Back in Tate and Thomas Cubitt the builder

Although it's only about a week since I visited Tate Britain it was no hardship to make a speedy return yesterday.

Kevin -'Show me the art' 

Visiting with an old school friend (Kevin pictured) changed the experience and again the gallery was uncrowded   -After looking once again at the Folk Art we looked at various stretches of the BP walk particularly looking at the period around 1880 to 1910.

Kevin is a fan of the darker images (he really likes Gwen John)  but we both agreed on the spectacular talent of Joseph Wright of Derby and his work the  1771/2 version of  The Blacksmith's Shop on show at The Tate Britain we both also enjoyed (to my mind) the underrated  Sickert's work.

I was surprised how much Kevin was taken with the huge Phyllida Barlow Dock installation in the Duveen Galleries too.

Blimey! That's big.

Thomas Cubitt the builder and Camilla's Great Grandfather.

The way that London integrates it's past and present is well demonstrated by the apposite placing of the  statue to Thomas Cubitt in Pimlico.

Cubitt was pretty much the 'goto builder' of his time  and as well as extending Buckingham Palace he supervised the move of Marble Arch and is repsonsible for many of the high class squares in Belgravia .

Thomas is the great grandfather of the Prince of Wales  current wife Camilla.

A builder remembered