Our first full day in London we decided to go to The Courtauld Gallery.
This is a must on our London list, as it should be for any art lover. Today’s visit featured two special exhibits as well as many rooms filled with treasures from their collection. One special exhibit involved pencil and chalk drawings by Johnathan Richardson. In his final decades this artist drew countless self portraits and a few portraits of his son. These drawings are exquisite and explore the different moods available in a single subject.
The second special exhibit was of unfinished works. It is always interesting to see art work in process and get a sense of how the artist developed his paintings. Here are few examples from that exhibit.
Okay, Manet’s A Bar at the Follies-Bergere is not unfinished, but I couldn’t resist. This is among the top 3 of my favorite paintings. Manet plays with perspective and reality, but manages to make it believable at the same time. I could spend hours looking at it. This painting is an education.
After leaving The Courtauld we walked through the embankment parks along the Thames. People, buskers, flowers, birds, and other sights fed our senses.
Finally it was home and a dinner salad. Now that I’ve completed my post it’s time to practice ukulele and perhaps do some drawing or painting.
Paul
Travels With Picasso 
I love the Courtauld. I had never heard of it, but when I went to London in 1997 to visit Ayesha, on my way to Paris to join Stevan on a business trip. I remember a painting of an orchard by Van Gogh. The blossoms in the painting seemed as vivid, as brilliantly white, as when he painted them. It was a treat.
I think you introduced us to this little gem. We first visited in 2003 and keep returning. Their collection rotates, so each visit has surprises. And the special exhibits are always great. Thanks for the tip!
It took me a while to understand the Java Script requirement for your pictures in your posting. In reality, doing nothing is fine and the pixes then appear. I too like the spectacular staircase with which you open your posting. In addition, I can see that the Courtauld Gallery of which I had never ever heard before might be of great interest. As for the second set of pixes, I was wondering what was the huge phallic symbol in the trees; and also how you managed to have the City of London lend you a heron for the sake of taking a nice picture. Wonderful, do enjoy!
I can’t help commenting on the lead photo: “AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” 🙂 Rather dizzying staircase, however beautiful it is, and it is beautiful.