This week I was lucky enough to be invited to the private viewing of a new exhibition at the National Gallery. The centrepiece is Delaroche's Lady Jane Grey, and it was surrounded by drawings and other paintings by both Delaroche himself and his contempories.
It proved to be a fascinating evening, discovering forgotten artists like Bonington, who died aged 26. With themes of Tudor tragedies, Cromwellian conspiracies, Catholic heroes (Thomas More) and other Victorian fascinations, these artists, like the Italian bel canto composers, found such material irresistably exotic.
Rather out of favour for a long time it is hoped this exhibition will restore Delaroche's reputation. It was fascinating to see how all these artists had learned from other artists like Velazquez and classical compositional techniques. It was also humbling to think of the time and dedication devoted to vast canvasses. Would artists today be inspired to spend years on a politically motivated scene? On that subject, the grand finale was a Cromwellian epic, recently discovered rolled up in the cellar of an aristocrats castle. It was thrillingly presented in a raw state, with shrapnel damage from the second world war. Which brings me to the dedication and love the National Gallery staff lavish on the paintings and the constant improvements of restoration techniques, right down to finding exactly the right frame for a work. It was a privilaged evening and I felt extremely lucky to be there. It's a good exhibition - go and be astonished at the tiny little preliminary sketches that suddenly jump to life in epic canvasses.
Parkes Bonington was a Nottingham lad and there are paintings of his at the Castle Museum in Nottingham. There's a real sense of drama in Victorian history painting, but they always remind me of the novels of Alexandre Dumas.
ReplyDeleteI suppose artists who do work now use other media to comment on politics (like Wallinger at Tate Modern commenting on James Haws' protest against the Iraq war). But a painting imagining Blair and Bush making the decision to go to war is perhaps considered old stuff nowadays.
Indeed, a mere "painting" wouldn't work as it used to, not least because photography can be suitably subversive instead.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you mention Alexandre Dumas - you might enjoy looking at a post on Dusty Old Books:
http://jamesmayhew-dustyoldbooks.blogspot.com/
About his son's infamous novel.
Thanks for visiting Griffin!