Week 2 at the NPG - Charles I, Cromwell and back to Royalty

Today another visit to The National Gallery - the paintings are improving as we move forward in time - the influence of artists on one another means that naturally those  innovative techniques that  are successful are absorbed into the tools in the artists armoury (to mix metaphors).

Delights are in abundance beyond the entrance 

No ‘hangers on’ this week but one of the group who wasn't there last week is another Art tour recidivist and remembers me from another ‘course’(also headed up by Leslie).

Thomas Howard by Peter Paul Rubens

Extra benefit (for me) on looking at these portraits is the history lesson that comes free and the perspective on ‘foreign’ workers (Denizens as the Artists from Europe were termed)  is difficult to ignore. (Much like Football teams of today Charles brought in 'Foreign talent' and homegrown talent was not given the resources needed)

. The works we looked at included work from Van Dyck and Rubens and an English Painter who is new to me -William Dobson (1611- 1646) who I thought very good (does the hand remind you of the style of Caravaggio?)

Cromwell by Robert Walker

A Portrait that goes beyond a likeness - this by the  English artist William Dobson

 it was interesting to see a self portrait by a woman (it seems this was rare), the artist was Mary Beale.

This portrait was an example of Mary Beale's Skills for prospective customers 

but my favourite picture today was the portrait of Charles II (possibly) by Thomas Hawker it is very colourful.

Charles II was far from a puritan - but he looked like he lived life with a big L

I managed to get my phone to make a nice 'Panorama' of Trafalgar Square view of the National Gallery.

Canada House to St Martin's Church