After all kinds of events, including simply celebrating Easter, I’m trying to return to a normal schedule of exercise. This led me to the entirely motionless activity of finding beautiful pictures of walkways on the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC website. All pictures are in the public domain.

I just want to walk into this picture.

Pathway in Alexandra Park, c. 1863. attributed to Francis Bedford, British, 1816 – 1894

Pissaro’s picture is lovely but the destination seems to be clear. This gives the picture a very different mood.

Landscape at Les Pâtis, Pontoise. 1868. Camille Pissarro. French, 1830 – 1903.

Turner’s picture takes the destination out of the center of the picture and gives the viewer a lot to think about either looking at the water, or imagining the walk.

Mortlake Terrace, 1827. Joseph Mallord William Turner, British, 1775 – 1851.

Here’s a pair of pictures. One is a lofty goal to climb. And below it is the absolute opposite.

The Fortress of Königstein. 1756-1758. Bernardo Bellotto. Venetian, 1722 – 1780

Venice, c. 1903. Henri Edmond Cross. French, 1856 – 1910

Lots to dream about…