Visit to an Art Museum

           "Girl on a Swing" by Anton Romako

 (photo was snapped from a post card purchased in the museum gift shop)

Walking through the rooms of an art museum fills one with a sense of amazement, awe, and wonder.

On a recent day trip to Northampton, MA, a dear friend and I visited the Smith College Museum of Art.

One painting on exhibit there stood out. It was by the Austrian artist Anton Romako (1832 - 1889). Titled "Girl on a Swing," it shows a young girl in white dress with a blue sash. She has long white stockings on and black high button shoes. Her hat lies nearby on the ground near a pink rose bush. She has long reddish brown hair, pulled back from her face.

The little girl's face looks pensive. She has dark eyes and sweet lips that are not engaged in a big smile. 

Unfamiliar with the artist, I researched a bit at home to find out more about him. His life and its circumstances were quite tragic. He was born the illigitimate son of a factory owner and housemaid.  According to data written on him, Romako studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. One teacher, however, labeled him "untalented."

Thank goodness the artist didn't take the teacher's opinion to heart because he continued to study art  in Munich, Venice, Rome, and London. He became quite proficient as a landscape and portrait artist. His paintings, to me, a non-artist, are beautifully and intricately done.

The artist married. He and his wife, Sophie, had five children.  Tragically, she eventually left him for a lover.  Two of Romako's daughters commited suicide in the same year, 1887, according to written accounts of his life. He apparently never recovered from the double tragedy.

Anton Romako died in neglect and povery in 1889, at 57 years of age.

Given that sad background, the painting of the Little Girl on a Swing became much more meaningful to me. It's bittersweet and wrought with nostalgia. I couldn't help but wonder if the little girl on the swing was one of the artist's own little daughters. Guess I will never really know.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THIS PAINTING?

Today marks the selection of this blog's winner of the 200th post Giveaway. See previous post for details. It was actually posted after midnight but still has the Sunday, April 25 date. Karen Lange of Write Now was the winner.