Art in the Soumaya

So this post is probably a little more Art History-y then most, but I wanted to show some of the masterpieces from the museum because they are incredible! Walking up the ramp (similar to the Guggenheim in NY), the very first two painting you see- Botticelli's! I've only seen Botticelli's in Florence and Rome, never did I expect to see 1, let alone 2.

Not behind glass, no rope in front of them, I could walk right up to the canvas and see the fine brush strokes of the veil, the gold painted halo's, and see the fine details that I never had access to see. Walking to the right- is that a Da Vinci!!? Leonardo DaVinci- right before my eyes- again, not behind glass, no security guards, and no people!!! !!! AH!! :-)

No one even on this floor of the museum- just me, one security guard down the hall, and a DaVinci. It was incredible. I was able to walk right up to the painting, seeing the landscape detail, the single strands of hair twirling down the side of the Madonna's cheeks, the single brush stroke that Leonardo himself painted…

One of the only female painters to get recognition in the European canon- Artemisia Gentileschi is one of my favorite's and they had this large of work of hers on this floor as well. The third and fourth floors were modern masters- Van Gough, Camille Carot, Degas, Monet, just work after work! Fifth floor was interesting- it was entirely devoted to Sophia Loren. Her outfits, her magazine covers, an entire wall of her awards including her Emmy's. Then winding up to the top floor- you see this:

Can we officially say this is the most incredible museum?? I was smitten :-) Rodin sculpture everywhere- some I had never seen from his "gates of hell" work that was never completed, Salvador Dali sculptures of every genre that were so interesting- I never knew Dali did sculptures! Amazing...