Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, unveils first "crowdsourced" exhibition, Boston Loves Impressionism
- BOSTON, Massachusetts
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- February 16, 2014
After 24 days and 41,497 votes, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), on Friday opened Boston Loves Impressionism––its first “crowdsourced” exhibition––and reveals Boston’s favorite Impressionist works of art.
The public was given the opportunity to cast their votes on a group of 50 Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces from the MFA’s collection. They responded with passion, “Sharing the Love” from their phones, Facebook and by scanning heart-shaped QR codes found throughout the Museum.
Voters made plain their love for Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece, Houses at Auvers (1890), which earned the most votes (4,464), edging out Claude Monet, who came in second place with 3,543 votes for his iconic Water Lilies (1907). Third place was taken by Edgar Degas’ Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer (original model 1878–81, cast after 1921)––the only sculpture in the contest. These three top vote getters hold a place of honor at the entrance of the Boston Loves Impressionism exhibition (on view today–May 26, 2014 in the Lois and Michael Torf Gallery), where they hang alongside 27 other works chosen by the public, as well as five loans from local collectors.