Sweetbriar Dreams

So where shall we go on our journey today?

Saturday 7 February 2015

A Visit to the National Gallery and the Ugly Duchess

So, are you ready for part 2 of my latest London trip?  Selfridges gave us a little retail therapy and some fantastic art displays in the windows, but now we were heading towards Trafalgar Square and seeking cover from the rain in the National Gallery.  The fountain sculptures noses are still dripping so are you ready for another cup of tea and a rich tea biscuit in the cosiness of your own home?  Here we go on a little tour of this amazing art gallery.


The fountains, lions and Nelson's Column are the theatrical prologue to the main attraction that is held within the National Gallery's walls.  Especially inviting with the rain continuing to fall.


Let's rush in and get out of the rain shall we?  People turning left, right and centre, making their way into the different corridors and rooms.  Maybe next time we will start at room number 1 and work our way around this way, but today it was a free for all.


For me, as well as the treasures that graced the walls, there were also treasures above our heads.


You can always tell it's me because the camera is pointing upwards in places like these instead of the masterpieces on the walls!


The intricate carvings are so beautiful and make my heart sing.


But of course there are the beautiful works of art hanging from the gorgeous wallpapered walls.




Urm, and the not so beautiful!!...


Isn't she gorgeous?!!  To think that this was painted in the 1500's.

The gallery containing Van Gogh's amazing work was full to brimming.  How I would have loved to take the photo of the Sunflowers but you just couldn't get near!  One painting we wanted to see in another section was The Ambassadors...


And to walk around to the right and to see Holbein's Skull that lays at their feet...


We were so glad that we managed to view this mind blowing painting.  

Gallery after gallery were visited as we marveled at the paintings, some familiar and some being seen for the first time.


At the same time the architecture just sang out to me.  The columns, glass, colour and detail were simply stunning!


However, after a trip around the souvenir shop it was time to go back into the London rain and to leave this marvellous building... for now!


The weather was a little more forgiving when we emerged which was welcoming for part three of our little trip on this day, so we decided to walk from Trafalgar Square up to Westminster and the South Bank... but that's for the next post!

Thank you so, so much for all your comments and visits for Part 1 and also for our little sprinkling of snow, I must apologise as I have been chasing my tail a little so I will hopefully get around to you all hopefully this weekend.  In the meantime, thank you once again, you are all so generous!

Now, to write part 3!!

Take care.


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46 comments:

  1. What a beautiful place it looks! Very interesting, but it looks so busy! London is a big scary place to me, I'm not good with cities hehe!

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  2. I like everything you show here, the fountains, the architecture and the paintings. The wallpaper sets off the paintings nicely and the ceilings add to the experience.

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  3. Chel, what gorgeous pictures! My eyes were drawn to the architecture more than the paintings! Stunning!

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  4. Oh I love the fact your drawn to the architecture. The ceilings are beautiful. I love the final photo with the rain drops. Hope you've managed to warm up now. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
    Ali xx

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  5. Looks like a wonderful visit Chel. I accompanied youngest on a school trip the other year. It was my first visit and it was outstanding. Youngests teacher had told them the story of a few paintings beforehand so they knew all about the artist and the story behind the painting ( the Ambassadors was one. The Fighting Temeraire , Whistlejacket, and Surat's Bathers were some of the others) It made the visit so interesting for them and I loved being taught about art by a group of enthusiastic 10 year olds.
    A day I will remember for a long time.
    Jacquie x

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  6. You never cease to amaze me with your beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing...Blessings

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  7. Thank you for the tour, great photos!

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  8. All this magnificent art, stored in architecture that is worthy of the title "art" as well, inspires me to visit more museums. It's such an important part of our culture and should be preserved. Wouldn't it be fun to have a scaled down version of the sculpture on the front lawn? What a hoot that would be. Thank you for sharing the tour. I feel serene now. Have a blessed day Chel. ~:)

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  9. We've been to and blogged about the same place, the National Gallery. I didn't pay so much attention to the architecture, which is stunning. I must go back. Thanks for sharing your post. I'm looking forward to part 3 of London.

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  10. Once again, you live amidst such gorgeous architecture.
    Brenda

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  11. Oh goodness, words fail me when I look at the painting of the Ugly Duchess!

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  12. I'm very often in awe of the building rather than the contents, thinking of locations in Glasgow, Merseyside and Manchester. However on the occasion of my visit here, it radically changed my view of art galleries in a good way with the Venetian and Turner paintings. So often one gets used to looking at a two dimensional print of a famous painting rather than the real 3D thing.

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  13. Thanks for the lovely tour! I didn't see any pigeons, I suppose they were hiding from the rain.
    Amalia
    xo

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  14. Always love your blog and your adventures. thank you

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  15. So lovely to visit the National Gallery again through your own visit. I especially enjoyed the architectural shots, especially when you were capturing the ceilings! I like to have my camera pointed upwards too! I usually finish up with a crick in my neck! I shall be looking forward to your Part 3 and getting ideas for my next visit to London late spring or early summer!
    I've no idea why people from other countries think it always rains so much in Britain, have you?!

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  16. I've always been so busy looking at the paintings that I'd scarcely noticed what a wonderful building it is. It looks as though Charles could have done a lot worse than Camilla after all!

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  17. ….the amazing National Gallery….. thank you!!!
    xxxxx ale

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  18. So much work has gone into the building - amazing.

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  19. Hello Chel,
    Wonderful shots!! But a very rainy place that day.
    Beautiful shots of the exhibition and what a fantastic shot is number 4 of the roof. Really amazing!!
    Good that you've photographed it.

    Many greetings,
    Marco

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  20. I've never been around the gallery, but I've been to the tea rooms a few times :)

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  21. Thank-you for so many pics of the ceilings and walls. I have never been a good "appreciator" of framed art, but I always love the rooms they are hung in! Those plaster ceilings were gorgeous. The craftsmen who created those are just as talented as the artists who painted the pictures on the walls! xoxo

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  22. I am much more interested in the architecture than of the art anywhere I go. There is most definitely some gorgeous architecture in this art museum. So lovely! You have such a good eye with the camera. I am intrigued by the blue rooster in the background of the last photo. At least, I think it is a rooster! Have a lovely Sunday and week my friend.

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  23. WOW! Thanks so much for the video and link about (The Holbein Skull).
    Hard to believe the (The Ambassadors) men were so young. What a story a painting could tell.
    Thank you for a trip I will never get to see in person.

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  24. You've brought back memories of when I visited the national art gallery! I love art galleries :) your pictures make me want to visit London again just for a day though too big and busy that city for me lol x

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  25. So lovely to take a visit around the gallery with you! It was a great visit. I don't think that I will be hoping to hang The Duchess on my walls anytime soon, but it is good to see the social commentary and satire that artists were using even back then to send these messages. xx

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  26. So interesting The National Gallery, I've been there twice and enjoyed it very much. It's worth visiting several times for architecture and art. Thank you for your guidance along various paintings, I'm sure I have not seen The Ugly Duchess before, because I should remember it, haha.

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  27. Nice and quite interesting walking in the Gallery
    Uhh .. I cannot find any words to comment the Ugly Duchess :)

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  28. I spent so much time at the National Gallery when I was in London, your post reminded me of sweet memories and gave me an idea, I'm going to use the Ugly Duchess in my lesson on caricatures.

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  29. Very fun and interesting. :-) Thank you for the visit.
    xx oo
    Carla

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  30. Chel,
    When we were in London, I spent a day at the National Gallery. Fantastic! It was so cool to see Van Gogh's Sunflowers in person and other fabulous paintings! I loved it. As always I love tagging along with you. Thanks for taking us along!

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  31. Thank you for part 2 Chel, very interesting and more lovely photos. I don't go into London much nowadays, its too crowded but your post has inspired me, I might consider a week day. Love the blue cockerel, its a nice splash of colour :-)

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  32. Great to discover your lovely blog! I enjoyed this visit with you...I love trips to London! Looking forward to reading back through your posts and to visiting you again soon.
    Happy week ahead.
    Helen xox

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  33. That's a very beautiful building with such a lot of fantastic artwork to see. Can't say much about the Duchess except that she really is ugly.

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  34. It's my dream to someday visit all this wonderful gallery. When we visit museums we are just as interested in the architecture as the paintings/artwork, too. Such marvelous design.
    The Duchess looks like a man dressed up as a woman.
    Looking forward to part 3 of your London visit.

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  35. The architecture is amazing. Must plan a trip sometime soon!

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  36. Wow what a time you are having or had wink! I am in aw over all the art work and craftsmanship I would be in heaven.. Thanks for sharing!
    Hugs

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  37. I love the National Gallery and have been there several times over the years. The Ambassadors is amazing in real life, so clever! Your photos are lovely, Chel, especially the ceilings. I'm always in awe of the Natural History Museum buildings too. I look forward to the next instalment :)
    Cathy x

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  38. Oh my goodness Chel, where do I start...it's all so stunningly beautiful, well except for the dutchess, LOL. She is a real darling...

    Those are some of the most beautiful paintings, and I can't imagine that you are allowed to take photos, that's wonderful. What a time you must have had.

    Jen

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  39. I have always dreamed of visiting the National Gallery and I am determined to get there someday. Thank you so much for this look at one of my most dreamed-about destinations, I really enjoyed it.

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  40. What an elegant and lovely gallery!

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  41. Wow Chel, the National Gallery is just amazing and I'd love to see it my next time visiting London! This is the type of place my daughter and I would love to wonder around in! Thanks for the little tour and I love your wonderful and amazing photos you took. Have a wonderful week.
    Julie

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  42. Absolutely stunning! the architecture breathtakingly beautiful - what's not to love about armchair travel! Thanks Chel, I am so enjoying Pts 1 - 3. It's just fabulous.

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  43. How wonderful to have this amazing gallery right at your doorstep, so to speak! The architecture is just stunning and the art must be awe inspiring to see in person! Well, except for the 'Ugly Duchess'! Yikes! That was scary! I love that you are always looking up and sharing what you see. So incredibly beautiful. xo Karen

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  44. Thank you for your visit yesterday, Your post on the National Gallery is awesome. i am always fascinated by the art world but I probably will never go to London. I too would have been interested in the architecture as well as the paintings. the Ugly Duchess is kind of shocking. It makes me wonder if this painting was kind of a caricature of the Ugly Duchess. We will never know. HA!

    Have a lovely week,
    Jeanne

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  45. National Gallery of the places that I would love to visit. It would spend the whole week. Your photos even more excite my desire.
    Yours :)

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  46. What an interesting tour! It would be awesome to visit this gallery and see these famous paintings and the architecture of the building itself. Thanks for taking us along Chel.

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