Boston Museum of Fine Arts to Beacon Hill

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts sits proudly on Huntington Avenue.

Upon arrival, I was immediately taken with the huge sculpture of the American Indian entitled "Appeal to the Great Spirit" created by Cyrus Edwin Dallin in 1909.

The museum as it appears today, a neo - classical design by architect Guy Lowell, hired in 1907 by the museum trustees......................and the museum

as it was in July of 1876 when it opened in Copley Square. The building was created in Gothic revival style and was constructed of red bricks with terra cotta decoration. This museum was expanded several times and eventually closed in 1909 when a new museum was opened on Huntington Avenue. The Copley Plaza Hotel now occupies the site of the old museum.

The current exhibit is an amazing collection of paintings by three Italian Renaissance artists whose work reveals the intense competition that formed the Venetian style. The history of three artists, how they worked and how their lives overlapped over four decades, is fascinating. To learn more, go here

Another exhibit that I so enjoyed features the work of twentieth century Mexican print makers, Rufino Tamayo, and the three well known muralists, Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros . These artists expressed them selves politically as well as creating some more intimate images such as self portraits and female nudes and this exhibition features their work between 1926 and 1932.
In the next gallery I found the exhibit about Edward Weston and his contemporaries, a companion photography exhibit to the Mexican printmakers show. "Viva Mexico!" features about 35 rare works by Weston taken in the 1920s as well as some taken by his contemporaries. During that time a vibrant photography movement in Mexico was centered on Weston and his Italian born lover, Tina Modotti, and continued into the 1930s with focus on other talented photographers.

Della Robia's Virgin and Child with Lilies - photo from MFA website

I couldn't leave the museum without a stroll through the gallery of Italian Renaissance art, containing sculpture, majolica, a few paintings and exquisite pieces of furniture. The colors, textures, and style of everything in this gallery made my heart skip a beat - loved it!

Images courtesy of Boston MFA website

Last, but not least by any means, I was so delighted to see this painting by Texas artist David Bates hanging in the museum. It is called "Magnolia" and is oil on canvas painted in 1993. David is one of my favorite contemporary artists and is represented by Dunn And Brown Contemporary in Dallas.

(With the exception of a few photos, thanks to the MFA of Boston website for the photos used in this post.)

So, after a full morning at the museum, I was ready to get on with the day. A quick subway ride and a walk down Arlington by the Boston Public Gardens................


....................a turn on Beacon Street and look, there is the bar where Cheers was filmed............

and on to my next destination, Charles Street, a charming area of Beacon Hill, with shops and restaurants up and down the street. First stop, Koo de Kir. Located at 65 Chestnut Street, just a few steps off of Charles Street. Manager, Susan Mendrala was most friendly and allowed me to wander and touch and snap photos and just completely enjoy this intimate retail shop.




The shop is small and full of great accessories for the home and body.....wonderful little place cards and stands, horn spoons, delicate glassware, great wooden bowls......all kinds of small details that make a house a home for each of us.


The name, Koo de Kir, is a phonetic translation for the French expression, "coup de coeur", which, loosely translated, means " a strike to the heart" . (Note: I am not that smart - I got that info straight off of the Koo de Kir website!) I love learning that expression - I feel it so often when the design or color or texture of something just strikes me - I feel "coup de coeur"!


The style of the shop is fresh and urban, but not too trendy - even the most traditional shopper could find pleasures here. The space is full of well designed accessories to create a warm and interesting environment in any one's home.

There is a wonderful sense of style here and I was tempted by more than one item. I got lots and lots of great gift ideas, too.

Click on the photos for closer looks and do visit the website for a ton of information about the shop, their merchandise and design services.

Unfortunately, not everyone allows photos to be taken inside their shops, so I was only able to get a few outside pictures of the wonderful little shop, "good". As before, there are reflections in the window as I do not claim to be a great photographer. If you click on the photos, though, you will be able to see the wonderful displays, giving you an idea of what is found on the inside.

Fabulous and unusual jewelry , John Derian accessories, some antiques and other beautiful home goods..........

lots of shells and driftwood, and more wonderful jewelry from PatchNYC.

Stop in for a visit - you won't be disappointed, or check out the website for good - another great Boston shop!
In another window down the street, I fell in love with this tiered basket full of shells. Unfortunately the shop was closed. There is a hand made postcard tucked into the shells and if I get back over, I will be sure to take a closer shot so we can read what it says! Ahh! this basket of shells gave me "coup de coeur"!!