Artemisia

To the National Gallery for our timed tickets to the Artemisia Gentileschi exhibition.  We got a black cab,  it was the first time V had been into central London since March and it was quiet but not empty.  The exhibition was rewarding and fascinating and her big visceral paintings are clearly masterpieces.  But I loved this, Mary Magdalen in Ecstasy, although to me she looked as if she was basking in some nice warm sunshine..wholly recognisable pose and expression that echoed down the centuries.   

We also went to a small exhibition in the basement called Sin, a rather fascinating look at the concept of sin in art.  Brilliant Breugel of the Woman Taken in Adultery, calm and grey.  And The Mass of St Giles by the Master of St Giles which I’d forgotten about.  Startlingly modern given it was painted in 1550 - look it up!   Then we had to follow the arrows to get to the exit which took us through gallery after gallery and what a treat that was.  We couldn’t dawdle but so many delights.  Then a quick supper in Nutshell, an Iranian restaurant next to the Coliseum before taxi to the house, chucked everything in the car and drove in lashing rain back to Hampshire.   A weird ghost impression of the life we once led... New lockdown beckons.