"Public Parks Private Gardens: Paris to Provence" at the MET at Precisely the Perfect Point in Time

In previews, (ironically limited to the privileged and not general public) the MET's refreshing exhibit "Public Parks Private Gardens: Paris to Provence."  The exhibit will open to the general public next week at a time when NYC is besieged with winter's wrath and spring is still a glimmer on the horizon.  But, this pleasurable promenade in the lower gallery situated around a staged outdoor garden replete with fountain, benches and large potted plants.  No great expense was spared to establish a faux garden (the potted plants were flimsy and the fountain barely trickled) but it is situated beneath an ocular greenhouse windows.  A pity that the exhibit couldn't look out at our city's own Central Park.  The massive collection of paintings, drawings, photos and few but exquisite glass or ceramic vases were garnered from the MET's own collection.  There is an interesting showcase of watering cans from the 19th C epoch (on loan) that was delightful & whimsical.  This was an interesting time in French history; post Revolution and pre WWI.  France was coming into an era of tranquility and having obtained property hereto only in the hands of royalty, public lands were becoming meccas to the masses.  Citizens were ready to cultivate outdoor spaces and began to redefine the lay of land, by lining promenades with trees and gardens and cordoning off floral gardens and designing landscapes.  This agricultural revolution launched both a movement for sylvan, floral havens for public socialization and spurred many artists to capture the natural beauty found in nature and the sheer enjoyment of experiencing outdoor public spaces.  Many of the most highly esteemed (mainly) French painters from this epoch are represented with their works whose beauty illuminates nature's own.  The most well known artists' works assembled are Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Lautrec, Vuillard and Van Gogh.  Van Gogh's sunflowers and lilies are breathtaking & revitalizing as are Matisse's floral paintings of peonies.  Mary Cassatt shall not be overlook for her magnificent portraits painted in outdoor settings.  The circular staging of the exhibition is subdivided into sections.  The floral paintings are perfectly lovely.  French society found les fleur de rigueur dan les parlors.  I enjoyed the portraits painted outdoors to be more interesting and celebratory of the great outdoors.  "...characteristic of our Parisian society is that everyone in the middle class wants to have his little house with tress, roses, and dahlias, his big or little garden, his rural piece of the good life." (Eugene Chapus) This is the perfect place to promenade with a companion and take in the picturesque scenery of the spring/season that is soon to bring scores of people in NYC Central Park.