Where is the Rembrandt? (1 cent)

In the apparent wasteland (also waistland, looking at the average citizen) that is Ft. Worth, there are many signs leading you to the Culture Center. Here, you find buildings devoted to Will Rogers, a large botanical garden, and several museums. The best known is the Kimbell Art Museum, a relatively young museum located in a stunning building designed by Louis Kahn.

Now, when I say that the building is stunning, let me qualify that a bit. The setting is not stunning, nor are the views from the building. It is set in a flat park-like setting (not a park, but park-like, or park-lite), and one of its advantages is that when you are in it or in front of it, you really cannot see any where else.

Also, the building from the outside is not particularly attractive. A series of cones turned on their side, it does not have a very strong appearance, and it does not look like it will pass the test of time. And it certainly is out of context with any other building in Ft. Worth.

But inside is a different story. It is not a big museum, although because there were no special exhibits on display, I don't think I saw the entire building. But you walk into a large room, with an information desk in front of you, and exhibits of non-European art stretching to your right and left.

You go up the stairs to be rear of the desk, and you are on the second floor, which contains three sections (which were open): a large book/gift shop; a very nice cafe/restaurant; and the part of the museum holding the European permanent collection.

There is no American art on display.

Every architectural nuance on the inside of this building is perfect. The light (which comes mainly from natural sources) is extraordinary. The restaurant and the bookstore are both very spacious. And the way the art is displayed, and the signage, could not be improved.

You have an overwhelming sense of time and space to look at the art.

This is not a large museum in the size of its collection. It does not need off site storage, because the entire collection is about 350 pieces. I am not sure how many are displayed. Perhaps 100 or so. Each is a masterpiece (ok, maybe a very few exceptions)

And, I only saw one piece per artist (with almost every really well known artist represented (yes, no da Vinci,
and no van Gogh), except for two Picassos.

You may remember my note on the book of travel articles on Prague, where I thought that everything a tourist ever saw in Prague was mentioned (one time) in the book, except for Velkopopovicky beer, until I got to the last page, and there it was. Here, I thought everyone was represented (with the two understandable exceptions above), but I thought.....they don't have a Rembrandt.

Yet, when I got to the very last picture, there it was, Rembrandt's portrait entitled "Bust of a Young Jew".

Yes, just like the book.