Orwell's Ministry Of Truth

This impressive building is the Senate House of University College London (UCL), the first and only high-rise Art Deco building in London. According to Wikipedia, "the building's use by the Ministry of Information during the Second World War inspired George Orwell's description of the Ministry of Truth in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four." We passed it at midday with our friend Gregory, an expert historian of art; he said Orwell had a view of the building from his London apartment--thus his choice.

Together we visited the British Museum (around the corner) to see the exhibition of Picasso's Vollard Suite--a rare complete set of its 100 etchings, just acquired by the museum--marvelous!

In the afternoon we went on to the National Gallery, which is exhibiting Titian's first large-scale painting (a Flight into Egypt). It's on special loan from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, accompanied by top-quality related Venetian works (mainly the Gallery's own)--also a superb show.

Dinner tonight was Greek, again excellent after yesterday's Italian--also just five minutes from our hotel near Paddington Station.