I worked for many years in downtown Detroit. My favorite office I occupied was on the 12th floor of Mackenzie Hall, a hotel built in the early 1900s, that was later converted to office space.I had french doors where I could walk out onto a beautiful balcony and look over the city buildings. It was a very unique office, and I appreciated so much being able to open the french doors when the weather was nice.
The best part of the view was the ability to see the Detroit Institute of Arts. It seemed like at least once a week, I would walk over to the museum, for lunch with co-workers. However, my favorite visits to the museum were ones I took alone.
Early on in my explorations of the exhibits, I found the painting that has remained my favorite in the museum's collection. An 1882 oil painting by William Adolphe Bouguereau titled The Nut Gatherers.
The painting is fairly large, I think about three feet by four feet, and is one of the museums most popular paintings. From whatever angle you look at the piece, the girls look so real - almost like a photograph. Their faces are so innocent and relaxed, and you just want reach out and brush the soil from their feet.
When my daughter was five, I took her to the museum to see a Van Gogh exhibit. She walked around the museum, and carried a drawing pad with her. She would sit on the floor in front of a piece of art, and diligently draw it in her notebook. I remember telling her I wanted to show her my favorite painting.
As she stood in front of The Nut Gatherers, I smiled as she noticed the dirt on the young girl's feet. Standing there looking at my daughter and the two girls who had mesmerized me for years, I saw the similarities in their faces. What struck me was the beauty of my favorite painting, and my beautiful daughter gazing at the faces of the young girls.
Madeline turned to me and asked if we could buy the painting and take it home. The nearby security guard and I shared a smile, and I told Madeline, "We need to leave the painting in the museum so everyone could enjoy it."
Madeline and I walked out of the museum. My priceless work of art, was holding my hand.
