Victory Square, Vancouver
Vimy, France
Lest we forget
London
a cornucopia of glorious paintings
At the end of our Italian travels and before returning home to Vancouver from London what could be a better way to spend a day than by visiting three of my favourite galleries and being re-aquanted with some of my favourite paintings. My love for Impressionism and the Impressionists began as a fifteen year old schoolboy on a school outing to the Courtauld Gallery, so naturally our first stop was to Somerset House where the Gallery now resides.
Since this week’s Photo Challenge from The Daily Post asks us to “…share a peek of something — a photo that reveals just enough of your subject to get us interested. A tantalizing detail. An unusual perspective. Compel us to click through to your post to find out more!” I thought I would tantalize you with a selective peek at some of the Courtault’s finest that I photographed that day…
…before revealing the paintings in all their glory.
Here are their titles with links to some of them for those of you who would like to “find out more”.
LA LOGE – Pierre-Auguste Renoir 1874, THE PASSERS-BY – Raoul Dufy 1906, SELF-PORTRAIT WITH BANDAGED EAR – Vincent van Gogh 1889, LANDSCAPE WITH DEAD WOOD – Maurice de Vlaminck 1906, A BAR AT THE FOLIES-BERGERE – Edouard Manet 1881, ADAM AND EVE – Lucas Cranach the Elder 1526, ROUTE TOURNANTE – Paul Cézanne 1904, THE WHITE BOAT, ANTWERP – Georges Braque 1906, HORSES IN THE WATER – Georges Seurat 1883.
Then it was off to the National Portrait Gallery to see the Cézanne Portraits exhibition and a visit with Richard the Third, Queen Elizabeth the First and even the Bard himself, William Shakespeare.
Finally, it was time for the highlights of the day at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square:
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Virgin of the Rocks, 1491, with my favourite sublime portrait of the accompanying angel.
Isn’t she beautiful?
And in the same room, Raphael’s magnificent The Ansidei Madonna, 1505…
…together with Michelangelo’s unfinished The Madonna and Child with St John and Angels, 1497
It was quite a day as you can see, and after our Italian holiday what better way to finish than by visiting Room 38 to see Canaletto’s Venice: The Upper Reaches of the Grand Canal with S. Simeone Piccolo
I hope you have enjoyed peeking over my shoulder on our memorable day London.
maturday
London
Best view in the city is on top of my column
another day like no other
A year ago on June 5th I posted about a day like no other after walking in support of those suffering from Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Walking again today in the annual fundraising Gutsy Walk was also a day like no other but for a very different reason and with the disease symbol itself seeming to take on a very different meaning.
As I walked around Trout Lake in the sunshine here in Vancouver this morning with all those suffering from these crippling diseases together with their loved ones and supporters my thoughts were not only with them but also a few thousand miles away in Bermondsey, London where I lived, studied, worked and taught fifty years ago. How many times have I walked across London Bridge and how well I remember its re-opening in March 1973, which I blogged about last year.
And now another night of terror, pain and despair for too many has visited on that same bridge and on those same streets that I knew so well. There are really no more words other than to express my deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to families and friends who have lost loved ones, especially the family of Christine Archibald from here in British Columbia, Canada; and to wish all those recovering in those great London hospitals, a full recovery.
Oh how I wish I didn’t have to post this image again so soon after the attack in Manchester.
Dedicated to the memory of Jodi.
maturday
Westminster Bridge matted and framed
Dedicated to the memory of PC Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade, Kurt Cochran and Leslie Rhodes.
London’s bridge of sighs today
Although we moved to Vancouver over forty years ago, part of my heart will always be in London where I was born and brought up. Today, a year to the day after the terrorist attacks in Brussels, that heart breaks again for all those who were killed and injured on Westminster Bridge and the Palace of Westminster, as I send my deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to all of their families and friends.
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty…
William Wordsworth Composed upon Westminster Bridge, Sept. 3, 1802
View from the London Eye for this week’s Photo Challenge: Atop
Studio 365: Day 362
October: The header today is of my table top in the studio, which I posted on October 11th, the day before we left for our two week visit to England and France, and the day the studio was tidied up for the first time in months as you will have seen from the photos that day.
The previous week we enjoyed Autumn in all its glory on our final walk along the Admiralty Trail before leaving on our trip, a walk I posted about on October 5th for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Boundaries.
The table top and the trees seem to complement each other just perfectly, which I have to add only became apparent as I composed today’s post; serendipity working its magic once again.
Those of you who joined us, albeit virtually, on our European adventure will know what an unforgettable time we had. The photos I posted each day said it all so as a little reminder here is a slideshow of some of my favourites, many of which became paintings on our return. If you are visiting thechangingpalette for the first time and would like to learn more about the places we visited in London and the beautiful Périgord region of south west France why not browse through Days 287 to 299.
October was not entirely without its paintings. These are from the beginning of the month before we left.
Studio 365: Day 316
Westminster Bridge I 12.11.15
Palette 12.11.15
thechangingpalette 