 |
|
Melanie's Choice of Old Masters Paintings
|
A lot of my inspiration has to come from the old masters. I think we tend to generalise on the term Old Masters, but really the old masters are great European painters who lived 1500 through 1800. There are many galleries all over the world housing these wonderful paintings, which give inspiration to everyone who has a love for art. If you are ever in London, Florence or Paris I recommend visiting the following galleries. I have outlined them with information on a few of my favourite paintings to watch out for. |
The National Gallery London UK http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk I have visited the National Gallery in London many times and still never tire of visiting. If you have not been the National Gallery, in London houses one of the greatest collections of European paintings in the world. These pictures belong to the public and entrance to see them is free.
|
 |
The National Gallery's permanent collection spans the period from about 1250 to 1900 and consists of Western European paintings. It houses one of the most famous of Van Goghs The Sunflowers dating from August and September 1888. Van Gogh intended to decorate Gauguin's room with these paintings in the so-called Yellow House that he rented in Arles in the South of France. He and Gauguin worked there together between October and December 1888.
Another of my favourite paintings and one, which we were taken as young students to see, is The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein. This picture memorialises two wealthy, educated and powerful young men. At the left is Jean de Dinteville, aged 29, French ambassador to England in 1533. To the right stands his friend, Georges de Selve, aged 25, Bishop of Lavaur, who acted on several occasions as ambassador to the Emperor, the Venetian Republic and the Holy See.
|
 |
The picture is in a tradition showing learned men with books and instruments. The objects on the upper shelf include a celestial globe, a portable sundial and various other instruments used for understanding the heavens and measuring time. Among the objects on the lower shelf is a lute, a case of flutes, a hymn book, a book of arithmetic and a terrestrial globe. Certain details could be interpreted as references to contemporary religious divisions. The broken lute string, for example, may signify religious discord, while the Lutheran hymn book may be a plea for Christian harmony. The main part that fascinates me is that in the foreground is the distorted image of a skull, a symbol of mortality. When seen from a point to the right of the picture the distortion is corrected. |
 |
You can really see this collection without stopping at the Stubbs Whistlejacket.
Being a animal portrait painter this to me is a wonderful painting, I cannot express in words how exquisite the original is you will just have to see it for yourself!
|
 |
The Tate - London Uk http://www.tate.org.uk
The Tate also holds some interesting pieces. There are many varieties of Tates across the UK, the main one being in London. They hold a variety of collections form more modern art to my favourite sections the British art between 1500 -1900. These include an array of Constables and Turners and another of my favourite eras, Victorian paintings Pre-Raphaelites painters, Waterhouse, Lord Leighton, Rosetti and Millais among a few. My favourite of these being Lord Leightons painting of Flaming June, of which I have a very large print of in my studio!
National Portrait Gallery - London http://www.npg.org.uk/live/index.asp
Finally if you are visiting London stop at the National Portrait gallery. This gallery holds many beautiful works of art, the first portrait they ever exhibited was of William Shakespeare in 1856.
|
 |
The National Gallery also houses one of my other favourites of all time Caravaggio, 'The Supper at Emmaus', 1601.
This painting, for me, cannot be beaten for excellence in technique and composition. I am interested in, however the foreshortening of the arms as I feel that Caravaggio used some artistic licence to shorten the arm and hand furthest from us.
|
 |
The Louvre Paris France
http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home_flash.jsp
If you are in France you will want to visit the Louvre. I visited there as a student and saw the Mona Lisa. Many people ask to what it was really like and if it was small. Yes it was very small.
I cant say that it was my favourite, there is a lot of hype however it held a certain charm and of course now I can say I have seen it. It was very heavily guarded; it has a rope and glass in front as though it was in a glass box. If you are unable to visit The Louvre in person, visit the Louvres website. They give virtual tours (quick time required).
|
 |
Musee Dorsay. Paris France. http://www.musee-orsay.fr
The Muse d'Orsay is a national museum, which opened to the public in December 1986 in order to show, in all its diversity, the artistic creation of the western world from 1848 to 1914. Its home to many wonderful paintings from the likes of Monet, Degas, Cezanne, Van Gogh all the favourites! |
 |
Uffitzi Gallery Florence Italy http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/uffizi/
Another of my favourite galleries is in Florence and is called the Uffitzi Gallery, of which I visited as a student. It has long corridors with large windows, which bathe them in exquisite light. Its collection of Primitive and Renaissance paintings comprises several universally acclaimed masterpieces of all time, including works by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. German, Dutch and Flemish masters are also well represented with important works by Durer, Rembrandt and Rubens. The Uffizi Gallery occupies the top floor of the large building erected by Giorgio Vasari between 1560 and 1580.
Now you have read about a few of my favourite paintings, you can also visit my collection of favourite artists, listed in the navigation above, pages which illustrate their history and life works! Happy reading! |
|
|
|
