Today was a great way to wrap up our time in Dublin. Among the many firsts I’ve experienced on this trip, one of them was my first art gallery. I was pretty impressed with the Hugh Lane Gallery from earlier in the week, but I was completely caught off guard by the massive Vermeer exhibit we got to see today. As someone who has no idea how to analyze art, or where to even start, I feel like I learned so much in such a small time about Vermeer and the artists that he looked to for inspiration. The detail that they went into to explain the significance of small discrepancies was amazing. I found myself drawn into the works of art and picking up on things that I never would have noticed to pick up on before. There is definitely a certain way to look at art like this, and I am so thankful to have had this experience.

Of the Vermeer paintings we saw today, my favorites were the two male portraits; “The Astronomer” and “The Geographer.” I found it so interesting how the work he used for inspiration was so dark, yet his pieces were so much lighter and drew on other aspects to bring originality to the paintings. I was slightly disappointed that “Girl With a Pearl Earring” was not part of the exhibit, considering that everything in the gift shop had that painting on it… Regardless, I really enjoyed seeing the exhibit, as well as the other wings that were open. I could not believe how detailed some of the stained glass pieces were!

I really am going to miss Dublin, but I look forward to the upcoming adventures in Belfast!