The Art of SAMA: My all time top ten favorite San Antonio Museum of Art pieces, a small guided tour
Ah, the memory of being in middle school and high school and visiting one of my favorite places in San Antonio, the San Antonio Museum of Art. This staple to San Antonio has always been my go-to art spot. So much so that I've accumulated a list of my favorite art pieces in this wonderful museum.
There are so many art pieces to choose from in this wonderful museum that I had to limit my choices down to ten. Otherwise, this would be the longest blog I've ever written. So, I'll get right to it. I even added an easy little map below with the locations of where to find the art pieces so that the next time your at the San Antonio Museum of Art, you can find these great art pieces.
These pieces are in the order of which you will find them by entering through the gift shop (shop) from the Great Hall.
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| San Antonio Museum of Art map provided by the San Antonio Museum of Art |
1.
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| Brown, John George. (1888). Street Gallantry [Painting]. San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Museum of Art. Title of piece: Street Gallantry
Artist: John George Brown
Location: 1st floor, American Art
Medium(s): Oil on Canvas
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: The one thing that has always attracted me to this painting has been the realism behind it, which is funny because according to the museum text, the artist was scrutinized for his lack of realism. He used real children to pose but made them "neater". This pieces' amazing colors and story will wow you in person.
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2.
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| Sargent, John Singer. (1888). Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt, Mrs. Eliot Fitch Shepard [Painting]. San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Museum of Art. |
Title of piece: Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt, Mrs. Eliot Fitch Shepard
Artist: John Singer Sargent
Location: 1sr floor, American Art
Medium(s): Oil on canvas
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This piece has always fascinated me because it's the one piece that you can't miss when you walk through the American Art gallery. It's red oil paint pops out at you demanding your attention. The realism and pictorial storytelling will make your mind wonder.
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3.
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| Onderdonk, Julian. (1913). A pool on the Guadalupe [Painting]. San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Museum of Art. |
Title of piece: A pool on the Guadalupe
Artist: Julian Onderdonk
Location: 1st floor, American Art, special exhibit: Julian Onderdonk and the Texan
Landscape (January 20-April 23, 2017)
Medium(s): Oil on canvas
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This is a newer piece that I encountered upon my most recent visit to the San Antonio Museum of Art. This fascinating artist's pieces are currently on exhibit from now through April 23rd and it's not one to miss. I really found myself drawn to this piece because it reminds me so much of my visits to local Texas parks. The beauty and realistic look of the water in the painting is so life-like, it will feel as if you are there. It truly takes you away.
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4.
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| De la Fuenta, Sor Juna Beatriz. (1805). Tree of Life, Arbol de la vida [Painting]. San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Museum of Art. |
Title of piece: Tree of Life, Arbol de la vida
Artist: Sor Juna Beatriz de la Fuenta
Location: 1st floor, Folk Art
Medium(s): Oil on canvas
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This piece is fascinating to me due to it's intense message. According to the museum text, it's message is about moral order. It's about the choices in life here on earth and how good and evil can encounter us and how death cannot be escaped. This highly religious folk art is meant to sway those to the Christian life.
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5.
| Unknown. (20th century). Pair of horses [Sculpture]. San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Museum of Art. |
Title of piece: Pair of horses
Artist: unknown
Location: 1st floor, back stairwell closest to Pre-Columbian art
Medium(s): unlisted
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This sculptural art has always stood out to me even though it's not actually in a gallery. You can find these amazing sculptures in the stairwell past the Pre-Columbian art on the first floor. The intricate patterns on the horses seem to tell a story, perhaps of a winning battle. The horses have a look of ambition on their faces but are filled with lively color. Not much reads on the museum text except that the horses are from the 20th century and they are from China.
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6.
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Title of piece: Venus (venus)
Artist: Claudio Bravo
Location: 2nd floor, Latin American Modern, Contemporary
Medium(s): Oil on canvas
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: Claudio Bravo is known for his hyperrealistic paintings and intricate depiction of fabric. The one thing that always drew me to this art piece was the non-sexualization of the subject. To me, her natural pose shows that the human form is a beautiful and natural fact of life. This photo doesn't do this painting justice. The intricacy of the fabric texture is something that has to be seen in person.
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7.
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Title of piece: Cipatli (Citpatli)
Artist: Irma Palacios
Location: 2nd floor, Latin American Modern/ Contemporary
Medium(s): medium here
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This piece is absolutely striking. I imagine so many dream like scenarios in my head when I see this piece and every time I see it, it's always different. Overall, the best way to describe it is natural. The natural colors bring out that element and show that the artist is depicting a sort of dark nature in the world. You should look at this piece and come up with your own ideas. It certainly offers many.
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8.
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Artist: Emilio Centurion
Title of piece: Doll (Muneco)
Title of piece: Doll (Muneco)
Location: 2nd floor, Modern Arts of Latin America
Medium(s): Oil on canvas
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This piece is one that I had never noticed before. It's beauty and symbolism to me speaks volumes. To me, it represents that we are all dolls or "munecos" to the world at some point of our lives. This amazing artist, Emilio Centurion truly captures the glumness of this fact of life in this fantastic piece.
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Title of piece: Identitcal Twins, Rosell, NJ
Artist: Diane Arbus
Location: 2nd floor, Contemporary Art
Medium(s): Gelatin silver print
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This has always been one of my favorite pieces of photography because of it's symbolism. I have many friends who are twins and I have always loved that you can see the differences in these two girls' attitudes. This photograph knocks out the stereotypes that twins are pretty much the same and shows that they are completely different. It's a very realistic approach to human nature and how we are all different inside, even if we look the same on the outside.
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10.
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Title of piece: love seat
Artist: Sarah Cain
Location: 2nd floor, Golden Gallery
Medium(s): Acrylic, beads, gouche, and gold leaf on canvas and sofa
Why I love this piece and think you should see it: This is absolutely one of my favorite pieces at the San Antonio Museum of Art. When I see it, I think of love and how much it hurts when it ends. This amazing multi-media piece is so vibrant in color and such a vision to look at that it's pretty impossible to miss.
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The San Antonio Museum of Art is such a fascinating museum that this is only the half of one side of it. There are many exhibits currently under renovation, including the skywalk, much to my disappointment.
However, they still have many exhibits open which you shouldn't miss, including many exhibitions that come and go. The best part about this awesome museum is that it's free if you are a student at Alamo Colleges with your student I.D. So, you have no excuses to not visit this amazing local museum. Enjoy it!
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For more information on the San Antonio Museum of Art and it's current exhibitions, please visit:
For more information current SAMA exhibit; Julian Onderdonk and the Texan Landscape, please visit:
https://www.samuseum.org/exhibitions/current-exhibition/895-julian-onderdonk-and-the-texan-landscape
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