Textile Sightings in NYC

Yesterday was my Metropolitan Museum of Art “Friends and family” day, starting with a visit to  “Monumental Journey: The  Dauggerotypes of Giraut de Prangey” with my sister-in-law Carrie Moore. The small images, almost glowing in glass cases, were beautiful, precise, and exotic,  but I kept wanting to see a photo taken right now of the same spot–are the Greek, Italian and Egyptian ruins ruined again by contemporary development? Next stop was “Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection.” It seemed that nearly half the collection was textile-related, items of clothing or accessories.

Carrie and I parted, and I wandered a bit before meeting Anne Whidden, publisher of the Swedish Rug Blog, for lunch. I visited many of the large tapestries I’ve seen before.  I like to pick out details; here are many woven feet.

Later, I walked by “The Apostle’s Creed” again, with Anne.

It’s always so interesting how you notice new details when looking with a friend.  My favorite square included two small figures walking out of a huge serpent.

Anne was interested in the figures in boxes.  We were both puzzled, but didn’t take time to figure out which part of the Apostle’s creed it referenced.

I also walked through the EXTENSIVE armor galleries. So many coats of armor. Even many armor-clad horses, too.

My favorite helmet.

Anne and I visited the “Epic Abstraction:Pollock to Herrara” show. It was the one I was most eager to see, and it was fun, but not revelatory. If you only have time for one of the current shows, don’t miss the Native American art collection.

Anne and I talked and talked, and we walked and walked. It was an amazing day, also because the temperature on my walk from a midtown hotel was in the 50s! This was a change from the thirty below polar vortex in Minnesota one week previous.