For my 21st birthday in October, I went to London for a few days with some friends. Although it was more of a shopping trip, I managed to take some time to visit The National Gallery, somewhere that has been on my list of places to visit for a while. It's only in the past year that my appreciation for the renaissance and impressionism movements has become more apparent. I've always loved Monet's work but seeing such incredible and powerful pieces of history up close makes you appreciate them even more.
As we arrived on a rainy Sunday morning and planned to stay there until our train back home in the afternoon. The gallery was much bigger than I expected, it almost felt like a maze of hidden rooms and huge exhibition spaces flooded with natural light. The gallery was founded in 1824 and is ranked as the 8th most visited art museum in the world (National Gallery - Wikipedia, 2021). It's also free to enter, intending to make art accessible to the public. Although our visit was short, we managed to see everything we wanted to, both the architecture and paintings were so beautiful I had to write a post about my experience there!
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The National Gallery at night, sitting in the middle of Trafalgar Square
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There were three art routes to choose from depending on what movement interested you; I chose routes B and C including work from Monet, Van Gogh, Turner, Rembrandt and many other impressionist artists.
Meindert Hobbema
As we weaved around the gallery, one of the first paintings was by Meindert Hobbema, a Dutch painter specialising in landscapes. I hadn't heard of him before but found his painting, 'The Avenue at Middelharnis' (Hobbema, 1689) quite striking compared to others produced at this time. The landscape is set in South Holland with trees marking the narrow avenue. It's such an alternative composition for its simplicity and use of trees as the focal point. With so many portraits on display, my eyes were drawn to this piece- possibly because I prefer landscapes!
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| 'The Avenue at Middelharnis', Meindert Hobbema, 1689 |
Peter Paul Rubens
Another landscape that I found incredible was by Rubens, a Flemish painter and diplomat, most recognised as being the most influential artist of the Baroque style. His paintings usually depict religious, mythical and figurative subjects, however, this painting is thought to be one he painted for his own pleasure. Through research, I found that this painting was likely to be hidden during his lifetime and only uncovered after his death, now to be admired by the public and other artists.
In this painting (Rubens, 1636), Rubens house can be seen on the left, possibly showing his place in the social hierarchy. The rolling hills are perfectly kept with woodlands surrounding the manor. This painting has so much context and such a strong narrative when you realise the message Rubens is trying to convey; highlighting the divide between the rich and the poor. Aside from the fascinating context, the painting is beautifully executed with different colours used to represent the effect of economic status. Given the time and lack of photography, it's incredible to think of how such a huge painting was created- how did they visualise such an expansive landscape?
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| 'A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning', Peter Paul Rubens, 1636 |
J. M. W. Turner
Turner was an English painter and printmaker, most recognised for his expressive landscapes that exude themes of romanticism and adventure. The traditional turner painting can be identified by stormy, skies with ships navigating the harsh conditions. He has the ability to create such depth and atmosphere through rich colours like cobalt blue, greens and yellows.
This painting (Turner, 1829) is based on Odyssey, one of the two ancient Greek poems attributed to Homer. Known to be one of the oldest pieces of literature, it portrays Ulysses sailing away from an island where the giant Polyphemus held him captive. The scene is beautifully realised, with background lighting on the horizon bringing the scene to life. Through his use of warm colours, it shows how colour and light can be used to create an atmosphere; here, presenting a victory as Ulysses escapes at dusk. I find this scene so distinct compared to his other works at the time, showing a more expressive approach in his work. It was only after Turner's death in 1851 when English art critic John Ruskin proclaimed it 'The central picture of Turners Career' (Ruskin, 1856), a defining piece in his career.
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| 'Ulysses deriding Polyphemus- Homer's Odyssey', J. M. W. Turner, 1829 |
John Constable
Similarly to Turner, Constable created paintings during the Romanticism period, focused on panoramic, atmospheric landscapes. This painting depicts a familiar view from Constable's birthplace at East Bergholt, Suffolk. 'The Hay Wain' is the name for the horse-drawn carriage crossing the River Stour. His use of perspective immerses the viewer in the scene, as if they're a passerby entering the landscape. While the scene is from Suffolk, the painting was created in London working from a series of sketches at the location. It's incredible to see how the artist has recreated the scene in such detail- making it clear Constable has an emotional connection to the place.
In the next post, I've focused on expressionist painters.
Hobbema, M., 1689. The Avenue at Middelharnis. [Oil on Canvas].
Rubens, P., 1636. A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning. [Oil on Oak].
Monet, C., 1869. Bathers at La Grenouillère. [Oil on Canvas].
Turner, J., 1829. Ulysses deriding Polyphemus- Homer's Odyssey. [Oil on canvas].
Constable, J., 1821. The Hay Bain. [Oil on canvas].
Nationalgallery.org.uk. 2021. Claude Monet | Bathers at La Grenouillère | NG6456 | National Gallery, London. [online] Available at: <https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-monet-bathers-at-la-grenouillere> [Accessed 30 December 2021].
En.wikipedia.org. 2021. National Gallery - Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Gallery> [Accessed 30 December 2021].
Nationalgallery.org.uk. 2021. Joseph Mallord William Turner | Ulysses deriding Polyphemus - Homer's Odyssey | NG508 | National Gallery, London. [online] Available at: <https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/joseph-mallord-william-turner-ulysses-deriding-polyphemus-homers-odyssey> [Accessed 30 December 2021].
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