17th Century Dutch Paintings - Part 4 :Masterpieces from Mount Stuart - The Bute Collection and National Galleries of Scotland

The gallery on the Mound in Edinburgh has a collection of Dutch masterpieces including Rembrandt and Franz Hals.  I can remember the Mound Collection from my childhood; and the Skating Minister by Naysmith and Titian’s Three Ages of Man are pictures I can remember when at school. 

I had heard about the Mount Stuart collection of the Marquis of Bute and about the exhibition from some publicity and when visiting the Lusieri exhibition a guard mentioned the Masterpieces from Mount Stuart.   (http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/368/masterpieces-from-mount-stuart)  I decided on 24^th August 2012 to go on my own. 

I checked in at the information desk and was taken to the octagon shaped gallery (3, I think) and started my tour.  I tried out my knowledge of the Jan Steen genre painting on the staff member but it was not a Steen.  The first painting which I thought was a Jan Steen turned out to be by another artist. 

The staff member told me about the exhibition and had been quite envious of the colleagues who had been to Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute (Rothesay)  in gathering the pictures. (http://www.mountstuart.com/)  I did manage to get the curatorial gossip on the collection.  I checked where the other 17^th Century pictures were and was given instructions on where they were located. 

I worked my way round the room and was faced with something very familiar.  It was a view of the Great Kirk in Haarlem by Gerrit Berckheyde.  We had studied one like it in the National Gallery in London.( http://profwhitestick.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/17th-century-dutch-paintings-golden-age.html )  That picture had set me off on my discovery of these paintings which have so much to offer in terms of clarity, colour and narrative. 

I moved round the room and spotted two Albert Cuyps.  For verification I asked complete strangers to read out the picture labels and so far it had been one wrong and 3 correct.  My fifth guess of a possible artist was wrong and I decided to get the catalogue and come back again with some background. 

On my second visit, I managed to get details of the paintings which I found interesting.  These included:

The Disputed Reckoning by Pieter de Hooch (I recognised this through the chequered tiled floor.)

The Grote Markt and the Church of St Bavo in Haarlem by Gerrit A Berckheyde

A Horse, Cattle and a Cowherd Resting in a Landscape by Albert Cuyp

Cattle Wattering by Estuary by Albert Cuyp

A  Young Girl Holding a Basket of Cherries by Jacob Jordaens

Frozen River Landscape by Aert van der Neer

Mountain Landscape with Waterfall by Jacob Isaacksz van Ruisdael

Cavalier Playing a Lute to a Lady by Jan Steen

The Card Players by David Teniers the Younger

I checked the whereabouts of the regular collection and went round the rooms “spotting” another Cuyp guessing the Rembrandts and Franz Hals and spotting a Van der Heyden.  On returning to have another quick look at the Mount Stuart collection the guard asked me how I had got on. 

I had probably overdone my enthusiasm for Cuyp, so he offered to take me round the collection pausing in front of the Rembrandt. We went on to discuss the Cuyp Nijmegen painting and I was given a detailed description of the people and objects.  In passing the guard mentioned another picture which had been acquired for the collection. 

I was able on my 2^nd visit to pick out some pictures which I liked and get a sighted friend to note the labels, as follows: 

Pictures from the Permanent Collection:

Saloman Van Ruysdael

Alkmaar in Winder, 1656

Oil on canvas

NG2799

Hendrick Ten Oever

View of Zublle with Bathers, 1675

Oil on canvas

Meindert Hobbema

Wooded Landscape

NG2377

Hendrick  Van Minderhout

An Engagement between English and Dutch Fleets (c1665)

In the 19^th century this was erroneously attributed to Willem van de Velde the Younger and titled A Sea Fight

Albert Cuyp

Landscape with view of the Valkhof, Nijmegen

NG2314

Jan van der Heyden

A View of Cologne with the Carthusian Church and St Pataleon, c1660-1665

Adam Pynacker

The Stone Bridge

On my solo visit I managed to buy the catalogue titled Masterpieces from Mount Stuart – The Bute Collection by Christian Tico Seifert.  This has an introduction by Anthony Crichton-Stuart (one of the Bute family).  I also bought a set of cards of a painting by Hendrick Avercamp titled Winter Landscape.  On a further visit to stock up on presents, we found the elusive postcard of Pitlessie Fair. (http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/artists-a-z/W/6004/artist_name/Sir%20David%20Wilkie/record_id/2431)

Many thanks to the Mound staff for locating and reading out some of the labels and discussing some of the highlights.  The shop staff were also helpful in finding some items.

If in Edinburgh, make a point of visiting the Torrie Collection which is in the Georgian gallery of the Talbot Rice Gallery within the University of Edinburgh Old College.  I covered this in Part 2 of my Dutch painting series: http://profwhitestick.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/dutch-paintings-part-2-torrie.html

Expanding Horizons: Giovanni Battista Lusieri and the Panoramic Landscape, National Galleries of Scotland

***Update 19/9/2012

Tweet exchange on Ask a Curator Day on Twitter

ProfWhitestick‏@ProfWhitestick

@natgalleriesSco #askacurator In the #lusieri exhibition was there a Eureka moment in piecing the panoramas together

 National Galleries ‏@NatGalleriesSco

@ProfWhitestick It was the show's curator Aidan Weston-Lewis, who had the eureka moment as he had been planning these reunions for years.

ProfWhitestick‏@ProfWhitestick

@natgalleriessco Thanks, This comes through in the exhibition and a beautiful catalogue with unfolding panoramas.

***end of update


8^th August 2012

In the Culture Vulture package of exhibition tickets there is an admission to this Lusieri exhibition of panoramic landscape paintings.  (http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/expanding-horizons)   There had been a programme on the radio with Adam Nicolson discussing Dark Arcadias.  This was all about the interpretation of Virgil and Horace on landscape.  The programme chimed with the Symbolist Landscape exhibition and having been enthused, we decided that it was a day for Lusieri. 

We entered the Mound complex of the galleries and a very helpful guard was concerned that we were lost.  I explained that I had my ticket in advance as we had done the Symbolist Landscape exhibition the week before, and I was refamiliarising myself with the gallery.  The gallery has the permanent collection and the guard told me about the Veronese and Mountstewart exhibitions as well.  The Mound has quite a large underground and mezzanine floor plan and we found the exhibition via accessible lifts.

The exhibition of drawings, sketches, watercolours and some oil paintings has been assembled in an imaginative way to recreate many of the Lusieri artworks which had been dispersed.  Lusieri was a drawer for Lord Elgin and made many drawings of classical artifacts in both Italy and Greece.  His work has been ignored by many and the curator of this exhibition has managed to fit some beautiful panoramas of the Bay of Naples.  The research and cataloguing speaks for itself as the panorama of first Rome then Naples with Vesuvius came into view. 

The catalogues and large print room guides are placed on benches and can be perused.  The hardback catalogue has folded full panoramas of some of the scenes.  Having this available encouraged me to buy the catalogue. 

I was getting familiar with some views of Rome as I had been to the exhibition of Corot paintings included in the Clark Collection.  Some of Lusieri’s pictures in both watercolour and oil of Vesuvius erupting are stunning.  He even managed to get the moon with its reflection into a scene. 

Lusieri tended to bookend his paintings and it was common for him to insert a tree where there had not been one.  He uses this to balance a building on one side and I am sure he bookended a picture with a very heavy cloud for balance.  His drawings are very clear with clear lines indicating the buildings especially columns of the Roman and Greek monuments. 

The sketches can just about be discerned in part though they were too feint for me to make out much.  Depending on how you go round the rooms, it is possible to get the view first with the finished item (with details of the picture label read out by companion) and then go and find an initial sketch. 

There are quite a few sketches of people, though they seem to be in odd states of movement.  There was one sketch of a man leaning on a staff at an impossible angle (my 5 months using a crutch tells me this). His drawings of dogs are recognisable though his owl fooled me into thinking it was a cat.

The shop were very helpful and checked my catalogue for complete pages.  The catalogue details are as follows:  

Expanding Horizons: Giovanni Battista Lusieri and the Panoramic Landscape by Aidan Weston-Lewis with Fabrizia Spirito, Kim Sloan and Dyfri Williams, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh

I also bought some other books and a print of Monet’s Haystacks.

It was a sunny day and having a coffee on the terrace outside, I wondered how Lusieri would have framed the panorama of Edinburgh looking east with the Scott Monument and Scotsman building as book ends.  The classical view would have included the Athens of the North with a nod to the Earl of Elgin.



Panorama of Edinburgh towards the east

book-ended with Scot Monument on left and Scotsman building on right

with Calton Hill and Balmoral Hotel (North British Hotel)

The information desk was also very helpful and on asking for availability of more information on some picture labels, said they would pass on my request.  The National Galleries of Scotland sent me the information within a day.  Many thanks to Matt Ramagge and Elinor McMonagle, and also, of course, to Meg for her help and encouragement to take some time over the Lusieri exhibition.  I found it very heartening that the National Galleries of Scotland staff make a positive effort to promote access for all.

Cat 13

An Oak Tree

Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour

Tree on its own, easily recognisable, amazing detail

Cat 10

View of Rome from the Villa Mellini on Monte Mario

Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour

Reminds me of coral in Clark exhibition on impressionists

Cat 11

The Tiber Valley looking North from Monte Mario

Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour

Can make out river, tree on right

Cat 2

Ruins of the Baths of Caracalla, Rome

Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour, gum Arabic

Cat 3

Ruined Arch in the Baths of Caracalla

Cat 17

Naples from Megellina

Private collection

Cat 18

The Bay of Naples and Vesuvius from Mergellina

National Gallery of Art, Washington

Vesuvius to right, on left bookended by building and rock

Cat 16

The Bay of Naples from Portici

Tree on left, villa on right and boat with 3 masts in the middle

Cat 15

Naples from Capodimonte

Cat 20

The Bay of Naples from Palazzo Sessa

Bookended on the left by a building and on the right by clouds

Cat 50

The Gulf of Baia

Features the island of Prossida

Both uncles met here during WWII and one allegedly shot a boat!

Cat 49

Lucieri is better at drawing trees than people

Cat 59

Wooded Lake with Huntsman

Reminds me of Dutch paintings.  Could make out huntsman in foreground after some prompting

Cat 51

Lacco on Ischia

Prossida again

Cat 47

Temple of Serapis, Pozzuoli

Cat 46

The Herculaneum Gate, Pompei

Cat 23

Vesuvius from Posillipo by Moonlight with the eruption of 1787

Could make out moon with difficulty but eventually

Vesuvius erupting as well

Cat 25

Vesuvius during eruption of 1794

Cat 27

Vesuvius from Posillipo by Moonlight with the eruption of 1794

Cat 58

Temples at Paestum

Cat 53

The Plain of Paestum

Cat 54, 55 and 56

Panoramic view of the Plain and Palace of Caserta

This is three separate paintings brought together

Cat 42-45

Paintings of 4 dogs

Cat 60

Panorama of Palermo and the Conca d’Oro from Monreale

Cat 73

South-east corner of the Parthenon

Cat 75

A short-eared owl

Thought it was a cat at first!

Titian: Metamorphosis 2012, National Gallery, London

*** Update 12/9/2012

My second visit to this exhibition was in the last week and the space was relatively busy.  Everything had been in working order.  The installation of Conrad Shawcross (robotic arm) was moving a lot and I found it interesting picking up the movement on my peripheral vision.  The peep show area was open and was quite dark (surprise, surprise!).  I could make out two bright spots in the centre, presumably the peep holes.  The wide screen section showing the ballet rehearsals was quite busy with several people standing.  It was interesting sitting at the front and sensing the movement of people on the wide-screen.  I had recently attended a performance of Prokofiev’s Cinderella in Edinburgh.  This was my first attendance at a full ballet since I lost my sight and this may have been inspired by enjoying this Titian 2012 exhibition which managed to bring so many themes together.

***end of update

*** Update 16/7/2012
Here are the links provided by Penny Homer via comments left on this post:

First, about the event at the Opera House
http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/metamorphosis-titian-2012-by-various

Second, a review from the FT
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/4e0da6e4-ce67-11e1-9fa7-00144feabdc0.html#axzz20mLxcWD7

Thirdly, information about Jonathan Dove, composer for Diana & Actaeon
http://www.editionpeters.com/modern.php?composer=DOVE&modern=1

I wasn't able to attend the big screen event in Trafalgar Square this evening, though everyone enjoyed it!

*** end up update 
12^th July 2012

Three of Titian’s late works are on show together for the first time since the 18^th century:

Diana and Callisto 1556-9

Diana and Actaeon 1556-9
The Death of Actaeon about 1559-75

The works have been bought with the aid of funds for the National Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery to share.  Indeed, when I grew up in Edinburgh, the Titians from the Duke of Sutherland trustees were well known and it was a matter of concern when there was the risk of them being withdrawn from public access. 

On entering this exhibition, the first thing I noticed was the two completed works which face one.  The area is darkly lit and the paintings are subtly illuminated.  As there is a protective layer of non reflective transparent “glass”, it is possible to get up very close. There is no cordon and my companion was able to “point” out the details and the red and blue colours for which Titian was famous. 

I have always admired Titian and I even visited his house in Pieve di Cadore in the Belluno area of north Italy.  The subject matter of the Titian pictures is the Metamorphosis series of poems by Ovid.  At school in Edinburgh we studied the Metamorphoses in Latin classes.  The seen translation for the exam was Love of Apollo for Daphne.  Daphne was turned into a tree but in these Titian pictures Diana (Artemis) turns Actaeon into a stag, which is then killed by his stag hounds. 

The pictures could be described as violent soft pornography of the time.  Philip II of Spain had commissioned the work and they were intended for private viewing in Madrid.  A BBC Radio3 Nightwaves discussed this on Monday 9^th July.  (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01kkjyp )  Are these pictures Scottish, British, Italian or Spanish heritage?

The idea of metamorphosis is extended in this exhibition with displays of works by Mark Wallinger, Conrad Shawcross and Chris Ofili.  They each have an installation of their own and an interaction with the Royal Opera House wardrobe department and the Royal Ballet. 

There is a lot to enjoy if you have a little sight.  I was able to make out a large portion of the completed Titians up to about 75 cms above my eyeline.  I was also able to identify the blue streams in Diana and Callisto, as well as the red robes of Diana.  Some of the animals are big, especially the dogs, but I could even find the small lap dog.  The two completed works have a sense of motion with fleshy bodies in movement. 

With the scene which seals the fate of Actaeon (he dared to gaze on Diana) the colour of Actaeon’s skin is notably darker than that of Diana and her nymphs.   The killing of Actaeon is violently portrayed with movement conveyed by the prominent bow and the pack of hounds close by. 

Conrad Shawcross:

This resembles a robotic arm working at a distance from antlers.  It reminded me of a crane in fairgrounds when you had to manoeuvre the machinery to get a prize, usually a teddy bear.  The installation is said to be kinetic but I could detect no movement.

Chris Ofili:

Ofili has produced large pictures of scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphosis.  Some of them appeared to be overtly sexual while others resembled the drawings and colours on Greek amphorae. 

Mark Wallinger:

This installation was not working as the lights had gone out!  I listened to the audio (not suitable for visually impaired with touch screen) and heard discussions with a curator.  There was a drama about 3pm as the audio said “on screen now” so I passed the handset to my companion who said “She is standing 10 feet away.” Later on, said companion saw another woman dressed in a bath robe walking down one of the corridors.  Perhaps this was kinetic!

Each artist had also designed costumes and set designs and these are on show with time lapse videos in two rooms.  I could make out a lot standing in front of these.  Note it is quite dark here and tread carefully as you may have an advantage over other visitors.  The cane was useful. 

There is quite a lot of music of a plinky plonky nature coming from an adjacent room showing a film of Royal Ballet rehearsals projected on to a large screen.  Of the performing arts, ballet is the least accessible in my mind.  Unless very close up I see nothing and the music is usually geared to the dance than standing on its own merit.  Nevertheless I could make out a lot of the rehearsal shots I saw in two scenes.  There is a viewing area with about three rows of benches. 

This, I thought, neatly juxtaposed with the Wallinger solitary peep show (gimmick?) piece.  True I did not see the peep show but on listening to the audio mentioning the “male gaze” and intoning the late Diana, Princess of Wales my mind had closed.  I felt like the man who had been blinded for gazing at Lady Godiva as she rode naked through Coventry.

Conclusion:

This is a great opportunity to experience a lot of classical art and modern design, concept art and dance.  However, the exhibition had just opened and there were technical problems which meant I did not experience the peep show.  The exhibition is free and the audio may not be suitable. 

Ask at the information desk upstairs for any background materials.  My companion noted Braille and Large Print documentation.  Definitely worth a second visit.

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/metamorphosis-titian-2012