ET’s Mother? No, it’s ‘Man with a Pipe’ (Joan Miro) |
I do love a good art gallery, me. Over the years we have dragged Rory round numerous exhibitions and we’ve usually found something of interest for his age at the time. His favourite was the Musee D’Orsay in Paris where he saw Whistler’s Mother. This painting is at the heart of the Bean movie with Rowan Atkinson: Rory was delighted it hadn’t succumbed to paint stripper and chewing gum after all.
My award for ‘Best Gallery for Chumps’ is the Louvre for its exceptional way of helping idiots like me find the main attraction. No matter that there are hundreds of famous paintings in the building, most of us want to see the Mona Lisa before we give the rest a cursory glance. So they print off copious pieces of paper with an image of the Mona Lisa and a big arrow underneath then plaster them all over the gallery, pointing the way to Leonardo’s smirking muse. Ah it’s such a classy way of doing things but much appreciated.
Our hotel in Madrid is situated right in the middle of what’s termed the Museum Triangle. A little like the Bermuda Triangle, visitors may well drown in a sea of culture, never to be seen again as their voices can be heard calling like a distant siren “But I thought the Guernica was this way…’
Picasso’s Guernica is the big draw of the ultra modern Reina Sofia gallery: a huge hulk of a building, with much light, many empty rooms and not enough useful signage. We spent far too much time hunting down the elusive painting and when we eventually found it there was a ridiculous bun fight for photographs. I don’t know why galleries don’t just ban cameras altogether: in some rooms here you can take snaps, some you can’t. With the Guernica you aren’t allowed to photograph the painting in the room itself, but if you stand in the doorway to the next room, you have permission to click away to your heart’s content. I did so and managed this shot, sans flash of course. I didn’t really need to take a photo but when everyone else is doing so, you get swept along. To be honest I didn’t even look at the painting properly and because of that I feel quite cross with myself. However, playing our usual game of ‘spot the celebrity in an old master’, we came close to beating our Tiger Wood with a Banjo which we saw in Paris with a fairly good Andrew Lloyd Webber frightens the masses.
The Museo del Prado should really have been next on our agenda but we took the bold move of leaving the Big Daddy gallery for another trip, maybe without a grumbling teenager in tow, and plumped instead for the more manageable Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Best decision of the holiday. This heavenly gallery doesn’t allow cameras at all so there is a more relaxed atmosphere without curators yelling “No flash…no photos…” every few seconds. A private collection covering a huge timescale in art history, this was fun and educational to boot. Begin on the second floor, work your way anti-clockwise on each floor and you can see paintings by Raphael, Holbein, El Greco and Canaletto through to Kandinsky, Pollock and Lichtenstein. A new wing comprising some beautiful impressionist paintings collected by the lady of the family made this a breathtaking couple of hours. Even Rory admitted they were ‘alright’ so it must have been good and he took great delight in guffawing at the older, religious paintings where, we all agreed, baby Jesus looked unlike any baby we’ve ever seen – it must have been ever so dark in that stable.
To see great art up close and personal is always a wonderful experience… though working in an art gallery makes visiting them something of a bus man's holiday for me but I think even I'd be blown away by Guernica!
You are right about cameras in Galleries..should be all or nothing…How lucky Rory is to be seeing such great sights so early in life…and my daughter hasn't forgiven me for touching (she nearly had the vapours) a pollock in MOMA in New York…..I'm having deja vu..have I already written this comment?!?
Steve – I didn't know you worked in an art gallery – am never quite sure what business you are in when I read your posts.
Yes, Guernica was huge and impressive – would like to go back when it's quieter.
Libby – Blimey, you touched a pollock! No wonder your daughter was shocked, seeing her mother do that! (only the one comment, you weren't dreaming)
Exactly no cameras – it gives you a chance to see the pictures and anyway the postcards are always better…
I love going to see interesting art galleries. If I go with the boys, I have to drag them. There's usually something they appreciate in the end as long as we don't stay too long and go to the shop afterwards.
I'd love to go to Madrid so I'm dead jealous of your visit 🙂
It's great reading about your experience there. With you all the way on photos – it's difficult to appreciate the pictures with people struggling to get a good piccie; why not just buy a postcard and support the museum at the same time?
I suspect the stable scene was painted from memory as I don't recall ever seeing an easel in any nativity scene. However I will take a closer look this Christmas.
Been trying to catch up on a couple of weeks' worth of posts in one bite and tho' I'll admit Guernica is a biggie, 'fraid it's totally overshadowed by the everlasting image of Mickey at the fountain. It's like a magnet. The funniest thing I've seen since Mr Gpants emerged from a moss-covered stagnant pond one very cold night, thinking it was a short-cut to a nice dark tree to wee by. I don't think I'll ever shake either image from my head. Or ever stop tittering.
Tattie – what they did have in the non-camera museum was a computerised poster-printing desk. Choose your favourite painting on the screen, click on a button and it printed out. I loved that idea.
Troy – Are you sure? I distinctly remember the bible referring to the three wise men bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh and then saying, "Can we do a few sketches of the little fella?"
Madame SG – It's now my fabourite photo, may enter it into competitions!
Rather worried about your poor man – Do you not have an inside lavatory in your home then?
Sarah – I find Rory's less keen than he used to be so, knowing the ages of your boys, I can empathise. I drag him in kicking and screaming then eventually he admits there's something worth seeing.
Ha!
I have always wanted to see Guernica. Nice sneaky photo skills there. I remember visiting different museums in Europe as a teenager. At the time, I'm sure I was complaining about my feet hurting, but later in life, those stops to see the Mona Lisa, etc., really affected me. I bet your son will feel the same in a few years.
Suzy – My son is a very lucky lad: he has visited so many interesting places and yes, I'm sure in years to come he'll be glad his annoying parents made the effort!