Antique

The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla., didn't let COVID-19 stop it from showcasing its "Midnight in Paris" exhibition. Above, the Spanish surrealist painter in 1964.

Just after Sept. 11, I went to my favorite Washington, D.C., museum — The Phillips Collection — to look at still lifes. The one I remember best was a small oil by Édouard Manet, painted as he was dying. Peonies. So richly textured you could almost smell the flowers.

The painting took me away from dark thoughts for a while. Art helped me, as it always does, to get through a terrible time. Now it's another terrible time, and museums are closed against a killer virus. But they're offering beauty, strength and fascinations on their websites. In an informal series, I'll flag some online exhibits for you to enjoy whenever you need a break from worrying.

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