Bartolomé Bermejo in the National Gallery

Bartolome Bermejo is the name of a Spanish painter from the 15th century whom we only know for less than 20 works. Still, what we know of this guy and his works are so amazing that he is still unparalleled for his work during his lifetime, especially his oil-painting work.

From June 12th until September 29th, you can take a look at this awesome temporary exhibition in the National Gallery in London portraying seven of his rare works. And guess what, only one of these works has been in England before, while the other six works will be on English soil for the first time ever. In other words, this is a fantastic chance to learn more about Bartolome Bermejo and to see seven of his works (which is more than 33% of what we know he made) at the very same time.

A temporary exhibition in the National Gallery of London

This is a free temporary exhibition, meaning that you can enjoy it without paying a single penny, just like you can with most other permanent exhibitions in the National Gallery in London!

The full press release about the exhibitoin

Here you can see the full press release about the exhibition. The text is copied from the homepage of the National Gallery.

From the glimmer of a jewel to the sheen of armour, Bermejo’s ability to capture light, colours and textures in oil painting was unparalleled in 15th-century Spain.

Though fewer than 20 works by the artist are known and much of his life remains something of a mystery, Bermejo’s paintings set him apart as a technically skilled and visionary master.

Bringing together seven of his rare works, six of which have never been seen in the UK, this exhibition explores how Bermejo drew inspiration from Netherlandish painting, using illusionistic effects and a rich colour palette, to become one of the greatest artists of the Spanish Renaissance.

At the heart of the exhibition is Saint Michael Triumphs over the Devil, widely considered the most important early Spanish painting in Britain. Its technical skill and excellent state of preservation are even clearer following its recent year-long conservation treatment.

This will be a unique opportunity to see Bermejo’s first documented painting, ‘Saint Michael’ alongside his last, the recently restored ‘Desplà Pietà’ (1490) from Barcelona Cathedral, which has never been lent outside of Spain until now. Also on display will be Bermejo’s only other signed masterwork, the ‘Triptych of the Virgin of Montserrat’ (probably 1470–75) from the Cattedrale Nostra Signora Assunta in Acqui Terme, Alessandria (Italy).

Van Gogh and Britain, exhibition in Tate Britain

From March 11th till August 11th in 2019 there will be a fantastic exhibition in Tate Britain focusing on Vincent van Gogh and how he was influenced and inspired by Britain, and how he influenced British artists.

If you visit this exhibition in Tate Britain, you will be able to see more than 40 Vincent van Gogh works on display. Some of the works to be portrayed are Shoes, Starry Night on the Rhône and L’Arlésienne. There will also be two pictures on display that he made while being a patient at the Saint-Paul Asylum (At Eternity’s Gate and Prisoners Exercising).

Did you know that Van Gogh lived in England for several years? He enjoyed reading the novels of Charles Dickens.

Vincent van Gogh, L'Arlésienne 1890. Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand – MASP (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Vincent van Gogh, L’Arlésienne 1890. Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand – MASP (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

The picture above is one of the Van Gogh paintings you can see if you visit this temporary exhibition in Tate Britain.

Does this sound like a nice exhibition to visit? Want to read more about other exhibition and programs in London? Read in the London Guide for more information and inspiration.

 

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018

From October 18th until January 27th (2019), you can see some spectacular photos on display in the National Portrait Gallery in London. They are part of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018, a leading international competition celebrating the best of portrait photography from around the world.

Portrait photography
Source: National Portrait Gallery

The pictures on display are all taking part in the competition, and here you can see pictures made by professional photographers, but also photos made by amateurs. Some are prepared a long time beforehand, while other pictures are more impulsive pictures made to catch the moment.

More than 75 pictures will be on display, and among the pictures, you can find the winner picture which was awarded 15,000 GBP. Some of the pictures have never been displayed publicly before, while other pictures have been seen here and there. Not only can you see the pictures, but you can also get to know the stories behind the works.

If you are a fan of photography and extraordinary photos, this is an exhibition for you!

photo award
Source: National Portrait Gallery

The entrance fee to the exhibition is 5 GBP, and it is well worth it.

More information about other exciting exhibitions and programs in London can be found here.

From Manet to Cézanne in the National Gallery

The National Gallery in London is one of the best art galleries in the world. Another fantastic gallery is the Courtauld Gallery in London, but it is closed for renovation work at the moment. So, what better to do with some of the pictures from the Courtauld Gallery in this period, than to let them be on display in the National Gallery in London?

Since the start of September 2018, the exhibition “Courtauld Impressionists: From Manet to Cézanne” has been on display in the National Gallery. It will be there until January 19th in 2019, so you still have some months left to visit the exhibition if it sounds interesting.

impressionists in the national gallery

It is the first time since 1948 that the National Gallery will portray important Impressionist paintings from the Courtauld Gallery, and who knows when it will happen again. If you visit the exhibition you will discover more than 40 works from Daumier to Bonnard.

Visitors will also get more knowledge about Samuel Courtauld, and get an understanding of his vision, taste, and motivation for selecting the images he selected.

Cézanne’s Card Players and Man with a Pipe

Some of the most famous paintings that will be on display from the Courtauld Gallery are Cézanne’s Card Players and Man with a Pipe, Toulouse-Lautrec’s Jane Avril in the Entrance to the Moulin Rouge, Renoir’s La Loge, Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère and Seurat’s Young Woman Powdering Herself.

There will be pictures from the National Gallery displayed next to the pictures from the Courtauld Gallery.

Since this is a temporary exhibition an entrance fee of 7,5 GBP has to be paid. Most parts of the National Gallery is free to visit, but temporary exhibitions such as this one are not free to visit.

More information about exhibitions and other happenings in London can be found here.

King Ashurbanipal of Assyria in the British Museum

Between November 8th in 2018 and February 24th in 2019, visitors are invited to learn more about King Ashurbanipal of Assyria in the British Museum

King Ashurbanipal described himself as the King of the World, and at this exhibition, he is portrayed as not only a king, but also a warrior, a scholar, an empire builder, a kingslayer, a lion hunter, and a librarian. Doesn’t that sound like a guy worthy of some attention?

ashurbanipal

He was the king of Assyria between year 669–631 BC, and he reigned from the city of Nineveh (today in Iraq). We know little about the death of the great king, but not long after his death, the city of Nineveh was destroyed, and the Assyrian Empire came to an end.

Since the 1840s, we have learned more and more about King Ashurbanipal. That is the knowledge that will be given on to the visitors of this temporary exhibition in the British Museum between November 8th (2018) and February 24th (2019).

Would you like to know more about King Ashurbanipal? Read the following article in the blog of the British Museum.

King Ashurbanipal of Assyria

British Museum
November 8 (2018) – February 24 (2019)

For more information about events taking place in London, other exhibitions, or maybe just info about the main attractions of the city, visit the London Guide.