Sadly, I found that much of the original interiors of the 1920 home have now been covered up to enable them to display more art. The house itself was as much a piece of art as the collection. The 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival house and it's interior open-air patio are filled with beautiful handmade tiles, stenciled ceiling beams, and rich woodwork. Now only the entry way is left as it was, with twin tiled stairs curving up to the second floor.
McNay collected 19th and 20th C. art, as well as Southwest art. When she died, she left her home and collection to the city of San Antonio as a modern art museum. My favorite El Greco had been moved upstairs; the Van Gogh and a favorite Georgia O'Keefe were off exhibit. But there was still plenty of great art to view, along with some I don't particularly like.
You were a long way from home, Dorothy! I wish I had known about this place when I was in San Antonio 18 years ago. Fascinating!
ReplyDeleteLOL -- I LOVE Texas and will go there any chance I get!
ReplyDeleteThe McNay is awesome, but was better before they covered so much of the original house. We were in San Antonio celebrating our 40th anniversary, then a quick visit to each of our kids in Austin and Houston.
WOW, that interior is STUNNING. Glad you had a good time, miss girl!
ReplyDeleteOh, this was just the beginning, a place to go while waiting for the rain to let up (and it was too early to check into our hotel). San Antonio is awesome!
ReplyDeleteVicky - I was lucky enough to visit the McNay a couple of years ago. It is a great museum and your sketches are wonderful! I can imagine exactly where you were sketching from. Awesome work!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Don! The art collection at the McNay is wonderful, but I especially love the home itself -- I had been wanting to show it to Bill since I first saw it 5 years ago.
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