San Antonio's McNay Art Museum - Best in Central TX, pt 1

The original McNay house was completed in 1929 at a cost of $140,000 ($2.3 million today); Marion Koogler McNay married at least 6 times and lived an eclectic life which was detailed in an interesting video

Women Crossing the Fields, Vincent van Gogh, 1890; van Gogh enjoyed wandering the countryside and frequently painted these pastoral scenes; produced in the last year of his life, this vibrant painting illustrates the techniques that made van Gogh famous

Charing Cross Bridge, Fog, Claude Monet, 1902; Monet worked on this series from 1899 to 1905, creating 37 paintings; he was both captivated and challenged by the ways in which the ever-changing London fog affected the appearance of the bridge

Haymakers Resting, Camille Pissarro, 1891; a high horizon and monumental figures in the foreground distinguish Pissarro's outdoor scenes from other Impressionist paintings; Pissarro's known for his utopian view of rural life in France

Tennis Courts, Ben Shahn, 1949-50; known for creating art centered on political activism, the artist's work over time became increasingly focused on American loneliness and private moments of contemplation

Yellow and Blue Iris, Lowell Nesbitt, 1973; clearly inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe, I was impressed with the museum's ability to mix paintings from well-known artists with quality works from artists with whom I was unfamiliar (like Nesbitt)

Perils of the Sea, Winslow Homer, 1888; although best known for his depictions of stormy seas, Homer's early pastoral scenes and rural landscapes are very impressive and I prefer them to his seascapes

In Broad Daylight, Jane Freilicher, 1979; I had never heard of this artist, inspired by Bonnard, who paints colorful scenes often looking out windows with many scenes from rural New York

White Mice Vase, Daum Freres, ca. 1905; this one of a kind piece is among the most prized examples of Daum Freres glass works as it transcends design and decoration to become a sculpture in its own right

Guernsey, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1882; during his month-long stay in Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, Renoir completed a painting every two days, coming back with 15 finished works

Writing Desk - Bookcase, Hector Guimard, c. 1900-05; the leading French architect-designer in Art Nouveau style, Guimard viewed architecture as an all-encompassing art, devoting as much attention to interior furnishings as to the exteriors of his buildings

Temptation, Edgar Brandt for Daum Freres, c 1920; the Daum family worked at the beginning of the Art Nouveau era and created one of France's most prominent glassworks; along with Émile Gallé, the Daum brothers were leaders in the field of decorative glass

The Red Blouse, Henri Matisse, 1936; suffering an appendicitis at the age of twenty, Matisse was confined to bed; during his recovery, Matisse’s mother brought him an assortment of art supplies to help him pass the time, and he fell in love with painting

Reclining Woman, Pablo Picasso, 1932; in his career Picasso produced about 147,800 pieces, consisting of: 13,500 paintings, 100,000 prints and engravings, 300 sculptures and ceramics and 34,000 illustrations - an impressive 78-year span

The museum has 61 solifleur vases by Emile Galle (ca. 1905-10); solifleur vases are designed to hold a single flower; the detailed plant life etched on these vases is delicately rendered and accurate botanically