Night at the Museum: From Renoir to Live Drawing

Museums are not only a place to learn about history, but to draw inspiration for new art and to connect with like-minded people. 

This month, the Morgan Library and Museum hosted two free College Night events, offering after-hours access to explore the exhibits, learn from their educators and participate in a live drawing workshop. All students were invited, and I immediately signed up, excited for the opportunity to visit the museum near Stern College, which I usually rush past while trying to catch a train at Grand Central. It was not an event exclusively for artists: It is also for anyone interested in history, architecture and archeology. The museum is within John Pierpont (JP) Morgan’s house and contains Morgan’s collections of manuscripts, early printed books (such as three Gutenberg Bibles!), artifacts, drawings and prints. Rooms like his library and study are features of the museum, showcasing stunning architecture, including vaulted and intricately painted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling bookcases and luxurious materials such as marble and mosaics. The home and library were converted into a Museum in 1924 by JP Morgan’s son, Jack (JP Jr.) Morgan, according to his father’s wishes to share his collections. 

After being let in and checking in our coats, my friends and I each received a “choose your adventure” sheet to guide us through the museum and ensure that we saw all of the highlights. Once completed, it entered us into a raffle to win a free year-long membership. At each of the four listed artifacts and artwork, we received stickers from educators and learned about the featured items. By my first stop, the Gutenberg Bible, I learned about the differences between printing on vellum in contrast to paper and how any color printed on the pages was actually hand-applied by special craftsmen. The rest of the room was a library that could make any book-lover drool: There was not one, but two hidden staircases to the overlooking second level of bookcases. There was also a hidden book elevator to transport the books across the levels. 

Next, my friend and I went to the new Renoir exhibit, which was my favorite part of the entire night. Collaborating with the Paris Musée d’Orsay, the Morgan Library and Museum is currently exhibiting the first Renoir drawing exhibit since the 1920s. The main attraction is his painting “Dance in the Country” (1883), on loan from the Musée d’Orsay, along with the practice sketches and compositions that preceded it. The piece features Renoir’s ever-captivating use of bright colors and characters’ eyes that look out at you from the painting, and in this case, seem to be laughing. The woman looking out is dancing with a man who seems enamored with her, while she flirts with her fan and shares a laugh with the viewer. While the main piece is a painting, the rest of the exhibit showcases Renoir’s previously overlooked sketches, watercolor paintings and pastel drawings. The exhibit begins with the start of his career and follows his progression as an artist; it reveals how he started as a key player in the Impressionist movement and then incorporated Renaissance themes and figures into his colorful and expressive style after a transformative trip to Italy.

Our next stop was the “Sing a New Song” or Tehillim exhibit. The main focus of the exhibit is on Medieval Europe in the 6th to 16th centuries and the implementation of psalm recitation within Christian communities, from the layperson to the priest. It begins with a bit of history about King David composing Psalms, then displays ornamented manuscripts and art, and ends with a wall of Jewish demon incantation bowls. The exhibit also featured an amazing educator who masterfully broke down the details and significance of the painting “Scenes from the Life of St. Augustine of Hippo,” such as how it revealed European opinion of Northern Africa and how the style marked a shift in painting styles, including a self-portrait that engaged the audience.

This event offered an optional sign-up opportunity to take a tour of the Drawing Study Center, a free resource available to college students. Students can sign up online for an appointment to view and study drawings and prints stored in the collection and create master copies from them. We also had the opportunity to talk to Ph.D. students who work at the Center and Museum about what they do and what their Ph.D. focuses are. It was fascinating to see how young adults get involved in the museum and pursue higher education in niche topics such as modernist paper bag art. 

To conclude, we attended the live drawing sessions, which featured live models dressed in old-fashioned costumes. Each session was 15 minutes long, after which the models would alternate and take a break. Little did I know that the last session that I participated in was actually a competition for another free membership. A friend and I raced against the clock, with only 10 minutes, to draw the models to the best of our ability. It was exhilarating and motivating to be surrounded by so many other artists and college students and to see their skills.  

Events like this take place at the Morgan Library every month, usually on the first Sunday. RSVP details can be found on their website, and every event is unique and interesting. I hope to see you there! 

Photo Caption: Students participating in a live drawing session at the Morgan Museum

Photo Credit: Adina Traube