Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
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GALLERY
TH^ N4CnONAL
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LONDON
Art Masterpieces of
in art
Art Masterpieces of
TED SMART
and
DAVID GIBBON
CRESCENT
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INTRODUCTION
For millions of Londoners as well as for visitors, both from other parts of Britain and the ever-increasing
numbers from the rest of the world, one of the best-known landmarks of the capital is the National Galler\-. With
its neo-Palladian facade gracing the north side of Trafalgar Square, it looks out towards Nelson's Column and
Admiralty Arch and the majestic sweep of Whitehall - a scene that has changed little since the building was
formally opened in 1838.
It is probable that few of the visitors who come to view the superb amassment of pictures which is housed
here, in the oldest of London's great national collections, realise that there was a great deal of opposition to the
establishment of a National Museum of Art when the idea was first mooted towards the end of the 18th century.
Even the eminent English landscape painter John Constable, some of whose best-known works are now housed
in the gallery, was firmly against the idea and the government of the day also showed little interest. This despite
other galleries being already established in Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid and Berlin and disregarding the
fact that the nucleus of a collection had been offered to the nation by Sir George Beaumont in 1823 -on
condition that a suitable building was found in which to house the paintings.
It was not until the following year - 1824 - that the government finally decided to act and this was only
because it was discovered that the Prince of Orange was on the point of finalising the purchase of an extensive
collection owned byjohn Julius Angerstein, a Russian-bom financier who had recently died.
Influenced by this, and a growing national feeling that the leading world power of the time should have a
national gallery to rank with the rest of Europe, the
to allocate the
sum of ;(^60,000
for
the purchase of the Angerstein collection, together with the lease of his
population used to seeing Old Masters covered in dirt and layers of discoloured varnish. In order to resolve
these problems an enquir\' was held in 1853 and the constitution of the galler\' was revised. .\n annual purchase
grant was allocated in 1855 and Sir Charles Lock Eastlake was appointed the first Directoi; with sole
responsibility for choosing and acquiring new paintings.
It was subsequendy decided that the gallerv' should be as comprehensive in its coverage of the great periods
of art as possible, and whilst many other galleries throughout the world may hold a better selection relating to
particular periods, none can match the National Gallery's collection of 2,050 works, predominandy Old Masters,
covering all periods.
As a result of the decision to make the National Galler\^s collection as comprehensive as possible, nearly all
the British paintings were moved to the Tate Galler\- at Millbank, which was opened in 1897 to house these and
modem foreign works.
During the 19th centur\ it had been possible for the Galler\' to acquire many fine paintings at relatively low
cost but circumstances began to change and the increasing competition from other galleries, in America and
Germany particularly, has made it much more difficult to purchase fine paintings, which now fetch record prices
on the world's
art
market.
opening of the northem extension enabled the gallery's administration to hang the collection in
more spacious and restful surroundings, thus adding to the visitor's enjoNTiicnt.
In addition to housing the paintings, the gallerv also carries out its own rcstorafion work, both of pictures
and frames, and with its special exhibitions and projects designed expressly for children it has done much to
make art more acceptable and understandable to the general public.
In 1975 the
Nativity'
Duccio
di
school,
line
is
and colour
High
Most of the
early
1311.
works by
Italian painters,
in
subject.
under similar
out hunting.
The
work of the
Giovanni di
Paoio(c 1403-1482).
'St John
Jerome',
is
ascribed to
da Panicale
Masolino
1383-after 1432),
was closely associated
(c
whose work
and gentieness
clearly
is
recognisable in his
art.
'Christ
cl435.
A member of
vows
family.
Paolo Uccello (P
di
Dono)
particular st\ le
is
own
evident in
Romano'
right.
at
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'The V
(c
irgin
and Child w ith the Magdalen and St John the Baptist' above is an altarpiece painted on canvas by Andrea Mantegna
many years this brilliant artist was Court Painter to the Gonzaga family at Mantua.
1430/31-1506). Vox
Ascribed to the brothers Antonio and Piero del Pollaiuolo (c 1432-1498 & c 1441-1496) the altarpiece The Martyrdom of St Sebastian'
n?A/ was commissioned by the Pucci family for the Oratory ofS. Sebastiano attached to the church of the SS. Annunziata in Florence.
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school.
(after
work
whose
Baptism
be a part
of Christ'
is believed to
of an altarpiece. During the later
years of his
life
him
to continue painting.
(c
Giovanni Crivelli
1435/40-1493)y</rAyr,
The
was painted
in
a papal grant,
commemoration of
bestowed on the
shown
Iffi.
The
II
Memlinc's
The
nght
is
artist Jan
Gossaert, called
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'The Adoration of the Kings' above is a further painting, on oak, by Jan Gossaert, and
is
flill
The painting on
he was
is
clearly discernible in
all
his
to ha\ c
been painted
after c 1500.
artists, is
paintings depicting macabre and illusory situations, and whilst the majonty of his work
Mocked', the
beheved
is
art.
right,
entitled
in the service
Pictured nght
Complaining
is
'Cupid
to Venus' abonx
left.
The
1426-32.
fe
*.
Raphael
(RafFaello Santi) (c
1483-1520) died in
and die
Rome aged 37
tragic, early
deadi of this
was a
loss of
magnitude to the world of art. A
contempor\ of da Vinci and
Michelangelo, by whom he w as
greatly mfluenced, he had, b\ the
sensitive artist
and
aborvelefi,
The
delicate,
'The
\'irgin
.'Vnne
is
'Pope Julius
IF.
moving work of
and Child with St
Baptist' rigk
artistic brilliance
Ixonardo da
of the executor,
\'inci (c 1452-1519).
whose legacy to
in the
.ouvre in Parts.
LM_
lo\ e
(c
Florentine painter,
Bronzino
Agnolo
shown
(c
ahave.
-Michelangelo Buonarrotti
(c
and
architect,
was a
who became a
lifetime.
is
brilliant
legend in his
man
own
The Kntombment', an
unfinished work
lefi,
is
believed to
(c
1503-1540).
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The 'Holy Family with
>r
the Infant
by one of
most important artists of the
period, Federico Baroccio
(c about 1535-1612), from Urbino.
Baptist" leftv,zs painted
the
prolific decorators
when
Alexander"
aborve.
One of the
ki'
new Dutch
Republic, introduced
Group
in a
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(1606-1669), the son of a rich Leyden miller, studied under Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam and
became one of the most outstanding and accomplished artists ever to rival any of the great masters. His sense of drama and superb
masterv of chiaroscuro combine to produce a passionate realism which radiates from all his paintings.
left,
brushwork and
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Haarlem,
who
specialised in
marine subjects.
The
soft,
sombre
Dutch masters.
T\pical of Italianistic landscapes
of the period, diffijsing quiet,
(cl618.'-1652).
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precision of the work ofjohannes Vermeer (c 1632-1675), which can be seen above in 'Young Woman standing at a
has been compared to a photographic reproduction, and the implication follows that he might possibly have used some
mechanical aid, such as a camera obscura, for achieving his end results.
The careful
Virginal',
landscape artists of his generation, Aelbert Cuyp (c 1620-1691) was gready influenced by the use of light
of both Rembrandt and Claude. 'A Hilly River Landscape' above right includes the artist's penchant for a herd of
before a distant scene, preferably that of his home town, DordrechL
in the paintings
catde set
Hobbema (c 1638-1709) was a pupil ofjacob van Ruisdael, and although a superb draughtsman, his specialist activities
were confined within somewhat narrow lines. However, his most famous landscape, 'The Avenue, Middelhamis' nght is a
magnificent example of his ability to capture, on canvas, with precision, all the freshness that his clarity of vision beheld.
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Peeter Pauwel Rubens (c 1577-1640) was a genius whose talents combined to make him one of the most justly revered of all painters.
This incredible man was also a devout Catholic and he produced a prolific number of works for churches and palaces throughout
Europe. \V hilst his traditionalist s\-mpathies are evident in his compositions, the dniamism and drama are also clearly visible and this
in turn evokes a feeling of enthusiasm so obviously felt by this great artist.
Three examples can be seen here showing the accomplished diversity of his talents: 'Thejudgement of Paris' above
left, 'Autumn
Landscape with a \iew of Hct .Steen' A//and 'Susanna I. undcn, "Le Chapeau dc Paille"' ahrve.
I,
He was
by
most celebrated
figure
Netherlands.
'A
abaiv
is
work of
portrait
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Itahan
artists
Caravaggio
(c
1573-1610), was a
controversial figure
who was
Emmaus' shown
Nicolas Poussin
was
man
ahair
(c
of high
at
left.
1594-1665)
intellect
whose
have been
Brown and
Silver' is
shown
akrvf
left.
The
representation of 'St
Margaret" as a shepherdess above
was executed by the Spanish artist,
Francisco de Zurbaran
(c 1598-1664).
One of his
(c
1659-1734),
bom at Belluno.
on the
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'Manon
Balletti' left\s
Jean-Marc Nattier
the
work of
1685-1766),
a fashionable portrait painter at
the court of Louis
The
(c
XV.
'fetes galantes'
Gendeman
with
Two Girls in a
shown
below.
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The
who became
'First
XV.
Claude-Joseph
1789), a
Comte de
Luc.
The
distinguished
artist
Stubbs(c 1724-1806)
known
for his
is
George
best
superb paintings of
and
Melbourne Families' above shows
his acute powers of observation
horses. 'The Milbanke
to detail.
is
of enlightenment
portrait nght
Shrimp
is
Girl'.
The
new
era
delightfiil
entided 'The
I,
\?
i
Thomas Gainsborough
1788)
is
(c
1727-
and
against tranquil,
Georgian backgrounds.
Gainsborough's love for the
sensuality of music, rather than an
intellectual leaning
towards
reflected in the
many magnificent
'^
iftii
>-
Sir Joshua
Reynolds
(c
1723-
Academy
on
-am
its
portrait
by this eminent
artist.
UMTff
;
,
shown
above.
the
genius,
the
whose
human
ability to portray
condition beyond the
Mode'.
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left,
y:reat
and
a fijrther
work by this
shows the
gifted artist
brilliant
Kuropean
Joseph
(c
art.
.Vlallord
William Turner
of nature, was
by the emotional effect
which features
centurv' painter
fascinated
of light,
significandy in
all
his paintings.
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The
artistic
movement originating in
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L'Hermitage near Pontoise' above is the work of Camille Pissarro (c 1830-1903) who, as one of the major
was a determining factor in the development of the movemenL
its inception was Pierre-August Renoir (c 1841-1919), whose greatest achievement lay
of the female nude. Like Monet his landscapes are invocative of riverbank scenes along the Seine. 'The Umbrellas'
nghtwan believed to have been completed after Renoir had paid a visit to Italy between 1881 and 1882.
in his portrayal
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^^^.?:^^':.One of the
'
.
Toulouse-Lautrec
(c
1864-1901)
Hb^^^BJ.
Forest
Paul
Gauguin
(c
1848-1903) also
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(c
1839-
same time
structure,
retaining
'An Old
Woman with
movement
a Rosary*
imitated
'Tropical
above, the
('le
Douanier")
the
first in
(c
1844-1910) was
a series of jungle
'modem
known
as the
primitives'.
The
fijll-length portrait of
'Hermine Gallica' (Kvrkafwzs
painted bv the Austrian artist
Gustav KJimt (c 1862-1918)
during 1904.
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First
Illustrations
Display and
CRESCENT 1978
Inc.
CRESCENT BOOKS
Crown Publishers.
One Park Avenue
a division of
Inc.
ISBN 0-517-259885