The Palmer Museum of Art is just as impressive inside as it is outside. For three months, I have walked past that building with its huge paws on the front steps and have been intimidated. The intimidation didn’t end as I entered the building on this surprisingly cool Sunday afternoon. With its high ceilings and clean atmosphere, the Palmer exuberated classiness. A long hallway heading towards the exhibit included wall-length windows on one side and a gift shop on the right. Through the glass doors, the art sprang up on all sides. Many pieces featured bibical tales, such as David with the head of Goliath by Louis Finson in the 1600s.
One such piece grabbed my interest above all the others. It was a painting by Giovanni Domenico Ferretti called “The Brazen Serpent.” The so-called Brazen Serpent laid across the top of a wooden cross. As I learned in class from the book, This Means This, This Means That, Ferretti purposefully placed the cross and serpent way above the heads of the humans below, almost as though it was in the dark gray, gloomy clouds. This painting reminded me of an end to the world, such as the end predicted by the Mayan calendar that is slowly but surely approaching. Though I don’t believe in that, I do find it odd that I should see this painting at this specific point in time.
Another work of art fascinated me as well. A few pieces were made in the 1900s, but many were from before the 17th century. One rather large piece was hidden under a window by a staircase. It definitely looked like it didn’t belong. This piece, called “Peacock Blur and Yellow Seaform Set with yellow lip wraps”, was created in 1942 by Dale Chihuly. It was vibrant, and bold, with an interesting shape, almost like an underwater coral. It was a good choice by the curators to not place this piece in the large room adjacent from where it was, because it would have been very out of place amongst the pots and ceramic plates. This piece would look even better in the beginning of the exhibit, in order to draw in perspective admirers.
The Palmer Museum of Art opened my eyes to a yet another culture at Penn State University. Whenever I begin to feel like an uncultured member of society, I know I can go back there to appreciate the various works cultivated over the years by those working within The Palmer Museum of Art.
One such piece grabbed my interest above all the others. It was a painting by Giovanni Domenico Ferretti called “The Brazen Serpent.” The so-called Brazen Serpent laid across the top of a wooden cross. As I learned in class from the book, This Means This, This Means That, Ferretti purposefully placed the cross and serpent way above the heads of the humans below, almost as though it was in the dark gray, gloomy clouds. This painting reminded me of an end to the world, such as the end predicted by the Mayan calendar that is slowly but surely approaching. Though I don’t believe in that, I do find it odd that I should see this painting at this specific point in time.
Another work of art fascinated me as well. A few pieces were made in the 1900s, but many were from before the 17th century. One rather large piece was hidden under a window by a staircase. It definitely looked like it didn’t belong. This piece, called “Peacock Blur and Yellow Seaform Set with yellow lip wraps”, was created in 1942 by Dale Chihuly. It was vibrant, and bold, with an interesting shape, almost like an underwater coral. It was a good choice by the curators to not place this piece in the large room adjacent from where it was, because it would have been very out of place amongst the pots and ceramic plates. This piece would look even better in the beginning of the exhibit, in order to draw in perspective admirers.
The Palmer Museum of Art opened my eyes to a yet another culture at Penn State University. Whenever I begin to feel like an uncultured member of society, I know I can go back there to appreciate the various works cultivated over the years by those working within The Palmer Museum of Art.
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