Art Museum

Not a field trip with the kids this time.  I went to Crocker Art Museum with a friend.  

These Greek vases made me smile.  Back several years in our homeschool journey, we did several Greek vase projects until we were all a little sick of them.  Time changes perspective, doesn't it?

So, Crocker was one of the "Big 4" in Sacramento history.  Guys with money, who brought the railroad here, and were in business and banking and such.  We'd learned about them years ago at the railroad museum in Old Sac.  The building that houses Crocker Art Museum was their residence.  The photo above doesn't do the amazing ceiling justice.  

There was a whole room full of dishes.  Lots of interesting patterns.  I was a little surprised at the ones with bugs on them.  Personally, I don't want bugs, real or painted, on my dishes, but to each his own.  

Not only was the ceiling detail interesting, the floors were, too.  This one was tiled in a quilt pattern, and there was another floor that was beautifully painted.  

2nd story ballroom.  Note the giant hole in the ceiling?  The 3rd floor has a vaguely donut shaped room that looks down into the ballroom.  It's currently lined with paintings, including a couple that reminded me of the Hanoverians in the British monarchy.  --I've been watching lots of history videos lately.  And the paintings were German portraits.  

The column is more impressive in person, with it's impressive height and it's shimmering gold leaf.  Gorgeous building.  

The dishes above and below remind me of old European heraldry.  

I think it would be cool to have a coat of arms and a seal.  

We could have spent far longer than the 2 hours we budgeted for at the museum.  There's a courtyard between wings of the building.  

This made me smile because I love the colors.  

More neat floor.

And check out this door!  It was probably 10' tall.  

(I'm not *actually* touching the door.  Brianna and I send each other pictures touching things we're probably not supposed to be touching.)  

This is one of the twin staircases that wind down from the 3rd floor to the 2nd.  

Writing desk, photos & other memorabilia.  The gold coins are a horticultural prize.   

Pictures don't really do these justice.  The pitcher is a translucent purple beneath all the decorations.  

More dishes.

These are from modern Native American artists.  

More modern works

This bust graces one of the twin staircases.

And that's it!  It was a fun morning.  We didn't see everything, but it was nice to fill my head with other perspectives.