Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Da Vinci is Da Bomb

There is something a bit special about connecting with art. Art can be timeless- like how students are still studying Michelangelo and Da Vinci who drew and sculpted in the 1400-1500s. When I saw this in the National Gallery today, I died inside and floated up to heaven.
Da Vinci's The Virgin and Child with St anne and St John the Baptist


The "cartoon" as the museum called it was hung in this little room off to the side as the lights had to be dimmed around it to help preserve the coloring. There was a bench in there, and I was just so entranced I had to sit down for a sec. I think my dad would roll his eyes a bit, but there you go. :)

Also saw this one too... its funny how the internet photo just does not do it justice. There is something real cool about the layering on of all this thick paint in splotches. Somehow it creates this beautiful mess of paint. If you look real close, you're like "What the..?" but then when you stand back a bit, you gasp just a bit.
Monet, The Thames below Westminster, done in 1871
And JMW Turner. One of Brit's finest for sure. His romantic paintings (there was a whole load of em in the Tate Britain too) had this special glow goin on. Again, the photo just doesn't quuiite catch it 100%. But in the museum, the painting just had this serene lil glow happenin around the boat and into the horizon.
JMW Turner, Ulysses deriding Polyphemus
A bit dark there, but had kinda a Phantom of the Opera feel... liked. it. Was done by Rembrandt or more likely one of his followers.
Also got to go to the Latter-Day-Saint Temple today with the group. Sure was a special experience. Sometimes, I think I feel God in a lotta places. Every time I get all swoony in a museum over some artwork, I think he's apart of that in a way. Or when I'm stepping around sunshined ruins, I think he's there too. 

Kaylee, tara, Shelisa, and I at Tintern Abbey a few weeks ago.

1 comment:

  1. Lovely paintings in the National Gallery. A favourite of mine is by the Italian painter Canneletto, it is of the Thames embankment. Others to look for are by Constable, he painted rural scenes, a lot from Norfolk (where Norwich is situated). Very hot here, in the 90's. Love from your Granny.

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