Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art has top-notch collection

Wheat Fields after the Rain, Vincent van Gogh, 1890; this is one of the last paintings completed just days before van Gogh died with the bright colors contrasting with the grim circumstances of van Gogh's life at the time

Sugar bowl, Pittsburgh, 1850; in the 19th century the Pittsburgh area produced great quantities of beautiful, functional blown glass objects (the museum collection nicely highlighted local connections)

GIrl under Apple Tree, Edvard Munch, 1904; more famous for The Scream, this work by Munch reflects my desire to not showcase the same artists over and over in my blog

Lockheed lounge, Marc Newson, 1985; only 10 of this limited edition were made and it secured a revered place in popular culture when Madonna used it in her 1988 Rain video

The Great Bridge, Rouen, Camille Pissarro, 1896; this painting reflects also the history of Pittsburgh with its bridges and big, pollution-generating industrial projects

Chair, Jacques Guillon, 1950; Pittsburgh was a center of industrial innovation as reflected in this chair that only weighs 7 lbs but could hold 3800 lbs (I'm still doubtful of those nylon cords holding up over time)

Acacias, Albert Moore, 1880; I was impressed with this painting that blends elements of classical sculpture and Japanese design with masterful brushwork to create a work of tranquil beauty

Low water, Joan Mitchell, 1969; the museum says her energetic paintings are spontaneous evocations of the natural world, albeit through abstract means (but this looks more like a child's work that would get put on the refrigerator!)

Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and Pomegranates, Jacob Fopson van Es, 1660; I found the works at this large museum very captivating and well-presented

Water decanters, Bakewell, Page and Bakewell, 1818; made in Pittsburgh for President James Monroe, these impressively cut and engraved pieces are the earliest known American examples of their type

Place des Lices, St. Tropez, Paul Signac, 1893; the French artist was a Neo-Impressionist painter who, working with Georges Seurat, helped develop the Pointillist style

Fall-front desk, Nicholas Petit, 1780; this desk once graced the drawing room of Ailsa Mellon Bruce's (heiress to the Mellon fortune) Fifth Avenue apartment in NYC

Waterloo Bridge, Claude Monet, 1903; from his room at the Savoy Hotel, Monet had this view which he painted 40+ times as he explored his interest in the changing effects of light, fog and reflections in the water

Elterwater Stone Ring, Richard Long, 1985; this artist collected rocks on his English walks and then created carefully honed, minimalist sculptures (I can think of other ways to describe this piece!)

Mountain Skyscape, Mark Peiser, 1994; this museum was founded in 1895 by the Pittsburgh-based industrialist Andrew Carnegie and was the first in the US with a primary focus on contemporary art

This English style dining room is from a PA country estate but is all done in miniature; the entire room could easily fit in a shoe box!

Prince of Swords, Nicole Eisenman, 2013; the classical Hall of Statues was playfully interrupted with this modern work