The Courtauld Gallery, London

London’s Courtauld Gallery is well worth a visit. Although relatively small it contains several well-known paintings that are of international importance and which can be viewed at leisure in a relaxed environment that is usually free from crowds.

The Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld Gallery is an integral part of the Courtauld Institute of Art, which was founded in 1932 by Samuel Courtauld (1876-1947) and Viscount Lee of Fareham (1868-1947). Both men were extremely wealthy (Courtauld’s fortune came from the family firm of Courtaulds Ltd, a multinational textiles and chemical company) and both were avid collectors of works of art, particularly, in Courtauld’s case, of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. Their collection formed the core of what is now available for view at the Courtauld Gallery, together with the results of further gifts and bequests. The fact that the Courtauld Gallery is a “collection of collections”, rather than the result of a deliberate purchasing policy, means that the masterpieces on view do not represent the whole sweep of the history of art but are particularly strong in some areas and weak or absent in others.

An important aspect of the Courtauld Gallery is its setting in 18th century Somerset House designed by Sir William Chambers (1723-96). As well as the splendid rooms with their moulded plasterwork and painted ceilings (mostly restored), the steep stone stairs that connect the three floors are themselves a work of art with their perfect proportions. It must also be said that there is a lift for those who cannot manage the stairs!

Visiting the Gallery

One of the great advantages of visiting the Courtauld Gallery, in London’s The Strand, is that it is small enough to “do” in two or three hours, unlike the vast collections of The National Gallery or Tate Britain, where one is forced to be selective on a single visit. This means that the treasures one can see are more likely to linger in the memory because one can afford to spend more time looking at each one and not be overwhelmed by sheer quantity.

Since 1989 the collection has been housed in the north block of Somerset House, where The Strand meets Aldwych close to Waterloo Bridge. It is therefore within easy reach of several other London art galleries, such as The National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery in Trafalgar Square, Tate Modern on Bankside, and the Hayward Gallery on the South Bank. The nearest Underground station is Temple (District and Circle Lines) and a number of bus routes stop just outside the door.

The Courtauld Gallery, being private, is not usually free to enter, although the charge is not unreasonable and there are concessions including free entry for full-time UK students and university staff. The gallery is open every day from 10am to 6pm.

On entering the archway that leads to the courtyard of Somerset House, the Gallery Shop is on the left (often some bargains to be had!) and the gallery entrance is on the right.

What you can see

There is one room on the ground floor, this being devoted to Medieval and Renaissance Art. The works are mostly devotional in character, including altarpieces and triptychs from the early 14th century.

A series of rooms on the first floor begins with the High Renaissance, including works by Botticelli and Cranach. Particularly notable is the collection of Italian “cassoni”, these being marriage chests in which a bride’s possessions would be carried in procession from her parental home to that of her new husband. These were often works of art in themselves, with their splendour reflecting the wealth of the bridegrooms who commissioned them. The examples on display here are of extremely high quality.

The collection of paintings includes some very fine works by Peter Paul Rubens, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Francisco de Goya, Giovanni Tiepolo and others, many being of international importance, but the Courtauld Gallery is justly famed for its collection of impressionist and post-impressionist works, including many world-famous works.

Among these are Edouard Manet’s “A Bar at the Folies-Bergere”, completed shortly before Manet’s death in 1882. This features a barmaid, who may also have been a prostitute, who stands ready to serve and who is reflected in a mirror behind her. In the reflection she is looking straight at a male customer, who is therefore the viewer. This large painting demands a long view, and the visitor can spend as much time doing so as they wish.

Another painting of global importance is Vincent Van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear” (1889) which was painted after the artist mutilated himself having quarrelled with his friend and colleague Paul Gauguin. In the same room are two paintings that Gauguin painted while he was living in Tahiti, namely “Nevermore” and “Te Rerioa” (both 1897).

The Courtauld’s collection of paintings by Paul Cezanne is particularly good, thanks to Samuel Courtauld’s interest in the artist. These include his iconic “Montagne Sainte-Victoire” of 1887 and his later “The Card Players”. Another artist who is well represented is Edgar Degas, including his “Two Dancers on the Stage” (1874). Other famous painters of the period whose works can be found here include Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Georges Seurat, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

On the second floor can be seen works from the 20^th century by artists including Amadeo Modigliani, Henri Rousseau, Wyndham Lewis, Vanessa Bell and Ben Nicholson. This floor is used for temporary exhibitions, so what is on display one month may be completely different the next.

As well as paintings there are many other objects on display throughout the gallery, including sculpture, ceramics, silverware, furniture, keyboard instruments and other objets d’art.

A visit to the Courtauld Gallery is a pleasant and rewarding experience, achieved largely by the fact that the art on display is presented on a scale to which the visitor can easily relate. The atmosphere is not that of a huge gallery but of a town house, albeit a very grand one, that happens to have some splendid pictures on the walls. The visit is definitely worth the entrance fee and will linger long in the memory.

© John Welford

London's best art galleries

The art lover is spoiled for choice when visiting London. There is so much wonderful art here that you could stay for a month (at least!) and not see it all. You also need to be aware that it is housed in a large number of art galleries throughout the city, and there are treasures to be found in many different places.

What counts as “best” depends on what you are looking for. The best gallery for modern British art is not going to be best for Italian “old masters”, for example. And biggest does not necessarily mean best.

So here is a quick guide to the familiar and non-so-familiar in terms of London art galleries. Some galleries have large permanent collections, whilst others display temporary exhibitions, and may be closed at times between exhibitions. Some galleries have both a permanent display and space for special exhibitions. Even the permanent displays will change from month to month as galleries rotate their stock to fill gaps when paintings are on loan, or to display items that would otherwise be kept in storage and thus out of public view. There are also a number of private galleries in which the art on display is offered for sale.

Firstly, you cannot ignore the “big four”:

The National Gallery

This is on the north side of Trafalgar Square, and is one of the World’s greatest collections of British and European art. There are usually at least two exhibitions on the go at any one time, although there is usually a charge for admission. Otherwise, admission is free.

The National Portrait Gallery

This is in St Martin’s Place, just round the corner from the National Gallery. There are more than 10,000 portraits in the main collection, but the NPG has an archive of more than 320,000. The vast majority of subjects are British people who have achieved fame or notoriety in various fields, so a walk through the NPG is a history lesson as well as an artistic experience.  Admission is free, except for special exhibitions.

Tate Britain

On Millbank, a short distance up-river from the Houses of Parliament. The home of British art since 1500, there are rooms devoted to, for example, William Blake, JMW Turner, John Constable, and the Pre-Raphaelites. Admission is free, except for special exhibitions.

Tate Modern

London’s newest “great gallery”, it is housed in the former Bankside power station on the south bank of the Thames opposite St Paul’s Cathedral. You can take a boat trip from Tate Britain, passing the London Eye on the way. The displays are of international modern and contemporary art, some of it highly controversial and challenging. There are rooms devoted to themes, such as pop art or “material gestures”, and others to individual artists, including Mark Rothko and Joseph Beuys. Admission is free, except for special exhibitions.

But don’t stop there! Here are some suggestions for galleries that are also “the best”, but might not be top of your agenda:

Victoria and Albert Museum

A museum? Not an art gallery? It’s both. If you took the museum galleries away from the V&A and left the art galleries behind, you would still have a major collection in its own right. The V&A is in South Kensington, close to the Natural History/Science Museum, and not far from Harrods. The collection includes 2,000 British and European paintings, plus many more drawings, pastels and a very unusual set of portrait miniatures. Some of the best-known works by Turner, Constable and Gainsborough will be found here, and not at the National or Tate Britain. Admission is free. Some exhibitions are free, and there is a charge for others.

Dulwich Picture Gallery

It is amazing how many people have never heard of this gallery, although it has been here since 1811 and predates the National Gallery. It started life as a collection looking for a home, as it was originally intended to be the basis of a Polish National Gallery. However, Poland’s loss was London’s gain, because it is a substantial collection of European old master paintings of the 17^th and 18^th centuries, including works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Canaletto, Poussin, etc. It is a little off the beaten track, in South London, but well worth the journey. This is not a free gallery, but the admission price is reasonable. If there is a special exhibition (in the gallery that runs parallel to the main gallery) there will be an extra charge to see it.

Courtauld Gallery

This is housed in Somerset House, on the Strand overlooking the Thames. The collection includes works from as far back as the Renaissance, but its main claim to fame is its outstanding collection of impressionist and 20^th century art. Here you will find world-famous impressionist paintings by Van Gogh, Cezanne, Manet, Gauguin, Degas, Renoir and others, and 20^th century artists include Modigliani and Vanessa Bell. There is a small admission charge but this includes any temporary exhibitions.

The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

British monarchs since the 17^th century have acquired or commissioned works of art of the very highest quality, so that the royal art collection is one of finest in private hands in the World, although the present Queen is mindful that she holds these in public trust and not as her personal property. This recently expanded gallery makes some of this collection accessible to the public in the form of a series of special exhibitions. As the exhibits move around the royal residences, and are often on loan to other galleries, you can never be sure what you will find at the “Buck House” gallery, but you could see works by Holbein, Leonardo, Canaletto, Rembrandt, and many other great artists. The gallery also displays sculpture, furniture, and other items from the royal collection. There is an admission charge, but it is not extortionate.

Wallace Collection

This is another superb gallery that deserves to be better known. It is in Hertford House, Manchester Square, which is not far from Selfridges on Oxford Street. The collection includes furniture, arms and armour, and objets d’art, as well as paintings, and its main strengths are in French 17^th and 18^th century works. What makes the gallery particularly unusual is that Hertford House was the town residence of the Marquesses of Hertford, from whom the collection was bequeathed to the nation in 1897. You are therefore seeing the art in its original setting. One of the best-known paintings is “The Laughing Cavalier” by Franz Hals. Admission is free.

And that’s still not all. Other fine collections and exhibition venues include the Guildhall Art Gallery, the Hayward Gallery, the Serpentine Gallery, the Whitechapel Art Gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts and the Saatchi Gallery. If it’s the visual arts you want, London’s the place to be!

© John Welford

Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

Many art lovers who visit London never get to see one of its artistic gems, namely the Dulwich Picture Gallery which lies a few miles away from the centre which has several world-famous galleries including the National Gallery, Tate Britain and Tate Modern. If time is pressing, making the trip to Dulwich is probably not advisable, but if the time can be spared it is an expedition that is well worth the effort.

History of the Gallery

Dulwich Picture Gallery has the distinction of being the oldest public art gallery in England, having been opened in 1817 which was seven years before the National Gallery. The history of the gallery is remarkable, because it should never have been here in the first place.

In 1790 Prince Michal Poniatowski, brother of the King of Poland, commissioned a London-based art dealer, Noel Desenfans, to acquire pictures that would be suitable for a royal collection. He got to work and spent five years doing deals to gather pictures fit for a king. However, in 1795 Poland disappeared off the map when it was partitioned between Austria, Prussia and Russia and the King was forced to abdicate. This left Noel Desenfans with a collection of pictures and no-one to sell them to.

Desenfans got to know another art dealer, Francis Bourgeois, who added to the collection (at Desenfans’s expense). When Desenfans died in 1807, Bourgeois had the idea of establishing a public gallery for displaying the pictures, with the further idea that these would be owned by Dulwich College after his death. His asked his friend, the architect Sir John Soane, to design a suitable building close to the College.

Bourgeois died in 1811, but there was not enough money in his will to build the gallery. However, Noel Desanfans’s widow came up with the rest of the cash and the project went ahead.

The Gallery building

There can be very few public art galleries in the world (if any) that contain at their heart a mausoleum in which lie the founders’ coffined remains, but that is the case at Dulwich Picture Gallery. The visitor can see the three coffins (of Bourgeois and Mr and Mrs Desenfans) in a small stone space into which yellow light pours from the skylight above. It is a very strange experience!

Soane designed a gallery that is not huge but is very user-friendly, being all on one floor and comprising a row of five linked spaces with just a few side rooms. There is a parallel gallery that runs the whole length and which is used for temporary exhibits.

Despite knowing the size of the collection (370 paintings) Soane did not provide enough space for everything to be displayed at the same time. This is not a huge disadvantage because it means that the collection is frequently rotated and the returning visitor has a good chance of seeing something that is new to them.

The art collection

So what about the art? The collection made by the founders concentrated very much on 17th and 18th century art, especially that from Italy, France and the Low Countries. Later gifts and bequests were responsible for virtually all the British art now seen in the collection.

When walking round the gallery and reading the highly informative plaques on the walls, one gets the impression that some of the sellers must have seen Bourgeois and Desanfans coming! This is because a number of the paintings which the founders obviously thought were by Titian or Rembrandt (for example) have later been shown to be by artists trained by or working under the instruction of the masters. That is not to say that they are not very fine works in their own right, but they are not entirely “kosher”. In the founders’ defence, it must be stressed that it is only the use of modern techniques that has revealed the truth about some of the paintings they collected. It should also be said that the gallery contains many paintings that are genuine originals by major artists and are of international importance.

Another oddity of the collection is that Bourgeois fancied himself as an art restorer and he sometimes took it upon himself to “improve” an artist’s work by adding an extra strip of canvas at the top, bottom or side of a painting, which he then painted accordingly, so that a pair of paintings by the same artist would appear symmetrical on the wall, or a painting would fit the frame he happened to have available, no matter how this affected the balance of the work as originally envisaged by the artist. Some of these additions have been removed in later restorations but others have stayed put.

The trip out to Dulwich – the nearest rail stations are a 10-15 minute walk away – should not be rushed. This is a well-to-do inner London suburb that is a pleasure to walk through. The gallery is set in a small park of its own that contains several modern sculptures and places to eat one’s sandwiches and watch the squirrels!

© John Welford

Whitechapel Art Gallery, London

It’s a bit off the beaten track in terms of London’s art scene, but the Whitechapel Art Gallery is not difficult to reach and it offers a fresh perspective on contemporary art.

A potted history of the Whitechapel Art Gallery

The Whitechapel Art Gallery, in London’s East End, was the result of a well-meaning attempt to bring culture to the working classes at the turn of the 19^th/20^th centuries. This was a desperately rundown area in which it was thought by some people that the low morale of the population was because they were deprived of the finer things in life that people in other parts of the capital took for granted, including art and culture.

The developing Arts and Crafts Movement, led by William Morris, had a local presence in that C R Ashbee set up his Guild and School of Handicraft in Mile End Road, which is the eastward continuation of Whitechapel Road. It seemed an obvious step to set up an art gallery in the area, and this was done in 1901, in a building designed in the Arts and Crafts style.

The gallery was hugely popular from the outset, with some 200,000 people attending the original exhibition that included works by John Constable, William Hogarth and the pre-Raphaelites.

The gallery had a major extension in 2009 when the next-door Passmore Edwards Public Library closed and the Art Gallery was able to take over its space (the frontage remains as it always was).

Visiting the Gallery

Access to the Whitechapel Art Gallery is very easy, given that one of the entrances to Aldgate East station, on the District Line, is literally next door to the Gallery. Access is also made easy by the fact that admission is free, just as it always has been, although donations are gladly accepted!

One huge difference between the experience of today’s visitor and that of an original 1901 patron is that there are no Constables or Hogarths on show. For one thing, the gallery is devoted to contemporary art, and for another it does not have a permanent collection, being instead a set of display spaces for temporary exhibits.

The Whitechapel Art Gallery consists of a linked set of rooms of different sizes, with the usual arrangement being that an artist can exhibit their work in an appropriately sized space that is not shared with that of another artist.

The visitor who is used to galleries such as the National Gallery will find their expectations challenged when visiting the Whitechapel Art Gallery. That is because the media on display go beyond just paintings on walls or free-standing sculptures. Images may be displayed on screens, or videos looped on TVs or smaller display units, with the sound available via headphones. When you stop to watch and listen to a video you may become part of an art installation yourself, as your presence will then be visible to other visitors as you sit in the middle of a gallery floor or on a dais.

The exhibitions generally remain in place for several months at a time but do not change all at once. This means that there is always something new to see if you visit at different times during the year.

The experience of visiting the Whitechapel Gallery will certainly be memorable, especially if it challenges the visitor to revise his/her assumptions about what constitutes art. It is unlikely that one will leave the building without having had one’s perceptions challenged, even if one has not fully understood, or even liked, everything that one has seen.

© John Welford