The Goldfinch

Today's the day ......................... to be thwarted

Our current reading matter in the Book Group that I belong to is 'The Goldfinch'  by Donna Tartt. 

It's such a big book that we've been given two months to finish it compared with the usual one month. An important part of the plot of this book that I'm so far enjoying, centres on a 17th century oil painting of a goldfinch by the Dutch painter, Carel Fabritius .  So when I heard that the actual painting was going on display for a limited period at the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh from its usual home in the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague - I was very keen to go and see it for myself.

So that's where Will and I went today - a day trip to the Scottish Capital by train.  The only trouble was that - when we eventually found The Goldfinch - it was very difficult to see it properly.  It had been moved to a temporary spot in another room because there was some sort of function going on today in its usual place.  There was no light to show up the delicate features of the painting or bring out the characteristic markings of the bird.  It would have been easy to walk right past it and to miss it altogether.

Presumably the 'function' was something that would bring in revenue for the Gallery which no doubt would be much needed.  But we couldn't help thinking that they had got their priorities wrong.  There would have been a fair number of visitors - like us - going away disappointed today .......................