National Gallery of Art

Most buildings in Washington DC take tourists in through some obscure side door, but the National Gallery of Art lets you walk right up these impressive stairs

and into this gorgeous rotunda. From there you can wander through the galleries, or follow the chronological progression of art history.

Several times during our visit I heard the words of my Art History professor echoing in my brain, and I was surprised at how much I remembered. 

Fra Filippo Lippi "Madonna and Child"

ca 1440

Leonardo da Vinci "Ginevra de' Benci"

1474-1478

Botticelli "Virgin Adoring the Child"

1480-1490

Thomas Gainsborough "Master John Heathcote"

1771

Turner "Venice: The Dogana and San Giorgio Maggiore"

1834

Monet "Woman With a Parasol"

1875

Renoir "Girl With Watering Can"

1876

Van Gogh "Still Life, Vase With Roses"

1890

Now, this painting is fascinating to me. Van Gogh used a red lake pigment that has faded terribly. Recent digital analysis has revealed that these were originally pink and red roses on a burgundy cloth with a pink background. You can read about it here:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/05/22/arts/design/review-van-gogh-irises-and-roses-sheds-light-on-a-disappearing-red-hue.html

Toulouse-Lautrec "Marcelle Lender Dancing the Bolero"

1895

Picasso "Peter Manach"

1901

Wayne Thibaud  "Cakes"

1963

Out of all the things we've seen in Washington, the National Gallery of Art has been my favorite. The fact that we went back for a second visit should tell you how wonderful it was.