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In Plain Sight brings together four artworks from different cultures and time periods that all focus on scenes of everyday life. Whether it’s hunting in the snowy countryside of Renaissance Europe, watching fireworks on the shores of Istanbul, working in the fields of 19th-century France, or walking the crowded streets of modern Dresden, each piece captures what life looked and felt like in that specific time and place.

While the details are different, each work shows the routines, traditions, and surroundings of ordinary people. Some scenes are full of celebration, others are quiet or difficult—but all of them give us insight into daily life as it was truly lived. This exhibition asks: What do people do every day? What do their surroundings say about them? And how can art make the ordinary feel meaningful? By looking closely, we find that what seems simple or familiar is often deeply revealing.

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Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Hunters in the Snow (1565) 

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Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Hunters in the Snow (1565) 

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Bruegel’s Hunters in the Snow is a detailed winter landscape that shows everyday life in a small village in Northern Europe during the 1500s. In the foreground, a group of hunters returns with little success, their dogs trailing behind. But in the background, villagers are skating, playing, and going about their daily routines. The contrast between the hard work of hunting and the joy of winter activities gives us a full picture of life in this community.

Bruegel was known for painting scenes of peasants and regular people instead of royalty or religious figures, which was unusual at the time. His focus on common life made these moments feel important and worthy of attention. The painting shows how people lived with the seasons, depended on nature, and found ways to stay connected and active even in harsh conditions. It’s a peaceful but honest image that reminds us how daily life, even in the cold of winter, keeps moving.

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Abdülcelil Levni, Spectacular Show on the Golden Horn (c. 1720–1730) 

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Abdülcelil Levni, Spectacular Show on the Golden Horn (c. 1720–1730) 

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Levni’s painting comes from an Ottoman celebration called a surnama, a festival book that recorded major public events. This double-page scene shows the banks of the Golden Horn in Istanbul during a grand celebration. Boats glide through the water, fireworks burst above, and people crowd the shores to take part in the festivities. Though the event was organized by the court, the painting highlights the excitement of everyday people joining in.

This artwork gives us a glimpse into daily life during the Tulip Period—a time of peace, beauty, and art in the Ottoman Empire. Even though the event is special, it shows how public celebrations brought people together. Levni uses bright colors and detailed patterns to show not just the event, but also the spirit of joy and community. This scene reminds us that everyday life includes not just work, but also fun, tradition, and coming together to celebrate.

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Gustave Courbet, The Stonebreakers (1849–50) 

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Gustave Courbet, The Stonebreakers (1849–50) 

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Courbet’s The Stonebreakers shows two men doing hard physical labor—breaking stones on the side of a road. One is young, the other old, and both are dressed in worn clothes and focused on their exhausting work. This painting doesn’t show a heroic moment or a famous person—it shows real people doing real work. That was part of Courbet’s goal: to paint the truth of everyday life, not just the beautiful parts.

Painted just after the 1848 revolution in France, this artwork also speaks to social issues of the time. It reflects the tough lives of the working class and calls attention to the kind of people who were often ignored in art. Courbet believed that ordinary subjects could be just as meaningful as any historical or religious scene. The Stonebreakers shows us how hard and unfair everyday life could be for many, and it asks the viewer not to look away.

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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street, Dresden (1908)

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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street, Dresden (1908)

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Kirchner’s Street, Dresden gives us a view of daily life in a modern city—but it’s not a calm or happy one. The people in the painting are crowded together on a busy street, but they don’t seem connected. Their faces look blank, and the colors are bold and unnatural. The scene feels loud and a little tense, showing how modern life can be fast-paced and lonely at the same time.

Kirchner was part of a movement called German Expressionism, where artists used color and form to express feelings more than realistic appearances. In this case, the painting shows the stress and confusion of city life in the early 20th century. While earlier artworks in this exhibition focus on community, nature, or celebration, this one shows how modern life can feel isolating—even when you’re surrounded by people. It’s a powerful reminder that everyday life is not always easy or comfortable, especially in times of change.

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These four artworks show that everyday life is full of meaning, even when it seems ordinary. Across time and place, artists have turned their attention to the daily experiences of real people—what they do, how they live, and how they feel. Each work in this exhibition gives us a unique version of what daily life can look like.

Bruegel shows the rhythm of rural life in the cold of winter, mixing work and play in a peaceful community. Levni gives us a lively look at public celebration in Ottoman Istanbul, where people came together to enjoy beauty and tradition. Courbet shifts the focus to labor and struggle, making us think about social class and fairness. And Kirchner paints the energy and stress of the modern city, where daily life can be overwhelming and lonely.

Though these works are very different in style and mood, they are connected by a shared interest in what it means to live day by day. They remind us that the everyday can be joyful, tiring, beautiful, or difficult—but always worth looking at closely. Art has the power to show us not just the big moments of history, but the quiet ones too. In doing so, these four pieces help us see that daily life—across cultures and centuries—is full of stories, emotions, and meaning that we might otherwise miss.