves its own post), and the painting is fairly small (20 5/16 x 24 1/4 in. says their website) and almost nondescript. However...I love the colors, especially the greens and blues in the background, and the slash of yellow light on the stage floor. When you look at it, it really seems like the figure is moving and twisting, with her dress billowing around her. Atmospheric, in poncey art history-speak.

At any rate, I was looking at the painting next to it and an older woman (probably mid-50's) came and stood next to me and was looking at Keith's Union Square. She gasped. I turned with a glare ready to give the back of her head (passive-aggression, it's how I roll) but instead of saying anything annoying she moved closer to the painting. "Oh, it looks alive" she whispered. "Beautiful." And she moved her hand a little bit like she was painting the yellow slash. I had to restrain myself from giving her a hug.