Art Excursions
Boston Art and
Architecture Tour: Featuring the "El Greco to Velázquez"
special exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts. Also featuring the
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum AND a chance to see the outstanding
Fogg Art Museum at Harvard before it closes for
renovation
June 27-30,
2008
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
The new
"El Greco to Velázquez" special exhibit; The Isabella Stewart
Gardner Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts Boston; the Fogg Art Museum
at Harvard; The Walter Gropius House; the landmark Boston Public
Library; H.H. Richardson's Trinity Church; and the DeCordova Museum
and Sculpture Park
Please see below for more info on
tour highlights, features, pricing and reservations.
TOUR
HIGHLIGHTS
El Greco to Velázquez: Art during the
Reign of Philip III (A special exhibition)
This groundbreaking special exhibition examines
a fascinating period (1598 to 1621) bookended by the two giants of
Spanish painting: the late works of El Greco and the early paintings
of Velázquez. Discover the masterpieces of Philip III's court
and the artists who flourished in his reign.
Organized around themes such as portraiture,
religion and the court, and still life and the birth of naturalism,
"El Greco to Velázquez: Art during the Reign of Philip III"
features paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts including a
partial recreation of the camarín of the Duke of Lerma
(possibly the most important non-royal collector in Europe at the
time and the favorite of Philip III).
The Museum of Fine Arts
Boston
One of America's top four art museums, the MFA
displays one of the world's best collections of ancient Egyptian art,
outstanding Old Masters, an unparalleled American art exhibit
(featuring silver by Paul Revere as well as Copley's famous portrait
of Revere), Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner
Museum
Housed in a stunning 15th century
Venetian-style palace with three stories of galleries surrounding an
elegant courtyard, the Gardner Museum stands along with the Frick,
the Barnes, and the Phillips, as one of the America's great
house-museums. The stipulations of Isabella Stewart Gardner's will
require that her unique vision for displaying her collection remains
unchanged (again calling to mind the Barnes).
The outstanding collection contains more than
2,500 paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furniture, manuscripts, rare
books and decorative arts. Galleries display seminal works by the
likes of Titian, Rembrandt, Raphael, Botticelli, Sargent and
Whistler. Also on display are selections from more than 7,000 letters
from 1,000 correspondents, among them Henry Adams, T.S. Eliot, Sarah
Bernhardt and Oliver Wendell Holmes, plus original Dante
manuscripts.
The Fogg Art Museum at Harvard - LAST CHANCE
TO SEE THIS GREAT COLLECTION BEFORE IT CLOSES FOR
RENOVATION
The Fogg Art Museum, which opened to the public
in 1895, is Harvard's oldest art museum. Around its Italian
Renaissance courtyard, based on a 16th century Italian facade, are
galleries illustrating the history of Western art from the Middle
Ages to the present, with particular strengths in Italian early
Renaissance, British Pre-Raphaelite, and 19th century French
art.
Enjoy a private guided tour from Michelle and
Jeff that highlights such works as The Rehearsal by Degas,
The Gare Saint Lazare: Arrival of a Train by Monet, and
Vincent Van Gogh's Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin.
The collection also includes superb works by Gauguin, Seurat, Renoir,
Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Pissarro, Rousseau,
Picasso, and Dufy.
The DeCordova Museum and Sculpture
Park
This museum and sculpture park is located on
the former estate of Julian de Cordova (1851-1945), a successful tea
broker, wholesale merchant, investor, and president of a glass
company in Somerville, Massachusetts. Inspired by his trips to Spain
and his own Spanish heritage, Julian remodeled his summer home in
Lincoln, Massachusetts in 1910 to resemble a European castle. He gave
his property to the town of Lincoln with the stipulation that his
estate would become a public museum of art following his
death.
When it officially opened in 1950, the
DeCordova Museum became the only museum to focus its exhibitions and
collecting activities on living New England artists. Now, DeCordova
is the largest museum of modern and contemporary American art in the
region. Furthermore, the DeCordova currently offers the only
permanent public sculpture park in New England. Close to 80 modern
and contemporary works grace a wooded 35-acre site.
During our visit, the DeCordova will feature a
variety of special exhibitions. We have arranged for a guided tour of
the sculpture park.
The Walter Gropius House
Walter Gropius was founder of the Bauhaus and a
leading proponent of modern architecture. A national historic
landmark, this 1938 house in Lincoln, Massachusetts was his first
architectural commission in the U.S. after coming here to teach at
Harvard. Our guided tour features paintings Gropius collected
(including works by Kandinsky, Mondrian, and Klee) and design
theories he developed while at the Bauhaus.
H.H. Richardson's Trinity
Church
Universally recognized as a masterpiece of
American architecture, this "Richardsonian Romanesque" church dates
to 1877. Our private guided tour focuses not only on the church's
notable architectural features but also on its amazing collection of
stained glass windows by such designers as John La Farge (a pioneer
in art glass along with Tiffany) and the Pre-Raphaelite painter
Edward Burne-Jones.
The landmark Boston Public Library and its
museum-quality mural collection
Founded in 1848, the Boston Public Library was
the first large free municipal library in the U.S. The Copley Square
building by architect Charles McKim has been home to the library
since 1895. Our guided tour focuses on such treasures as Bates Hall,
considered one of the most important rooms in the world. Our tour
will also showcase spectacular large scale mural cycles by renowned
French artist Pierre Puvis de Chavannes and by American artists Edwin
Austin Abbey and John Singer Sargent.
Sunday brunch at the historic Colonial Inn
in Concord, Mass.
Our Sunday Brunch at The Colonial Inn features
a wide variety of delicious fare in a truly unique setting. Dining
rooms at The Colonial Inn date back to 1716. We received a wonderful
response to brunch here on our 2007 tour and are pleased to offer it
again for 2008.
Accommodations in Copley
Square
Our hotel is the Sheraton Boston Hotel located
off Copley Square in popular Back Bay. The Sheraton is connected to
the upscale Copley Place Mall with more than 200 shops and
restaurants. It is just a block from the shops and galleries of famed
Newbury Street. Pictured above on the left is the Sheraton's club
lounge (see "early bird bonus" below). On the right is the Sheraton's
rooftop pool with its kinetic roof open to the night sky.
TOUR ITINERARY - subject
to revision if necessary
Friday, June 27: At 2:00 p.m. meet in the lobby
of the Sheraton and walk two blocks for our guided tour of the Boston
Public Library. Afterwards, walk across the street to Trinity Church
for a guided tour there. Evening free after a short walk back to the
hotel. Enjoy canapes and beverages in the Sheraton's exclusive club
lounge with early bird bonus (see below). Evening free.
Saturday, June 28: With our early bird bonus,
your continental breakfast in the club lounge is included. This
morning visit the Fogg Art Museum. Enjoy a private highlights tour by
Jeff Mishur and some free time in the galleries. Upon arrival at the
Gardner Museum, enjoy lunch (included). At the Gardner, you will have
time to explore the galleries on your own or with an audio tour.
Enjoy canapes and beverages in the Sheraton's exclusive club lounge
with early bird bonus (see below). Evening free.
Sunday, June 29: With our early bird bonus,
your continental breakfast in the club lounge is included. This
morning enjoy a private guided tour of the Walter Gropius House.
Afterwards, board our coach and travel to nearby Concord for a
delicious brunch at the charming Colonial Inn (included). After
brunch, enjoy a guided tour of the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture
Park with free time afterwards to explore the galleries on your own.
Enjoy canapes and beverages in the Sheraton's exclusive club lounge
with early bird bonus (see below). Evening free.
Monday, June 30: With our early bird bonus,
your continental breakfast in the club lounge is included. This
morning we will visit the Museum of Fine Arts. We will provide
timed-entry tickets to the El Greco to Velasquez exhibit. After
seeing the exhibit, you will have plenty of time to explore the
museum's outstanding permanent collection and have lunch on your own.
Our tour ends back at the hotel at 3:15 p.m.
TOUR INCLUDES
- Accommodations at the Sheraton Boston for 3
nights
- Admissions and tours as highlighted
above
- A private guided tour of the Fogg Art
Museum provided by Jeff and Michelle
- One brunch and one lunch as per the
itinerary above
- Luxury coach transportation from June
28-30
- Driver gratuities
- Daily breakfast, evening canapés,
and more with early bird booking bonus (see below for
details)
- Tour hosting, commentaries and handouts
provided by Jeff and Michelle
EARLY BIRD BOOKING BONUS -
Club Level Accommodations
If we receive your deposit and application by
February 29, 2008, we will upgrade you to the Sheraton's club level
featuring complimentary continental breakfast and evening hors
d'oeuvres and beverages served in a private lounge. Club level rooms
feature robes and other amenities. Please note: Meeting the early
bird deadline does not guarantee a space on the tour as we will fill
the tour on a first-come first-served basis. Our 2007 tour filled up
before the early bird booking bonus deadline.
TOUR RESERVATIONS - PLEASE
NOTE
Reservations are first-come first-served. Group
size is limited. We expect to sell out fast. Please click the "sign
up" link below to read the tour application for more
details.
TOUR PRICING - $998 per
person based on double occupancy
Not included in the tour price: incidentals at
the hotel, gratuities for guides, costs for items not specified
above, and airfare or airport transfers. We can make airfare
arrangements for a $20 per ticket booking fee or you can book airfare
on your own.
Please note: We have arranged a special "pre
and post" rate for our clients at the Sheraton Boston. Please email
us or call for details. This special rate is for June 26 and/or June
30, July 1, and July 2, 2008. This rate is subject to availability so
please call soon to request any additional nights you might
need.
Traveling as a single?
Our boutique tours are ideal for single
travelers, singles traveling together, or couples. We typically have
a mix of these types of travelers. The price above is based on double
occupancy. The single supplement for this tour is $375. If you wish
to know why we charge a single supplement or have any other
questions, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions link below or
email us.
Do you have further questions? Do you want
more details? Would you like to see some images of the tour
highlights?
If so, please visit our NEW Frequently Asked
Questions page via the link below for information on who we are, what
accommodations we use, what our group sizes are, and other
topics.
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630/671-9745