In Poland art imitates life. We spent nearly all of day 2 at the National Museum. Poland has a history of near constant war and/or occupation. As a result, it seems that the art is much more political, and much more anti-war or pro-peace than the art in any other country I have visited. One is much more likely to find a painting of a grieving mother, or a dark poster reading "never more" than the pompous battlefield scenes in our own National Gallery.
Our main focus at the museum, however, was a special exhibit on the works of Mucha, the Czech poster artist. Of cours we could have just waited until we got to Prague, but hey, we're impatient Americans, and the exhibit was beautiful. There were also examples of sketchbooks and studies on display that were really exciting. Mucha's draftsmanship is enough to make the most detail-oriented swoon. We took a few pictures of the sketchbooks for reference and of the posters, more as a testiment to our own silliness than the quality of the work. We won't bore you with the research pictures, but please have a laugh at our expense.
After the art gallery, we signed the guestbook, and packed up for our train ride to Budapest. The guestbook proves that it may be a freakishly small world. I think two of my students from were guests at the Hostel a month before we were. The handwriting, writing style, and address all match up. I think I will go on believing it was them, if only because it makes for a good story!
We found the platform, but had no idea from which track we were to depart. Luckily, each platform came equipped with a classic flipboard, which right on cue clattered its way to "Budapest, Keleti" , and away we went!
Bonus round. The art museum in Warsaw had a good collection of still-lifes. Can you find the not-so-still kitty in this painting? Hint: Kitties are sneaky food thieves...
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