As Light as Marble

The Detroit Institute of Art today was the perfect way to spend a cloudy and cold post-holiday afternoon. I'm so inspired by the collection of the treasures inside this vastly underrated museum. The Diego Rivera court is a treasure; to think that it was almost white-washed, as a docent told me, is unthinkable. Although the work created such a controversy and the protagonism of Rivera's personal and professional life is debatable, the mural is Detroit. Industry is who we are, and Rivera illustrated this in the most enlightened way possible.

Among the Italy halls, I found a new favorite, one that I had not seen before. Embarrassingly, I don't even know the title or sculptor. But I was enraptured by its beauty, by the featherweight folds of her dress, by the light elegance of their dance, by the motion captured for the ages in stone. I had to keep reminding myself that this is made of marble, not fabric. I'm sure this picture doesn't do it justice, so go there and see it for yourself. You will be as amazed as I am, I guarantee. - l.o.d.