Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens - Los Angeles

It must be 30 years ago I met Robert, fellow Christian, sailor and adventurer on Granville Island. I had the SV Giri on land for bottom painting and Robert came by and a conversation began.  He’d lived in California and Hawaii and we stayed in touch over the years.  When he learned I was going to Los Angeles and visitting art galleries, he told me ‘You must see the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens The Blueboy and Pinkie are there. My parents went there every year for 30 years. It holds so many works.”

I’d not heard of it until then so was very thankful Robert told us of it. With Laura flying in to see me and our schedule fairly set I wasn’t sure we’d make it.  We did. We are very thankful Robert told of this extraordinary place with so many sites and sights.  

My mom loved the Blue Boy painting by Thomas Gainsborough 1770 .  She had a little copy in the sun room of our Fort Garry childhood home by her manual  type writer she wrote her articles on.  .  I’d looked for the original at the National Gallery in London where they have other Gainsborough  but the Blue Boy wasn’t there.  The Thomas Lawrence “Red Boy” painting was there.  Now I’m pleased to say that I can see my mother one day in heaven, if I make it,  and tell her I’ve seen the original Blue Boy here at the Huntington Library. She would be pleased.   Like so many other questions I would have like to asker her while she was alive , where and when had she got her print and what was it about the Blue Boy that caught her attention.   As long as I remember she’d had it. 

I doubt she knew the history of the Blue Boy’s travel  before it was finally bought by Huntington and placed on display in La. It was once the most expensive paintings of the day.  My mother a staunch Baptist wouldn’t have known of the later controversy that surround the  The Blue Boy either.  The Blue Boy was used to represent a  ‘sissy’ and contrasted with a rough and tumble sports bloke.  Later he’d  became the image of the dapper sophisticated gay man as characterized by Christopher Isherwood. None of this was associated with  original whose identity remains a bit mystery.  Now  Here I was seeing it a room full of Gainsborough and Lawerence paintings and Moore Sculptures.  I felt blessed.  Great art is so uplifting and spiritual as it raises consciousness and opens one to perspective and history. .  

Meanwhile Laura was as excited to see “Pinkie’ , the Sir Thomas Lawrence 1794 painting of Sarah Goodwin Barret Moulton.   Laura’s mother,  sister and her had loved the painting of  “Pinkie’ , since her childhood. And there we were in this incredible gallery talking about art and childhood soaking up the ambience, peace and beauty.

There were works of Turner and Titians and the Mexican painter Diego Riviera. That was the mostly European Masters with pottery and clocks, good and jewelry, fabulous furniture.  We saw a bit of the botanical gardens enjoying the Bottle trees but because of the rain moved on quickly to the American Pavilion. I enjoyed seeing art of the American impressionists Childe Hassan and John Singer Sargent, It was moving to see the famous George Washington portrait  There was much contemporary American art which we enjoyed but as yet don’t know well. I loved seeing the Andy Warhol Campbell Soup painting having enjoyed visitting his incredible museum of art in Pittsburgh. There was just so much to see it made sense that Robert and his parents returned year after year. 

Laura and I had delicious burgers at the cafe, perused the  gallery shop then walked in the drizzle back to the car.  A truly great outing and adventure.  

Thank you God for all the beaauty and wonder in the world. Thank you for the creativity of men and women and those who collect and share the glorious works through the ages.