Day at the Museum

The sound of birds cheerfully chirping and bright rays of sunlight awoke me by 10 AM. After five days of routinely waking up at 7 AM, it was nice to enjoy a more pleasant and unplanned morning. Now that we had some free time, Tamilyn and I ventured to College Town and had brunch at a local pizzeria. As we were traveling through the area, we passed several other establishments, including Starbucks and a 7-Eleven. I felt as though I were in the city instead of an extension of the Cornell campus, despite its small capacity within Ithaca. Suddenly, a multitude of raindrops made their descent once we left the pizzeria and began walking towards the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. Fortunately, we reached the building a little damp but safe.

A view of Cornell from the museum

Me in between three cast iron sculptures

Once we stepped foot into the museum, our eyes began to feast on the wide variety of artwork. Within the five-story establishment, oil paintings, watercolor inks, C-prints, wood engravings, pencil sketches, and sculptures made of cast iron, gray stone, and slip-cast porcelain encompassed each floor. My favorite was Alice Dalton Brown's Afternoon Calm, an oil on canvas portraying a realistic view of a summer home porch. 

Afternoon Calm

From a distance, it looked as though it just a well-taken photograph. The intricate details and beautiful colorations of this piece made me feel as though I were in the door way of that porch. 

Tamilyn near Pair of male and female buraq sculptures

Before we left, we visited the Asian Art exhibit on the fifth floor. To no surprise, every piece artwork was outstanding. What I truly admire about art is its ability to represent one's ideas, emotions, and culture all at once. Just looking at every sculpture and painting opened my eyes to the richness and diversity of Asian art.

The rest of my Saturday compromised of readings from Locke and the commencement of my final essay, the prompt being what Plato's critique of the democracy in which he lived is. At least I will be able to sleep in once more tomorrow before class reconvenes on Monday.