This past Wednesday, Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA) sophomores in its Honors College went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The students were excited to see much of the art that they have been learning about in history class this year. The first half of the trip was a guided tour, and students were split into two groups. One group went to see art from the time of the Renaissance. They learned about what the paintings depicted, what they represented and what artistic techniques used were common during the Renaissance or unique to each artist. They had a chance to try drawing what they saw in each painting. In addition, they compared and contrasted several famous paintings, enhancing their knowledge of Renaissance art.

The second group went to see a room that depicted the bedroom of King Louis XIV. In fact, some of the furniture, including the chair and desk, was actually owned and used by Louis XIV in the seventeenth century. The students learned about Louis XIV, and about the different pieces of furniture that corresponded to the furniture used during the seventeenth century. They also discussed what techniques were used to light up the room, and heat it during the winter. After, they got to see a massive panoramic painting of the Palace of Versailles and its outdoor garden. After the initial tours were completed, each group switched. It was truly amazing to see the art that was learned in history class come to life.