Leyendecker and Museum Mile

Long term readers know that I love J. C. Leyendecker. I was very sorry to miss the opening of "Americans Abroad: J.C Leyendecker and the European Influence on American Illustration" at the Society of Illustrators while I was out of town. I had a few minutes to spare last night so I ran up to give myself a quick preview. Holy cow, is this show phenomenal. Leyendecker's grace is unparalleled. His brushwork is so confident and never labored, every painting just sings with life. Above are a few quick details. I'll show more when I am able to get a better look at the exhibit.

The show runs through July 12. This is a rare opportunity to view these one hundred paintings, many of which are owned in private collections. If you're in the area, it's well worth the effort to come check it out. There is a catalog of the exhibit with very nice reproductions available through the Society's website.

What I was actually on my way to was the Museum Mile Festival. Fifth Avenue becomes a big block party once a year and all the museums are open late and open free. I was a bit too frazzled from work to settle into museum-mode, especially with so many people stuffed into them, but it was a beautiful day to walk down the center of Fifth Avenue and be around the buzz of museum goers.