Tate Britain – Romantics
Tate Britain currently has a nine-room display of the greats of British romantic art, running until 3rd June 2012. The romantic artists worked in the last half of the 19th century, and were part of a broader movement which included poets, novelists, musicians and philosophers. In visual art, and specifically in painting, the romantics worked with expressiveness of mood and colour, and emphasised brushstrokes and impasto, or texture of paint on canvas. Tate Britain’s exhibition includes works by Henry Fuseli, JMW Turner, John Constable, Samuel Palmer, and William Blake.
The National Gallery- Devotion by Design- Italian Altarpieces before 1500
There are just a couple of weeks left to take in “Devotion by Design” at the National Gallery. These ancient altarpieces are fascinating historical artworks providing a window of insight into the European way of life many centuries ago. The altarpiece paintings were designed to hang high up in churches and cathedrals, their reflective gold leaf surfaces catching and reflecting the light to provoke a sense of awe and wonderment. This free exhibition includes detailed guides explaining the history and meanings of the works, and features the work of less well-known artists as well as the most famous altarpiece painter, Piero della Francesca.
National Portrait Gallery- Glamour of the Gods – Hollywood Portraits.
The National Portrait Gallery presents a series of truly iconic images, showcasing Hollywood portraiture from the film industry’s golden age – the period from 1920 to 1960. Glamour of the Gods features over 70 original vintage prints and includes photo portraits of silver-screen icons including Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe.
The exhibition also features fascinating behind-the-scenes shots from film studios and press rooms of the era. The exhibition guide explains the techniques used at the time, as well as discussing the careers of the era’s prominent portrait photographers, such as John Engstead and Robert Coburn.
There are still a few weeks left to catch this exhibition – it runs until 23rd October and advance booking is recommended.
Royal Academy of Arts – Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement
Running until 11 December, Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement details the artist’s focus on ballet imagery through his career, and demonstrates how he was influenced by the new medium of photography, and the development of early film.
Degas is considered to be one of the founders of impressionism, although he rejected the term and was more influenced by the styles of the old masters. He did, however, bring these influences into a very contemporary context, and was ahead of his time in terms of the photographic, documentary feel of his paintings, with their unusual angles and framing.
The exhibition includes painting and sculpture, as well as photographs of ballerinas of the era. Again, advance booking is recommended, especially at weekends.
