Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888. National Gallery, London. In 1924, a hundred years ago, The National Gallery acquired Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers. It was the centenary of their foundation. This year, the bicentenary, they are celebrating this acquisition – together with that of Van Gogh’s Chair, bought in the same year – with an exhibitionContinue reading “Sunflowers – a repetition”
Author Archives: drrichardstemp
Piero’s ‘Annunciation’ four and a half years later…
Piero della Francesca, The Annunciation, c. 1455 San Francesco, Arezzo. I’m re-posting this today, because of the date (25 September – two thirds of the way between the Feast of the Annunciation and Christmas), but also because tomorrow I will be on my way to Italy, to remind myself of a few steps on The PieroContinue reading “Piero’s ‘Annunciation’ four and a half years later…”
230 – Mannerly devotion shows in this
Unknown artists, The Palmers’ Window, mid-15th century. St Lawrence’s Church, Ludlow. In the three and a half years I’ve been writing this blog I have only talked about stained glass once (see Day 78 – St Petroc). However, given that this Monday, 16 September at 6pm I will be talking about some English saints, andContinue reading “230 – Mannerly devotion shows in this”
229 – Wise Men, Kings, Saints…
Jacopo di Cione and workshop, The Adoration of the Kings, 1370-71. The National Gallery, London. I know, there are still 118 days to go before Christmas, but even so I have decided to look at a painting of the Three Wise Men. I’ve chosen this painting because the protagonists feature in Jacopo di Cione’s magisterialContinue reading “229 – Wise Men, Kings, Saints…”
228 – Curtains for My Parents
David Hockney, My Parents and Myself, 1976. The David Hockney Foundation. David Hockney must surely be Britain’s most famous, and successful, living artist. He also happens to be one of those who is most interested in the art of the past, which is the point made by the National Gallery’s capsule exhibition, Hockney and Piero:Continue reading “228 – Curtains for My Parents”
227 – Another pearl
Gerard ter Borch, Woman Writing a Letter, 1655. Mauritshuis, The Hague. In her beautifully written and wonderfully readable book Thunderclap, Laura Cumming leads us through her life with art and her experience of the works of the brilliant, but ill-fated Carel Fabritius. As she takes us on this journey we also encounter a number ofContinue reading “227 – Another pearl”
226 – Wise saws and modern instances
Oleksandr Bohomazov, Sharpening the Saws, 1927. National Art Museum of Ukraine, Kiev. The Royal Academy’s exhibition In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine, 1900-1930s, about which I will be speaking this Monday, 12 August at 6pm, is undoubtedly one of the most visually exciting exhibitions I have seen for a long time. RelativelyContinue reading “226 – Wise saws and modern instances”
Another look at Laura looking
Laura Knight, Laura Knight with model, Ella Louise Naper (‘Self Portrait’), 1913. National Portrait Gallery, London. This Monday 5 August at 6pm I will conclude my three part series on Tate’s superb Now You See Us, with a talk entitled From photography to something more modern. I will look at a few remaining paintings inContinue reading “Another look at Laura looking”
Renewed Devotion
Marie Spartali Stillman, How the Virgin Mary Came to Brother Conrad of Offida and laid her Son in his Arms, 1892. National Trust Collections, Wightwick Manor and Gardens, Warwickshire. There’s no talk this Monday, but as I have decided (after some delay) what will take up the rest of the Summer, I thought I shouldContinue reading “Renewed Devotion”
A new life for The Death of Cleopatra
Edmonia Lewis, The Death of Cleopatra, 1876, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Greetings from Sunny Sidmouth, where I’m enjoying a brief stint playing the title role in Yes, Prime Minister. It’s a short run, but by the time it ends I will probably have been in post almost as long as Liz Truss. I’ll beContinue reading “A new life for The Death of Cleopatra”
dr richard stemp 