This is Us: Seeing New York through Rebecca's eyes, with a Special Focus on the MET

In the fourth season, episode 16, we catch glimpses of New York through four phases of the Pearson family, focusing on Rebecca's evolving relationship with the city.

As a child, Rebecca's annual trips to New York with her parents made the city feel enchanting. One memory stands out: a moment at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she watched a woman captivated by John Singer Sargent's painting "Madame X.".

Later, as a mother of three, Rebecca's desire to revisit the MET is thwarted by the chaos of family life in the city. Yet, her husband Jack's thoughtful gesture turns the disappointment into a cherished memory.

During Kevin's budding acting career, a visit to New York with Randall and Beth offers Rebecca another chance to see the MET. However, the bustling city and family obligations intervene once more.

In her later years, battling Alzheimer's, Rebecca's trip to New York for Kevin's film premiere fulfills her lifelong dream of visiting the MET. Amidst the challenges of memory loss, she finally gets to savor the painting that had enchanted her since childhood.

The MET

The MET in New York, or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the largest art museum in the world. Known for its collections of artworks from all cultures and periods, the museum houses works from Classical Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Impressionism. This includes an extensive collection of Egyptian, Asian, American, and European art by artists such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Cézanne, Renoir, Degas, Vermeer, Matisse, Klimt, Rubens, and many others, totaling over 2 million works of art.

The MET is a very popular destination among tourists and New Yorkers alike, so it is advisable to plan your visit, especially if you want to avoid large crowds. Some of the highlights of the museum include the collection of Egyptian art, the American art gallery, and the collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The MET is a must-visit destination for any art and history lover visiting New York.

Madame X

One of the main artworks at the MET is Madame X by John Singer Sargent. This 1884 work depicts a mysterious woman dressed in black, with dark hair and eyes. The painting is considered one of the most famous works at the MET and is part of the museum's permanent collection. Madame X is an oil painting by John Singer Sargent, one of the most renowned American portrait painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The work portrays the American socialite Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, known at the time for her beauty and elegance.

The painting was completed in 1884 and caused a major scandal at the time due to its provocative depiction of the model. Gautreau is portrayed wearing a black dress with straps, which left one shoulder exposed, and with a rather bold posture. The negative reaction to the painting led Sargent to withdraw it from the exhibition at the Salon de Paris that year, and the work was eventually displayed at the Salon des Refusés.

Although the painting was poorly received when it was first exhibited, it has since become one of Sargent's most famous works and an icon of American art. The model, Gautreau, was later portrayed as a femme fatale, whose beauty and arrogance were associated with social and moral decline. The scandal surrounding the work has since become a cultural myth, and today "Madame X" is considered one of Sargent's most important works and a landmark in American art history.

The painting "Madame X" can currently be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it has become one of the museum's most popular attractions. The work was restored in 2018 to remove decades of accumulated dirt and varnish, revealing brighter colors and details that had been obscured over time.

Services, Hours, and Tickets

The MET offers services such as guided tours, audio guides in multiple languages, special events, gift shops, and restaurants. The museum has a wide variety of educational programs for all ages, including classes, workshops, and family activities.

The MET's visiting hours vary depending on the day of the week. The museum is open Monday through Thursday from 10am to 5pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 9pm, and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The MET is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

Tickets for the MET are sold based on a "pay what you wish" policy, meaning that visitors can donate any amount to enter the museum. However, for visitors from outside New York City, there is a suggested ticket price. Additionally, tickets can also be purchased in advance online, avoiding lines at the museum entrance.

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