Too Much Stuff - Never!

I must admit when my friend asked me to go to Huntington

I had no clue.

I didn't know that it was a research library,

where you could see 

the Ellesmere manuscript of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,

or see a copy of the Gutenberg Bible on vellum - on vellum!

Or that they had the double-elephant folio edition of Audubon's Birds of America

or the greatest collection of the early editions of Shakespeare.

I didn't know about any of that.

I knew there were gardens:

These are the cactus garden photos,

some of them anyway.

I also didn't know at Huntington there was a house,

an old house,

filled with art!

including Thomas Gainsborough’s Blue Boy,

among others of Gainsborough's work.

as well as Reynolds’ Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse 

and Thomas Lawrence’s “Pinkie” 

"Pinkie" and "Blue Boy" were so cute!

 

I was told the cactus garden would be in bloom,

But not that the large drawing room, (yes, large because there was a small one too)

was decorated with 18th century French art works on display.

(I knew this would get your attention, mes amis français.)

 

The colors!

I was told I wouldn't be able to photograph the inside

no flash photography

and my camera was not prepared to do otherwise

this trip : )

 

I do feel lucky though

at capturing all this.

In one day.

Thank you my friend for showing me

The Huntington,

surely one of California's biggest secrets.

This is not me, but 

ma très magnifique amie,

Judy.