By Michael Aaron Gallagher
Michael Aaron Gallagher in front of Robert Indiana’s AMOR sculpture, photographing the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
With a lifelong appreciation for fine art, I have toured several art museums and art collections in the United States and abroad. The museums, oil paintings and sculptures I have seen helped shaped The Michael Aaron Gallagher Fine Art Collection and my understanding of art curating and the Art World.
The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
As I was compiling a list of the museums I have visited, I realized that I often photographed works of art that I found interesting or inspirational. In many cases, the images in my camera roll were meant to remind me of my visit, while others were a quick snap as I rushed through the museum before closing time hoping to research the work at a later date. Due to photography restrictions, I am not always permitted to photograph works of art in every museum gallery, but overall I have been fortunate enough to be allowed to take pictures of some of my favorite works. You can see more of my favorite sculptures that I have photographed (click here to view) and works by William-Adolphe Bouguereau that I have travelled around the country to see (click here to view) and more of the art at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art at Ca’ d’Zan (click here to see).
Below is a selection of works on display in some of the museums and art galleries I have visited, including pieces I found particularly interesting. You can find a list of the museums I have visited at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
The Rodin Museum
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
The Rodin Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“La Défense” bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin at The Rodin Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Cathedral” bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin at The Rodin Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Minotaur” plaster sculpture by Auguste Rodin at The Rodin Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Munson Museum of Art
(Utica, New York)
The Munson Art Museum, Utica, New York. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Voyage of Life” series of paintings by Thomas Cole at the Munson museum of art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Spider 2” by Louise Bourgeois is one of my favorite sculptures that I have seen in a museum. The way it clings to the wall is haunting and powerful. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
You would think that once you have seen a Mark Rothko painting, you have seen them all, but what separates a good artist from a great one is their ability to reimagine their own work in a new and different way each time. “Number 18” oil painting by Mark Rothko on display at The Munson. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Cardinal, Cardinal! painting by Salvador Dali at The Munson. Although it is a very small painting, its otherworldly, dreamlike quality was so captivating it was probably my favorite piece of art in the museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
From Jackson Pollock to Andy Warhol, The Munson Art Museum has an impressive collection for a small Upstate New York museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Bust of “The Greek Slave” by Hiram Powers at The Munson Art Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Heroic Evening” oil painting by Norman Lewis at The Munson Art Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Bridge” oil painting by Franz Kline at The Munson Art Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Clark Art Institute
(Williamstown, Massachusetts)
The reflecting pool at The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Bacchus and Ariadne” marble sculpture by Jules Dalou at the Clark Art Institute. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Three Graces” bronze sulpture by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux at the Clark Art Institute. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Thinker” bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin at the Clark Art Institute. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Portrait of Thérèse Berard (1879) oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) at The Clark. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Satan” (1833) bronze sculpture by Jean-Jacques Feuchère at The Clark. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“A Box at the Theater (At the Concert)” (1880) oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir at The Clark. It is one of my favorite works by the artist. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Oil painting self portrait by Edgar Degas at The Clark. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Dancers in the Classroom” (1880) oil painting by Edgar Degas at The Clark. The themes of dance and ballet are reflected in my own art collection, which is why I was drawn to this piece. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Edgar Degas bronze sculptures of dancers from the 1880s at The Clark Art Institute. The four statues include Dancer Ready to Dance, Right Leg Forward; Grand Arabesque, Second Time; Grand Arabesque, First Time; and Fourth Position Front, on the Left Leg. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Les Grandes Baigneuses” or “The Large Bathers” (1887) oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This painting is likely the inspiration behind the oil painting by MES in The Michael Aaron Gallagher Fine Art Collection. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, 16th October, 1834” oil on canvas painting by J.M.W. Turner at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. From the moment I saw this painting, I immediately became a fan of Turner’s work. This extraordinary piece has such a powerful visual energy to it that is both beautiful and haunting. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Sunflowers” oil painting (1889) by Vincent Willem van Gogh at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Kneeling Knight in Prayer” (c. 1470) stained glass panel at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Portrait of Mademoiselle Legrand” (1875) oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Sculpture and oil painting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Untitled” (1955) Mark Rothko oil painting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. What I like about this example of Rothko’s work is that, although it shares a similar design structure to the piece at The Munson, it has a completely different mood. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Blue Eyes (Portrait of Madame Jeanne Hebuterne),” (1917) by Amedeo Modigliani at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Modigliani’s work has been the inspiration behind the figurative paintings I have created. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Bird in Space,” sculpture by Constantin Brancusi on display the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Mademoiselle Pogany,” sculpture by Constantin Brancusi at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen,” bronze sculpture by Edgar Degas at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Fenimore Art Museum
(Cooperstown, New York)
Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
This Untitled photograph from 2015 by David Levinthal caught my eye for its use of toys to create a beautiful visual scene that is similar to the painting of Jacques-Lewis David’s “The Coronation of Napoleon.” Although there aren’t any prints of his work in my art collection, it has helped to inspire pieces like the “Star Wars Edge” photograph, which you can see on my art photography page. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
This simple portrait from 1935 of poet E.E. Cummings by Edward Weston, which was donated by Cole Weston, was a part of a traveling exhibit from the Monterey Museum of Art. It caught my eye for its subject as well as the intellectual pose reminiscent of The Thinker statue. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The James Fenimore Cooper Art Museum is located on the shore of the Otsego Lake. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
(Sarasota, Florida)
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art at Ca’ d’Zan in Sarasota, Florida. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The oldest French harpsichord in the world at The Ringling Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Paintings at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The size and scope of the art galleries at Ca’ d’Zan is remarkable. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Oil painting and sculpture at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Dalí Museum
(Saint Petersburg, Florida)
Designed by architect Yann Weymouth, who also worked on the Grand Louvre Project with I.M. Pei, The Dalí Museum in Saint Petersburg, Florida is dedicated to the works of artist Salvador Dalí and reminds me of the Biosphere 2 Center. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Dali Museum Architecture and Design. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Christ of St. John of the Cross bronze sculpture by Salvador Dali. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Terpischore (Muse of Dance)” bronze sculpture by Salvador Dali. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Frederic Remington Art Museum
(Ogdensburg, New York)
The Frederic Remington Art Museum, Ogdensburg, New York. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Sculptures on display in the Frederic Remington Art Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“River Drivers in the Spring Break Up” oil painting by Frederic Remington on display at the Remington Art Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Bronco Buster” bronze sculpture by Frederic Remington at the Remington Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“Ameriga Vespucci” oil painting by Unknown Artist at the Remington Art Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Mountain Man” bronze sculpture by Frederic Remington at the Remington Art Museum. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The John D. Barrow Art Gallery
(Skaneateles, New York)
The John D. Barrow Art Gallery in Skaneateles, New York. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Oil paintings at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery in Skaneateles, NY. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Piano at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
“The Burning Mill” oil painting by John D. Barrow at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery in Skaneateles, NY. This painting reminded me of the fire paintings by the English master painter Joseph Mallord William Turner. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Oil painting portraits at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery in Skaneateles, NY. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Caroline Tyler Barrow, an oil painting portrait by John D. Barrow at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery in Skaneateles, NY. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Globe and oil paintings on display at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery in Skaneateles, NY. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Portrait of artist John D. Barrow at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Portraits around the doorway at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery in Skaneateles, NY. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Artisanworks
(Rochester, New York)
ARTISANworks in Rochester, NY. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Neon Beer Signs at ARTISANworks in Rochester. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Marionettes at ARTISANworks in Rochester. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
One of the most intriguing things about ARTISANworks is the sheer amount of art that overloads your senses and makes you wonder, “What am I looking at?” Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
When I saw this restaurant booth at ARTISANworks, I immediately knew I wanted to have a diner table and booth in my own home someday. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most copied and re-imangined works of art in popular culture. Here a version with subway cars hangs outside of ARTISANworks. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
ARTISANworks in Rochester, New York. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Wheelchair and indoor rock garden at ARTISANworks. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher.
Michael Aaron Gallagher has photographed many art galleries, museums and institutions, including many of his favorite works of art. The art museums and galleries he has visited include The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Museum of Modern Art (New York), The Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), The Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia), Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia), The Rodin Museum (Philadelphia), The Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh), The Bowes Museum (Barnard Castle, England), Castle Howard (York, England), The Memorial Art Gallery (Rochester), Artisan Works Gallery (Rochester), The Everson Museum (Syracuse), Thomas Cole’s “The Voyage of Life” series at the The Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute (Utica), Thomas Cole’s “The Garden of Eden” exhibit at the Fenimore Art Museum (Cooperstown), The John D. Barrow Art Gallery (Skaneateles), The Clark Art Institute (Williamstown), The Norman Rockwell Museum and the artist’s studio (Stockbridge), The Salvador Dalí Museum (St. Petersburg), The Phoenix Art Museum (Phoenix), The Tucson Museum of Art (Tucson), The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota), the Appleton Museum of Art (Ocala), the Polk Museum of Art (Lakeland), The Frederic Remington Art Museum (Ogdensburg), artist Juan Cruz’s personal studio, and the L’Inferno di Dante exhibition of Michael Mazur’s monotypes for the Robert Pinsky translation of The Inferno of Dante at The State University of New York College at Cortland.
As part of his involvement in the Art World, he has also completed the online courses, “What is Contemporary Art?” by MoMa and “A Complete Guide: Art Gallery Management and Exhibition Design” by Tina Ziegler.