To be quite honest, aside from Corot, I'm not that big on French Impressionism; I can appreciate from an artistic standpoint, and once in awhile I encounter a work which leaves me floored, but as a whole the movement doesn't appeal to me nearly as much as others do. If this is any indication, during exhibitions on Impressionism I'm usually soaking up Courbet's seascapes while steering clear Monet's haystacks.
I'm also taken aback by the collection's lack of American works. The Smithsonian database lists them as having only about 200 or so pieces (either on display or in the stacks) and a majority appear to be from the early 20th century. Hummm ...
Anyway, admission is $18 which is just high enough for me to consider doing something else instead. For that price one could go to the Philly Museum of Art or the Pennsylvania Academy of Art, though I've been to the former several times before and the latter is still too fresh in my memory. Come to think of it, the next day I'll be checking out the New York Historical Society AND the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so perhaps I should take a break from the galleries and get some sun instead ...
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