Art, Cheese and a Walk

In a few weeks my 15 year old daughter, Hope, and I will travel to Europe for a semester of study in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. It is a Moore Family Grand Tour, akin to the tours of the 19th century when families would spend extended time in capital cities across the Old Country, relishing art and culture in pursuit of the good life.

This, then, is Sabbatical 2018: to follow in the footsteps of Margaret Crocker, a Founding Mother of Sacramento who took at least two of these Grand Tours, first in 1870-1872 and then again later, around 1880. In both instances Mrs. Crocker traveled to Europe in search of paintings and other fine arts to line the walls of her mansion home at 3rd and O Streets in California's emerging capital.

Margaret Crocker, c. 1885

While I don't plan on purchasing any paintings, I do plan on studying several of the great 17th century Dutch artists whose paintings Crocker acquired during her travels, and which now appear on permanent display in the European section of today's Crocker Art Museum.

Crocker Art Museum, original facade,
photo courtesy of Amadscientist, 2012

The project includes visiting museums, interviewing curators, and researching archives with an eye toward producing materials that will be useful for students of the Humanities at Cosumnes River College. Along the way, I will be blogging experiences with the arts, foods and communities we encounter, hence the title of this first post.

None of this would be possible without the support of CRC's Professional Standards Committee and CRC's President Edward Bush, who graciously approved my proposal in March 2017. Thank you.

Please join us in exploring art, cheese and a walk through Europe!