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It was in the summer of 2002 we paid a visit to Musée D'Orsay in Paris, attracted by the world's largest and finest collection of impressionist art in it. While being thrilled by the massive display of masterpieces, I was a little puzzled by the fact that Luncheon of the Boating Party, which was produced by Renoir during the height of his career in the year 1881, was not to be found there. After we returned home, I quickly found out why by searching the internet: the painting was in the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, which was only a less than 30 min drive away from my home. Laughing at my own foolishness and ignorance, I decided that I shoud go see it in a week. But I didn't know that nearly seven years would have to pass before I finally laid my eyes on it. In the summer of 2009 we went into the city to attend an event during the week in a place near the Phillips Collection. After the event, on our way home, we stopped by the museum; my sole purpose was to see Luncheon of the Boating Party.
The building housing the Philips Collection was pretty large, but it was not hard to find the piece I was most interested in. It was in its own prominently located and brilliantly illuminated chamber on the second floor, a setting such as if to arouse awe and admiration from the viewers. My breath was taken away on my first sight of this masterpiece. It was nothing like the pictures of it I had seen before. It occupied almost the entirety of the back wall of the chamber. Some of the human figures in it were larger than real life size. The colors were bright and vivid. It felt that the whole chamber was filled with the air of ease, relaxation, lively energy and enthusiasm, as conveyed by the painting. Life was beautiful with everything around it: early summer weather, good companionship, fine food and drink, and interesting conversations. For a moment I wished that I could join the party to be absorbed in ease and pleasure, and, of course, to forget all the worries and anxieties of life.
That visit to the Phillips Collection was short, but it left me a deep impression that I won't forget for a long time.
Here is one of the pictures I took of Luncheon of the Boating Party.
