A thought crossed my mind while viewing the extraordinary collection of about 35 Impressionist pictures in a current exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through February 9, 2003. What must it have been like to have all of these in one's home? That was the case with the late Janice H. Levin, whose "A Very Private Collection" is now on display courtesy of the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation. Shown in an intimate arrangement, the show is an embarrassment of riches.
You can find paintings by Renoir, Monet, Degas, Pissarro, Bonnard, Toulouse-Lautrec, Morisot, Vuillard and others. There are also sculptures by Picasso and Degas. If you want a large helping of sheer pleasure, this is a show to savor. Another new event that you also might want to explore at the Metropolitan is "French Nineteenth Century Drawings in the Robert Lehman Collection," to remain through February 9. The variety is broad and this is a good opportunity to study technique and approach. You'll find works by Ingres, Delacroix, Degas and numerous others. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue and 83rd Street. Phone: Phone: 212-535-7710.