The Semper Gallery in Dresden has announced a super exhibition for 2021. Open from 19th March until 27th June, the exhibition will be displaying twelve Vermeer paintings in its recently refurbished galleries. In addition will be works by other Dutch greats such as Pieter de Hooch and Gerald Dou. Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) is one of…
Pershore’s Crusader Tomb
Medieval tomb carvings. This time twelve months ago we were enjoying the autumn term studying the tombs of the Doges and other notables in the wonderful churches of Venice. It seems appropriate for me to celebrate the anniversary with a look at an interesting English carving. Pershore Abbey has a rich history and is home…
The Printed Line – Worcester
The Printed line exhibition was one of the casualties of the earlier lockdown in Inverness. I read the information and thought that would have been a really good visit. Imagine my pleasure then on returning home To see it was exhibiting at Worcester. Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum is not normally one of my…
Mary Quant – Dundee
Mary Quant, the iconic fashion designer, is the subject of my new header image and marks a move away from my normal views of paintings, sculpture and architecture. This area of display is moving very much into the world of art and its appreciation, and marks a new direction for me. The Sixties was a…
October Painting of the Month
Renoir’s Dance at the Moulin de la Galette is one of those chocolate box paintings that is sometimes easy to ignore. This masterpiece of French Impressionism, however, is my choice for October and a little reminder of the fun of large gatherings enjoying flirting and dancing. George’s Rivière, Renoir’s friend and biographer, claimed the painting…
Victoria and Albert – Dundee
Dundee was our last visit in Scotland before heading South. The Design Museum on the waterfront was our destination. Having visited the Similar regeneration culture centres at Bilbao and Wakefield in recent years this looked a good opportunity for a comparison – more later. The Victoria and Albert’s Scottish outpost is based in a gorgeous…
Ripon Cathedral
Ripon Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in Britain, with it’s Saxon crypt, dedicated in 672 AD. The above ground structure is a delight and as with most British Cathedrals is an exercise in architectural style. We visited last weekend and were lucky to see the sun shining through the array of stained glass….
September Painting – Dunrobin
Dunrobin Castle on the East Coast of Scotland features in my painting of the month. The ancestral home of the Dukes of Sutherland features a baroque mansion in the style of the French Chateau. The art collection includes works by Canaletto, Reynolds, Sir Thomas Lawrence and many of the best Scottish portraitists. David Herbert, a…
Inverness Art Gallery
Inverness is a lovely city to visit especially when the sun is shining which it was for us. The capital of the Highlands. It is a city of spires with some wonderful medieval and nineteenth century architecture, which the town planners haven’t completely obliterated with their sixties and seventies concrete edifices. The only Loch Ness…
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright (pronounced Cur-Coo-Brie I think) was a most unlikely spot for such an artistic surprise on our travels around Scotland. We discovered it was called the “Artists Town“ so decided to tarry a-while and investigate. It became a haven for many great Scottish artists from about 1890 right through to the 1980s. Like Newlyn, St…
