Between sailing races last week, I took a few detours in to London to visit art museums. Last Friday, I decided to concentrate on the National Gallery of Art…
Photo by me
with a bright blue cock right out front…
A new addition to Trafalgar Square in front of the National Gallery of Art. Photo by me
and The National Portrait Gallery.
The entrance to the National Portrait Gallery. Photo by me
The two world-class museums are snuggled up next to each other off Trafalgar Square right in the center of London, and offer more art than any one person can take in a day. But I tried.
Both galleries are located directly off Trafalgar Square. That’s Big Ben in the distance. Photo by me
I spent my first hour at the National Portrait Gallery.
Harry and William in a relaxed portrait. Photo by me
It is a favorite of mine. Intimate in its size and varied in its content, it has new exhibits all the time and old favorites that I like to re-visit.
Photo by me
There was a special exhibition of drawings by Bob Dylan, never having been shown before. I thought of how he may have sketched all these years just for the joy of it never caring if anyone else saw them. He was an idol of mine in my youth, and this scenario suited my image of him.
Bib Dylan’s sketches. Photo by me
I ended my visit in the upstairs galleries featuring historic paintings. This one of Queen Elizabeth I was one of my favorites. And again, as always in London, the sense of history is so overwhelming.
Photo by me
The museum is rich and varied. And although there were restrictions on what I could and could not photograph, the images linger in my mind.
Ocean’s portraits of people who visited his studio. Photo by me
The National Gallery of Art, attached yet separate did not allow any photography at all inside. But the collection was more familiar, so hardly necessary to recall the great art. Seeing the Constables, Monets and Van Goghs was like visiting old friends.
Photo by me
All in all a very pleasant day. As I slowly strolled across the city to return to Liverpool Street Station to catch my train back to rural England, I was felling very lucky indeed to be allowed access to all that London has to offer.
St.Paul’s Cathedral on the walk back to the train. Photo by me
