On my visit to London in the beginning of December I chose to spend my visiting hours in the National Gallery. Strangely enough, the weather was looking quite good for once and I even thought to myself I should stay outside taking pictures. It turned out to be a good choice to go to the gallery after all. The rain was coming down big time when I left the place a couple of hours later.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Anyway, back to the National Gallery. It´s located on Trafalgar Square where I´ve been before about 5 years ago. (Remember the lion statues, Vuokko??) There was a nice Christmas lighting at the fountain and for the first time I was actully having good time in the capital of GB. My previous visits have included heavy rain, masses of Japanese tourists, laptop theft, etc.
So, the gallery! Worth mentioning is the central hall where there were fresh flowers in big vases and the scent was amazing! The collection of the gallery includes western art from last millennium. I found only few interesting paintings there because I´m tired of portraits of Madonnas, Jesuses and other saints from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Of course they are significant and valuable art works but they simply don´t please my artistic eye.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Anyway, back to the National Gallery. It´s located on Trafalgar Square where I´ve been before about 5 years ago. (Remember the lion statues, Vuokko??) There was a nice Christmas lighting at the fountain and for the first time I was actully having good time in the capital of GB. My previous visits have included heavy rain, masses of Japanese tourists, laptop theft, etc.
So, the gallery! Worth mentioning is the central hall where there were fresh flowers in big vases and the scent was amazing! The collection of the gallery includes western art from last millennium. I found only few interesting paintings there because I´m tired of portraits of Madonnas, Jesuses and other saints from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Of course they are significant and valuable art works but they simply don´t please my artistic eye.
I got more excited in the departement of the 19th and 20th century. Unfortunately it was prohibited to take pictures. Cézanne, Picasso, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh and even one piece from Finnish Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Lake Keitele). Some of Monet´s waterlilies are in the gallery and also Van Gogh´s famous (and exploited) Sunflowers.
However, my personal favourite was another painting. Whistlejacket by George Stubbs is a life-sized portrait of a race horse. Typical, I know... I´ve seen that painting before, in a book I guess, but I never knew the name or the artist. It was kind of cool to find out that way.
It´s funny how I felt guilty for harshly passing by so many paintings without one single look. For me galleries are like supermarkets: I know what I want and I go for it. I don´t browse. I think most people go through the whole gallery only because "you´re supposed to". Atleast they look bored to death. Especially youngsters on their school trip. They practically run through the gallery like they were in a race.
There are plenty more galleries in London I got to visit. Although I´m sure it can´t beat Paris...
However, my personal favourite was another painting. Whistlejacket by George Stubbs is a life-sized portrait of a race horse. Typical, I know... I´ve seen that painting before, in a book I guess, but I never knew the name or the artist. It was kind of cool to find out that way.
It´s funny how I felt guilty for harshly passing by so many paintings without one single look. For me galleries are like supermarkets: I know what I want and I go for it. I don´t browse. I think most people go through the whole gallery only because "you´re supposed to". Atleast they look bored to death. Especially youngsters on their school trip. They practically run through the gallery like they were in a race.
There are plenty more galleries in London I got to visit. Although I´m sure it can´t beat Paris...
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