I am complete layman in painting art and history but, every once in a while, during my random ramblings, I end up in a painting museum, an exhibition or something of the sort. Last Sunday London was surprisingly radiant, dressed in a mild and sunny day. I had my morning jogging, my shower and, after a disappointment because of the Internet failure in the area, a sound roast beef. Then, I grabbed the bus and, after a few strolls, led my pace to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
It was lovely, I must say. I hired an audio guide at the front desk and got a piece of paper with a recommendation for a 60-minute walk, though it took me almost 3 hours to complete it. I enjoyed every bit of it.
If I am to take one piece of art above all, I would choose The Doge Leonardo Loredan, a portrait Bellini painted sometime between 1501 and 1504. I was captured by the face of this gentleman, impressively alive, rich and psychologically profound, and so is the use of light, the details of light and color. I loved it. It is in room 62, dedicated to the Venice artists of the age.
In room 34, I think, I found An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) by the English Joseph Wright of Derby (1734 – 1797), a nice surprise, indeed. The painting is used in the cover of a recent edition of Tiempo de Silencio, written by Luis Martin Santos in 1966 if I remember correctly (very recommendable, a great novel!).
This is what I saw in the National Gallery:
1. “Richard II presented to the Virgin and Child by his Patron Saint John the Baptist and Saints Edwards and Edmund” (The Wilton Diptych), unknown, 14th century, room 53 (Tuscany)
2. “The Battle of San Romano”, Ucello, 1438 – 40, room 54 (Central Italy)_ The battle between Florence and Siena for Pisa in 1432; the room shows pieces by Gioto and Masaccio amongst others.
3. “The Arnolfini Portrait”, J. Van Eyck, 1434, room 56 (The Neatherlands)_ The celebrated portrait of the wealthy couple, the woman seems to be pregnant, but she is not, as she poses according to the fashion of the year; the detail of the candle lights burning, though it is daytime outside (thought to be used by the painter to show his ability and technique).
4. “Venus and Mars”, Botticelli, 1485, room 58 (paintings from Florentine palaces)_ it is interpreted as a message for young married couple. Woman: she is dressed-up, alert and thoughtful; Man: he is sleeping and naked, and the cherubims are playing with his arms.
5. “Doge Leonardo Loredan”, Bellini, 1501 – 04, room 62 (Venice).
6. “The Baptism of Christ”, Piero della Francesca, 1450s, room 66 (P. della Francesca)_ Apparently, the guy was also a mathematician and was crazy about geometry and order.
7. “The Virgin of the Rocks”, L. da Vinci, 1491 – 1508, room 2 (Da Vinci & North Italy)_ The contrast between the rough and unfathomable landscape of terrible and unassailable mountains and the tenderness of the Virgin Mary, Her Son, John the Baptist and the Cherubim; and the sfumato technique employed.
8. “The Ambassadors”, Holbein the Young, 1533, room 4 (Germany)_ A powerful portrait of the motto of the time: the futileness of life against death: 2 young, handsome ambassadors surrounded by all the science and splendor of the time, except for 2 details of death: the scalp with a skeleton hanging around the neck of one of the ambassadors, and the broken lute .
9. “A Lady with a Squirrel and a Starling (Anne Lovell?)”, Holbein the Young, 1526 – 28, room 4.
10. “An Allegory with Venus and Cupid”, Bronzino, 1545, room 8 (Florence & Rome)_ An example of Manierism.
11. “Portrait of Pope Julius II”, Raffaello, 1511, room 8_ The angle from where the portrait is taken is new and original, a landmark in painting history. The Pope is bearded.
12. “The Entombment”, Michelangelo, 1500, room 8_ It is unfinished, and I don’t see the importance of this piece.
13. “The Madonna of the Pinks”, Raffaello, 1506 – 07, room 8.
14. “Bacchus and Ariadne”, Tiziano, 1520 – 23, room 12 (Tiziano & Venice).
15. “The Adoration of the Kings”, Gossaert, 1510 – 15, room 14 (The Neatherlands)_ I like it. A big score of details, great attention paid to them, very well-defined figures, lots of colors. The Adoration takes place in a Greco-roman palace in ruins, which convey the message of the Old Order being revoked by the New Kingdom and Law.
16. “Seaport with the Embarkation of Saint Ursula”, Claude Lorraine, 1641, room 20 (Claude Lorraine)_ Beautiful works, those of this man! Never heard of him before. He is the painting of sunset and sunshine. Here he shows the embarking of the British princess, Saint Ursula, to Rome in pilgrimage, along with 11,000 virgins. Her fate was, however, doomed, as she was killed in Colonna during the return trip.
17. “Landscape with Psyche outside the Palace of Cupid (The Enchanted Castle)”, Claude Lorraine, 1664, room 20_Painting and story, both nice.
18. “Self Portrait at the Age of 63”, Rembrandt, 1669, room 23 (Rembrandt & Dutch painters)_ Was painted the same year of his death. His mistress for more than 30 years had just died. Rembrandt never recovered from his bankruptcy in 1656. His last years were indeed dark.
19. “Self Portrait at the Age of 34”, Rembrandt, 1640, room 24 (Rembrandt & Caravaggists)_ Confident, young man, only the most important painter of portraits in Amsterdam at the time.
20. “A Young Woman Standing at a Virginal”, Vermeer, 1670, room 25 (Vermeer and Delft Painters).
21. “Samson and Delilah”, Rubens, 1609 – 1610,room 29 (Rubens)_ Use of light, study of the muscles of Samson back from Greco-roman statues.
22. “The Rockeby Venus”, Velazquez, 1647 – 51, room 30 (Spain)_ The sole Venus deserves attention: she occupies the whole picture and she herself looks in the mirror held by her son, Cupid. The reflection gets also back to us. Now, why does the guide have to mention the Inquisition? Stop the nonsense!!... Who is the Venus? The Duchess of Alba??
23. “Equestrian Portrait of Charles I”, A. Van Dick, 1637 – 38, room 31 (Van Dyke)_ Was he making fun of the king? You know, the long hair of the horse, as Charles’ long hair. It is a powerful image of the king, in spite of his short stature.
24. “The Supper at Emmaus”, Caravaggio, 1601, room 32 (Italy)_ Jesus is alive and presents Himself to the Emmaus disciples and they recognize Him during supper, as Jesus partakes the Bread. Jesus is with no beard. Reactions of the three disciples as they recognize Him are showed.
25. “Madame de Pompadour at Her Tambour Frame”, Drouais, 1763 – 4, room 33 (France)_ This lady, tremendously influential in France, 18th century, was Louis XV’s wife.
26. “The Hay Warn”, Constable, 1821, room 34 (UK).
27. “The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to Her Last Berth to be Broken Up, 1838”, Turner, 1839, room 34_ A symbol of the new age: a small steam-ship carrying the huge old war boat from Trafalgar Battle against the Spaniards.
28. “Mr. and Mrs. Andrews”, Gainsborough, 1748 – 49, room 35 (Hogarth & the British).
29. “Mr. and Mrs. William Hallet (The Morning Walk)”, 1775, room 34.
30. “Madame Moitessier”, Ingres, 1844 – 56, room 41 (dedicated to the artists influenced by the Paris Academy, The Ecole des Beaux-Arts)_ Ingres took 12 years to complete this work.
31. “Bathers at Asnieres”, Seurat, 1883 – 84, room 44 (beyond Impressionism, Pisarro & Seurat)_ Shows the technique of Punctualism.
32. “Bathers (Les Grandes Baigneuses), Cezanne, 1888 – 1905, room 45 (Van Gogh & Cezanne).
33. “Sunflowers”, Van Gogh, 1888, room 45_ Apparently, this piece is important for its brilliant colors, which points out to optimism in time. It shows deep hope. The paint was done before Van Gogh’s mental breakdown.
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