Editor’s note: Thank you, Bob Heiss, for this report
The Tintoretto exhibit was in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the painter’s birth, and many of the art works had not previously been on tour. In fact, the NGA show was the only one in North America, the other venue being Venice. The budgetary shutdown of the government delayed the opening of the show, but that ultimately did not affect the timing of our class event.
In the early afternoon on April 12, 2019, we assembled in the lecture hall of the National Gallery for an informative preview lecture, and then dispersed to the galleries for the show. The paintings, which have been magnificently restored, and are mostly of religious and mythological subjects, were astonishing–mostly very large, with vibrant colors and dramatic compositions. After the walk through of the exhibits, some of us gathered in the museum’s underground cafe near the waterfall for a beverage and chatting.
We then proceeded to Central, a highly regarded French restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue, for happy hour and dinner. Although we lacked sufficient numbers to score a private room, the restaurant accommodated us with two large, adjacent tables in the main dining room, and we visited back and forth.
David Marcello and his wife, Jane Johnson, won honors for traveling the greatest distance (from New Orleans) to join the party.
As the first of what we hope will be a series of class events to be held in different places in the coming years, this gathering should be judged a great success.
Attending the event were:
Ross Anthony and Roberta Eisen
Arthur Cambouris and Diana Budzanoski
Bob and Arleen Heiss
David Marcello and Jane Johnson
Scott and Cathy McCulloch
Clark McFadden and Mary Wagner