Today we spent 6 hours at the National Gallery!
My poor feet… But it was wonderful.
Above; Trafalgar Square with a beautiful late afternoon sky. Notice the Olympic countdown.
We saw some beautiful and famous works.
These are my favourites that I really wanted to see…
The Arnolfini Portrait 1434 by Jan van Eyck,
I’ve always loved this painting because it is so odd and there is so much to see in it.
The oranges on the windowsill, the funny shoes, the little doggie, the mirror with the artists reflection and the message on the wall.
I also love the ambassadors, painted in 1533 by Hans Holbein the younger.
For similar reasons, there are so many things to see in it, including the bizarre skull that is meant to be a puzzle and can only be seen from an angle.
( I didn’t realise how similar these paintings are until I put them together on this post).
I was also loved the Turners, including this one that was voted the UKs favourite painting.
The Fighting Temeraire.
Look at the wonderful colours.
The story is that the Temeraire was one of the last sailing ships and in this painting it looks like a ghost that is passing into the sunset, while being led by one of the newer steam powered boats that superseded it.
The Temeraire fought at the battle of Trafalgar and here it is being led to be broken up.
Also we loved the Canaletto's, the Constable’s, the Van Gogh's and Reuben's nice rounded ladies.
The Constables were a surprise, I’m use to faded prints but the originals are full of life and texture.
Above is the Cornfield by Constable 1826.
Above: Canaletto's Venice 1740 and my Venice 2011…!
Has Venice changed?
Not a lot!
Until next time, 
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