The Royal Academy of Arts

This morning I went to the Rubens exhibition at the Royal Academy. It is an exhibition on Rubens' work and his influence on well known artists like Constable, Gainsborough, Turner and even Cezanne. It was very interesting to see the original Rubens work and then hanging by its side the work of the other artist that had been painted in homage to the old master. Rubens is known for paintings of his fleshy naked women, but his landscapes are beautiful too. He is the master of painting human skin in such a way that it glows with a life like quality, and this was achieved by painting layers and layers of different colours to get that mother of pearl luminescent quality to the colour of the skin.

In the courtyard entrance to Burlington House where the RA is located, there is an exhibition of two large sculptures by the American artist Frank Stella called Wooden Star and Inflated Star. I wondered what Sir Joshua Reynolds (the founder and first president of the RA), seen here with his easel, would make of this modern art?

Then I met Gavin for a quick lunch as his offices are a stone's throw from the RA, before heading back home again.