Last year I visited New York with a neighbor who had never made the trip before. I introduced her to all my favorite art. I tend to spend hours there but also take time out to enjoy the cuisine at the cafeteria, which by the way, is new and improved and is now situated in the lower level.

Where do I begin? The American Wing has an expansive window overlooking Central Park. There you can sit at the cafe and contemplate the sculpture while you peoplewatch. You can view the impressive Augustus Saint-Gaudens pieces, namely "Amor Caritas" and "Diana." The original Diana, which stood atop Madison Square Garden, now resides at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. If European art is more to your liking, then you should visit the European Sculpture Garden. It is a lovely place to sit, relax, have a bite to eat, and ponder Rodin’s "Burghers of Calais."

What are some other favorite picks? Degas' pastels, Vermeer's "Young Woman With a Water Jug," Ingres' "Odalisque in Grisaille," the Temple of Dendur, Petrus Christus’ "Annunciation" (1450), Pieter Bruegel’s "Harvesters," Augustus Saint Gaudens’ bronze relief of Bessie Smith White (Mrs. Stanford White). This particular sculpture was formerly stored in the Mezzanine gallery where I discovered (and admired) it many years ago. It now hangs in the American Wing, surrounded by Tiffany Favrile glass and American furniture.

While weather permits, until the end of October, be sure to visit the Cantor Roof Garden. It has a spectacular view of the skyline of New York and looks down onto Central Park. They usually display sculpture from the museum’s collection, but this year was different. They chose an English artist, Andy Goldsworthy, to create a sculpture installation for the roof garden. It was titled, "Stone Houses." There were 2 enormous houses made from split rails from New England white cedar. Within were granite stones, ranging in weight from 1 ½ tons to 2 ounces, stacked upon one another. You could get close and personal with this sculpture and peer into the houses to see the rock pyramids. I was lucky enough to be in New York for a beautiful, sunny, fall day.
So, when in New York... be sure to visit one of the greatest museums in the world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art.


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To enjoy the art from the Metropolitan museum leisurely at home, I highly recommend the companion book, "Masterpieces of the Metropolitan Museum of Art"
from Amazon.com.