So the European Galleries on the fifth floor need some renovating. I suppose we could carefully pack up each individual — sometimes enormous — work of art, label it, move it, store it. Or, let’s just put it over there!
And it works. As a fan of both portraiture and European history, I have to admit: the who are these people? what’s going on? who painted this? has probably interfered with my appreciation of the paintings as art. In ‘Intermission’ (the exhibition runs through June 30) the works have been hung with no accompanying wall text, so you can’t get bogged down in those details. If there was key I didn’t find it. Nor did I miss it. It was sort of liberating.
There is also a random selection of busts and bronzes in the entry gallery. The museum adds,
This informal presentation of paintings and objects from our early 12th to late 19th century European collection offers opportunities for chance encounters and unintentional juxtapositions as we renovate our main European Galleries.
The RISD Museum is a Blue Star Museum, offering free admission to active-duty U.S. military personnel and their families.
Free admission on Sundays, open Sunday 10am to 5pm, RISD Museum, 224 Benefit Street/20 North Main Street, (directions)