Remember back in 2012 when Jimmy came on one of his regular house guest trips to visit Aaron and me in Kansas City? The time when we went to the Kansas City Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art? Today, he took us to the Art Institute of Chicago. You already experienced the incredible Thorne miniatures installment in another post, but here are some of the things we saw after we finished with it.
![Gold Coffee Pot Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Gold-Coffee-Pot-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x763.jpg)
I took off across the room upon spotting the gold coffee pots. The older I get, the more modern stuff I like but if I could have one of these, in complete secrecy without anyone knowing so it wasn’t too opulent, I’d like to do it because I find the workmanship beautiful.
![Wedgwood Pottery 1773 Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Wedgwood-Pottery-1773-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
The Wedgwood Pottery gets me every time … these were from 1773, a few short years before the birth of the United States of America.
![Wedgwood Pottery 1775-1780 Even More Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Wedgwood-Pottery-1775-1780-Even-More-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
One of the most incredible things about it is that Wedgwood is still in business today. Some of these pieces were around when George Washington was leading troops … when Beethoven was composing symphonies … when the South left the Union … when the European continent was consumed by “The Great War” … when Hitler rose to power … when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor … when mankind went to the moon … the rise of the Internet … it’s been here for it all, still living on as a testament to the skill of its creator who, in a way, remains immortal.
And then I saw it … I have more than a slight obsession (thanks to Fable II all those years ago) with the furniture style of André-Charles Boulle, the Frenchman who lived between 1642 and 1732. He built this coffer, made of oak, tortoiseshell, brass, pewter, ebony, and gilt-bronze mounts. I want it. I want it to put in some random corner. If this type of thing were made today (the closest I’ve found in the upper-middle-market is Theodore Alexander and in the top market, Francesco Malon), I’d be all over it in a heartbeat. It gives me the same sense of happiness I got when I saw that Claret that got away from me at auction when I forgot to place a bid, which I still think about a few times a year. Feast your eyes upon this work of art …
![Top of the Boulle Chest Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Top-of-the-Boulle-Chest-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
The top of the chest … Look at this! A human made this. He conceived it, and made it. With his hands.
![Side of the Boulle Chest Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Side-of-the-Boulle-Chest-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
The side of the boulle chest … Can’t you hear the Fable theme music? Doesn’t it make you want to buy real estate like in the game, collect your rent and store the coins in here? Or is it just me? I’m not even kidding right now.
We saw the Japanese pottery, wood, and other materials selection …
We saw the Tang Dynasty lead-glazed figurines from China …
![Even More Chinese Figures Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Even-More-Chinese-Figures-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
And even more. Notice the two civil officials on either side. Bell-bottoms were in style back during the Tang Dynasty, too. There really is nothing new under the sun. This could have been 1970’s California.
![Matronly Rider Chinese Statue Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Matronly-Rider-Chinese-Statue-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
This “matronly rider” statue talked about her fat cheeks and double chin. She just looked like a fat, happy grandma.
We came across the Korean pottery!
![Korean Pottery Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Korean-Pottery-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
Goryeo Dynasty pottery from Korea back before they were tragically overtaken by neighboring Yuan dynasty … it immediately made us think of the drama “Faith”.
![Korean Joseon Pottery 15th Century Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Korean-Joseon-Pottery-15th-Century-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
Aaron and I became so excited to see 15th century Joseon pottery from Korea. Again, blame our drama addiction. And, in this case, Civilization V. Going for a science victory is so much easier with King Sejong the Great. Culture Artifact discovered!
We saw some world-famous paintings …
Then, we went to one of our favorite sections. Marble and bronze sculptures are my favorite style of art in the entire museum. The paintings … yeah, they’re nice. To me, at least, they are a pale imitation of the beauty of these things.
![The Freedman Bronze Across the Room Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-Freedman-Bronze-Across-the-Room-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
We walked into another room of paintings, bronzes, and marble sculptures … over yonder there was a particularly powerful one. It is called “The Freedman”.
![The Freedman Bronze Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-Freedman-Bronze-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
It stopped me in my tracks. What it represents, and the history leading up to something like this even being created, is almost hard to fathom. It happened. That’s wild.
We also enjoyed the paintings while we were at the Art Institute of Chicago. Here were some of my favorites …
![Gifford Morning in the Hudson Painting Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Gifford-Morning-in-the-Hudson-Painting-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
Gifford’s Morning in the Hudson Painting … the colors on this one, especially with the frame and the wall plaque and wall itself are just incredible to me.
![Wood The Yankee Pedlar Painting Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.joshuakennon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Wood-The-Yankee-Pedlar-Painting-Art-Institute-of-Chicago-1024x768.jpg)
Wood’s The Yankee Pedlar Painting … It reminds me that nobody is above this activity if they want to survive. It’s all sales. Even if you are 3rd generation wealth and have never worked a day in your life, your entire fortune is based entirely on owning assets that involve someone else selling on your behalf or having sold on your behalf at some point in the past. Nothing happens until a sale is completed. Revenue has to change hands. Sales is not a dirty word. It is not beneath anybody. If you think it is, you are either stupid, delusional, or have a complete lack of self-awareness.
We’re going to grab lunch in a grocery store Jimmy wants to show us. He says we’ll love it.
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On our way out, though … you know Aaron and I have a thing for good landscaping.