Chan Weng Kit's Blogspot: DAY 1438

Aug 9

1) This blog post highlights my recent trip to the National Gallery. Originally three of my friends had planned to make it, but due to unavoidable circumstances, it was just Sai and myself in the end. Nevertheless, it was a very educational trip for me, as I got the opportunity to explore a litany of art pieces at my own leisure.

2) Due to the pandemic, many art museums (and other landmarks) have been closed. The National Gallery, however, has reopened - with certain safety precautions of course. I managed to book admission for 3.30pm. It was a quick afternoon walk there for me, albeit in the sweltering heat. UK has been hit by a 'heatwave' for the past week, and so I was quite glad to be in an air-conditioned environment for a change.

3) I had actually intended for the picnic (in the previous blog) to be the last meet-up with my friends, as I thought I would be busy packing up afterwards. However, my friends convinced me to do a few more interesting things with them. The visit to the National Gallery was just the first of these excursions we had. Anyway, long story short, the pictures below are of the National Gallery and its many exhibits, ranging from Boticelli, to Monet, and Van Gogh. I may not be an art connoisseur, but I could definitely appreciate the different (and distinctive) style of each artist.

4) That's basically it for this short post - scroll down for some lovely paintings and their accompanying descriptions. Hopefully there's something new for everyone reading haha. And look forward to my next blog post, coming real soon (as fast as I can type, honestly). Thanks for visiting, and have a nice weekend. Cheers!

The National Gallery, founded in 1824, houses more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to the 1900's.

Westminster Abbey in the afternoon

Close-up of one of the Horse Guards, of the Household Cavalry Museum

Statue of King George IV, by Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey

Nelson's Column - a tribute to Lord Horatio Nelson, who is particularly remembered for his many decisive naval victories during the Napoleonic Wars

View of Nelson's Column from the gallery

The latest artwork to adorn Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth - this sculpture of a fly on a dollop of whipped cream and cherry, with accompanying drone, is called "The End".

The main entrance to the National Gallery

Sai decided to out-casual me with his shorts and backpack combo

On the stairs up to the main exhibition gallery

As seen above, white arrows made sure traffic (i,e, visitors) moved in one direction and no doubling back occurred

The Adoration of the Kings, by Sandro Botticelli (about 1470-1475)

Tondi (circular paintings) of this subject were popular in the palaces of wealthy Florentines. Botticelli has exploited the format by placing the Virgin and Child at the heart of the composition. Several figures among the kings' courtly retinue are portraits. The shepherds can be seen in the distance. The ruined classical temple represents the old pagan order.

The Pistoia Santa Trinita Altarpiece, by Francesco Pesellino (1455-1460)

Commissioned in September 1455 by the Company of Priests of the Trinity in Pistoia, this altarpiece features in the Trinity to whom they were dedicated; Saint James and the Great (left, holding a pilgrim's staff) patron of Pistoia, and the Bishops Saint Zeno (right), patron of the clergy of Pistoia. Saint Mamas (left, shown with a lion, was included at the special request of their treasurer) and Saint Jerome (far right, in red) was also chosen. The predella shows scenes from the lives of these four saints.

The Madonna and Child with Angels ("The Quaratesi Madonna"), by Gentile da Fabriano (1425)

The Virgin and Child are seated on a throne hung with rich fabrics, with angels on either side. The Child is handing a daisy, a symbol of its innocence, to one of them. This was the centre of an altarpiece for the church of San Niccolo Oltrarno, Florence.

The Coronation of the Virgin with Adoring Saints, by Lorenzo Monaco (1407-1409)

The saints on the left include: Benedict (in white) with a book inscribed with the words from this Rule; Matthew, with a book inscribed with words from his Gospel; Miniato, Stephen, with the stones on his head with which he was martyred; and Francis. Among the saints on the right are: Romuald (in white); Peter holding keys; John the Evangelist with a book inscribed with words from this Gospel; Lawrence and Dominic.

The San Pier Maggiore Altarpiece, by Jacopo di Cione (1370-1371)

This group of paintings formed the 12 main panels of the high altarpiece for the Benedictine church of San Pier Maggiore in Florence. It was one of the largest to be commissioned in the 14th century, possibly by members of the Albizzi family. Among the saints watching Christ crown the Virgin is Saint Peter, who holds a model of the church. The middle register shows scenes from the life of Christ. The Trinity flanked by angle surmounts the altarpiece at almost 6 meters in height.

The Madonna of Humility, by Lippo di Dalmasio (about 1390)

The Virgin wears a crown of twelve stars, with the moon at her feet. She recalls the Woman of the Apocalypse, as described in the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, in which Saint John sets out his vision of the end of the world. This is one of the earliest painting on canvas in the collection.

Onwards to a new gallery...

The Family of Darius before Alexander, by Paolo Veronese (1565-1567)

Following the defeat of the Persian emperor Darius by Alexander, Darius's mother appealed to their conquerer for mercy. However, she mistook Alexander for his friend Hephaestion. Alexander, in red armour, graciously turned this mistake into both a compliment for Hephaestion, "another Alexander", and an assurance that he would protect Darius's family.

Route A supposedly takes 25 minutes, and Route B 35 minutes - but in the end, we spent around 2.5 hours on both!

A Roman Triumph, by Peter Paul Rubens (1630)

A procession moves from right to left across the picture plane. Maidens lead the way with pipers and sacrificial animals. The priest in his brilliant red costume provides a central focus, while elephants bearing incense burners and fruit bring up the rear.

The Large Dort, by Aelbert Cuyp (1650)

In the background is a view of the artist's home town of Dordrecht (Dort). Its profile is dominated, as it still is today, by the Grote Kerk (Great Church). This view is almost identical with that in a much smaller picture by Cuyp, The Small Dort, which hangs nearby. Such repetition is common among the work of Dutch artists.

Portrait of Cornelis van Diest and his Wife, by Jacob Jordaens (1636-1638)

The sitters in this striking double portrait are probably Corenlis van Diest, a prominent citizen of Antwerp,and his wife Lucretia Courtois. He is sporting a red sash and staff of office, while she wears a gold cross on a chain at her neck. The dog, parrot and vine all symbolize marital fidelity.

The Holy Family and Saint John the Baptist, by Jacob Jordaens (1620-1625)

The infant Christ, supported by the Virgin, holds a rosary. At left, the young Baptist clasps a cross. The prominence of the rosary suggests that this was painted for a Catholic patron, like many of the artist's religious works. Jordaens himself was a Protestant. He may have been inspired by Caravaggio's "Madonna of the Rosary", which was then in Antwerp.

Equestrian Portrait of Charles I, by Anthony van Dyck (1637-1638)

Charles I appointed Van Dyck as his court painter in 1632. In this majestic portrait the king wears the insignia of the Order of the Garter on a gold chain and holds his commander's baton. The portrait proclaims him as King of Great Britain. Hanging on the tree behind him is a tablet inscribed CAROLUS REX MAGNAE BRITANNIAE (Charles, King of Great Britain).The title had been assumed by his father who became James I of Great Britain and Ireland in 1603. Charles I's attempt to rule without parliament led to civil war and ultimately his execution in 1649.

Cornelis van der Geest, by Anthony van Dyck (1620)

Cornelis van der Geest (1555-1638) was a wealthy Antwerp spice merchant and an important patron of the arts, commissioning his works from both Rubens and Van Dyck. In this animated portrait, the young Van Dyck used varied brushstrokes to convey the textures of skin and hair. Touches of white suggest the moistness of the eyes and lips.

Four Officers of the Amsterdam Coopers' and Wine-rackers' Guild, by van den Eeckhout (1657)

Van den Eeckhout is thought to have studied with Rembrandt in the late 1630s. This animated group portrait shows the officials of a trade guild. In the background is a painting of Saint Matthias, patron saint of coopers. The tools carved on the frame are those used for the making of barrels.

Portrait of a Lady in Black Satin with a Fan, by Bartholomeus van der Heist (1644)

The sitter's dress with its three-tiered lace collar, silver bow and lace cuffs is very similar to that worn by the sitter in Frans Hals's "Portrait of a Woman with a Fan". In contrast, Van der Heist's handling is less vigorous, placing greater emphasis on the surface textures of the different materials.

Christ before the High Priest, by Gerrit van Honthorst (1617)

Christ was brought before the High Priest by whom he was questioned about his teachings (Matthew 26: 57-66). The intense atmosphere of the scene is heightened by the ingenious use of a visible light source. Painted in Rome under the influence of Caravaggio, this picture became one of Van Honthorst's most celebrated works.

Jupiter and Antiope, by Hdnrick Goltzius (1612)

This frankly sensual work depicts the god Jupiter, disguised as a satyr, approachign the beautiful Antiope in order to seduce her. She is asleep, sprawled amidst luxurious cushions as the lecherous god creeps silently towards her bed. Vibrant colours and bold, sculptural forms increase the drama of the scene.

Still Life with a Pewter Flagon and Two Ming Bowls, by Jan Jansz. Treck (1651)

The muted colours and simple composition of this still life play down the sumptuousness of the objects. The blue-and-white porcelain bowls are from the late Ming dynasty, of a type recently imported into Holland. The blue has discoloured because the artist used smalt, a chemically unstable pigment.

The Heavenly and Earthly Trinities, by Barolome Esteban Murillo (1675-1682)

The holy family - the Virgin, the Christ, Child and Saint Joseph - is shown as the earthly counterpart of the heavenly Trinity of God the Father, the Holy Spirit (shown as a dove) and Christ. The composition draws attention to the two natures of Christ, both man and God.

Judith in the Tent of Holofernes, by Johann Liss (1622)

Judith became a heroine when she killed Holofernes, enemy of the Israelites, with his own sword. Here she looks back over her shoulder at his decapitated body as she puts his head in a sack before leaving his tent. Liss, who was German but worked mainly in Venice, made several variants of the subject; this is the finest.

Saint Gregory the Great with Jesuit Saints, by Guercino (1625-1626)

Saint Gregory the Great, 6th-century theologian and pope is shown enthroned. The holy spirit descends as a dove, and a putto in the foreground holds the papal crown. On the left is Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, and on the right Francis Xavier, the first great Jesuit missionary. Pope Gregory XV canonised both saints in 1622.

An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, by Joseph Wright of Derby (1768)

A lecturer demonstrates the creation of a vacuum to a family. A white cockatoo (an exotic bird, unlikely in fact to have been used for this experiment) is imprisoned in a glass flask from which the air is being extracted by a pump. The candlelit setting is characteristic of Wright's interest in dramatic contrasts of light and shade.

The Umbrellas, by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1881-1886)

This bustling Paris street in the rain is typical of the scenes of everyday modern life beloved by Renoir and the Impressionists. A milliner's assistant holding a bandbox looks out at the viewer, as does a little girl, while a canopy of umbrellas unfurl behind them. Renoir began the painting using a soft, feathery style, but later reworked the left side using harder contours and muted colours.

Italian Woman, by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1870)

Best known as a landscape painter, in his final years Corot turned increasingly to depicting models in his studio. This half-length figure is among his most monumental. The artist has imbued his sitter with grandeur and the calm dignity of an Italian Renaissance noblewoman.

Bathers at Asnieres, by Georges Seurat (1884)

Asnieres is a suburb of Paris. On the right is the island of the Grande Jatte and in the distance, the fractories of Clichy. Seurat reworked parts of the picture, such as the right, probably in 1886 after he had invented the technique of using dots of contrasting colour to create a vibrant luminous effect. The work is based on numerous preparatory drawings and oil studies.

A Wheatfield, with Cypresses, by Vincent van Gogh (1889)

Cypress trees reminded Van Gogh of "Egyptian obelisks". These dark trees were in a wheatfield close to the St-Remy mental asylum near Arles where the artist spent a year as a patient. They stand straight and tall in the middle of the wheat, and make a strong and deliberate contrast with the receding horizontal bands of the yellow field, blue hills and sky.

Eva Gonzales, by Edouard Manet (1870)

The painter Eva Gonzales (1849-1883) entered Manet's studio in February 1869, first as his model and then as his student. Although Manet portrays her applying the finishing touches to a flower painting, she wears a white satin dress unsuitable for painting with oils and the canvas is already framed. The present whereabouts of the still life is not known.

The Thames below Westminster, by Claude Monet (1871)

Monet travelled to London to avoid the Franco-Prussian War. The grey hazy sky successfully evokes the fogs for which 19th century London was notorious. Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament are shown in the background. On the right, a wooden pier projects from the newly constructed Victoria Embankment.

Portrait of Louis-Auguste Schwiter, by Eugene Delacroix (1826-1830)

Louise-Auguste Schwiter (1805-1889) was a painter of portraits and landscapes. Delacroix began this painting shortly after a trip to England, and it shows the influence of the portraits he admired here. Delacroix reworked the painting after it was rejected for the 1827 Paris Salon. The landscape background is by his friend, Paul Huet.

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey

Lady Jane Grey reigned as queen for nine days in 1553 until deposed by supporters of the Catholic Queen Mary. She was beheaded at the Tower of London. The French painter Delaroche was famous for his scenes of British royalty, especially those who were doomed or dying.

Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve ("The Ambassadors"), by Hans Holbein the Younger (1533)

Jean de Dinteville (left) was French ambassador to the court of Henry VIII in 1533. The inscription on his dagger reveals he is in his 29th year. Geroges de Selve, Bishop of Lavaur (right), visited London in April 1533. The book on which he rests his arm indicates he is in his 25th year. The picture was painted for Dinteville and hung in his family house in Polisy, Champagne. Polisy is marked on the globe next to him. The meaning of the objects on the shelves has been much debated. The broken string of the lute is symbolic of discord, perhaps the political and religious disharmony in Europe at the time of the Reformation. On the floor between them is a distorted skull. When viewed from the right-hand side, the perspective corrects itself and the symbol of mortality becomes clear. In the top left-hand corner of the picture is a silver crucifix, a reminder of the Christian promise of salvation.

Erasmus, by Hans Holbein the Younger (1523)

The humanist scholar Erasmus rests his hands on a book with the inscription: "The Labours of Hercules of Erasmus of Rotterdam". This alludes to his greatest achievements. He produced editions of the Holy Scriptures and of the Church Fathers.

The Coronation of the Virgin, by Johann Rottenhammer (1596-1606)

The Virgin is being crowned by the Holy Trinity. Below her are, in the centre, Adam and Eve with other Old Testament figures, including Moses, Jonah, and King David. At lower right, behind Saint Lawrence who holds a palm, is a portrait of Camillo Borghese, the future Pope Paul V (elected 1605).

Adam and Eve, by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1526)

Adam is shown before the Tree of Knowledge, surrounded by docile beasts, scratching his head in indecision. Should he accept the apple, or obey God and refuse this forbidden fruit? Cranach's evocation of the beauty of paradise before the fall of mankind adds poignancy to his picture. This panel's iconography and quality suggest that it was commissioned by an erudite person.