Luxury and Excess

Details from a visit to the National Gallery last week - was great to be back.

Top to bottom:

Detail from Equestrian portrait of Charles I, 1637-8, Anthony van Dyke

Detail from Lord Stuart and his brother, Lord Bernard Stuart, c.1638, Anthony van Dyke

Detail from Still Life with Drinking-Horn, c.1653, Willem Kalf

Detail from Still Life with Lemons in a Wicker Basket, 1643-9, Juan de Zurbarán

Spanish Cherries

I spent a weekend up North visiting my brother recently, and while there took a trip to the Bowes Museum to see an exhibition of 17th Century Spanish paintings that he has just helped put on. 

Still life with flowers, artichokes and glassware

Juan van der Hamen y Leon, 1627

Really loved this Spanish still life on loan from the Prado in Madrid. Apparently what makes Spanish still life different from others, is that each element of the painting is set apart in it's own space. I particularly liked the translucent, glassy cherries.

Sunday Best

 

Lord John Stuart and his Brother, Lord Bernard Stuart, c.1638, Anthony van Dyck

I hurried over to the National Gallery again after work today and managed to scoot through the doors just before they closed for the evening (yes, I was that annoying person, security guard). This evening I purposefully walked in the opposite direction to the rooms I instinctively head towards, and ended up in front of this van Dyck painting of the Stuart brothers, who were also wards of King Charles I. Wow those boots and lace frilly sock things... Lord Bernard Stuart's outfit (on the right) is particularly opulent. I love all the lace and trimming, the pearl buttons and satin gloves.

In stark contrast on my way out, I came to an abrupt halt in front of this guy

 

 Portrait of Don Justino de Neve, 1665, Bartolome Esteban Murillo

No showing off of fancy frills here. I think it was Don Justino's determinedly steady eyes though, that made the painting feel so different to King Charles' wards. I love that the dog is the one wearing the bows in Murillo's picture. I suppose I have in small ways, been trying to adorn myself in lace recently with my homemade shoelaces. Murillo was a Spaniard, and very popular in Seville during the 17th Century. The Spanish know how to do lace. Click on the ladies below to have a look at some Mantillas I saw first hand last summer.