National Gallery of Art #17 (Part 1 of 2)

The National Gallery is hosting a temporary exhibition dedicated to humor, satire and caricature in art over the centuries.  The exhibition, Sense of Humor, was surprisingly good.  We were surprised by two things.  Work by some of the best artists was featured and the quality of the artwork was excellent.  If you have a sense of humor, we hope you enjoy this virtual tour of the exhibition.   

  

Greg was particularly amused by the Fragonard etching above.  It reminded him of the Refrigerator Joke:

One day, three men appeared at the Pearly Gates and the Gatekeeper announced that each would gain entry only after recounting the circumstances of his death.  The first man told his story:

“Well, today was Friday, and since it was such a beautiful afternoon and I didn’t have much work to do at the office, I decided to go home early.  As I was walking down the hall of my building toward my apartment, I heard the sound of a man’s voice through the door.  I stopped outside the door to listen, and I was sure that there was a man inside.  As I turned the key, I could hear the rustle of rapid footsteps, and when I entered, I saw that my wife was hastily putting on her nightgown.  ‘Where is he?!’, I demanded; but she denied a man was present.  I searched the hall closet, the bedroom closet, and under the bed.  I looked behind the couch and in the kitchen.  Then, in frustration, I lifted the refrigerator over my head, carried it to the terrace, and threw it over.  Suddenly, I felt a terrible pain in my chest, and that’s the last I remember."

Then, the second man told his story:  “I was taking a long weekend and had the day off today.  I slept in until the afternoon and had a leisurely breakfast.  Then, since it was such a nice day, I decided to do exercises on my terrace.  While I was doing some jumping jacks, I lost my balance, and fell over the rail.  I was hanging on for dear life by one hand, and I thought I was finished, but somehow, I managed to swing back-and-forth until I could grab the rail with my other hand.  Then, miraculously, I pulled myself up to the top of the rail; but just as I was about to lean over it, a refrigerator fell on me and crushed me against the ground below.”

Then, the third man told his story:  “Well, I was hiding in this refrigerator . . .”

Next Up:  A sense of humor in the 20th century.