Thursday 20 August 2009

The Discovery of Spain - Goya to Picasso


I had the chance of a flying visit to Edinburgh this week. I really enjoyed going round the galleries, coffee in Glass and Thompson, and just being in Edinburgh during the Festival.

I would say that the exhibition at the National Gallery of Scotland 'The Discovery of Spain' is outstanding, and if you get the chance you should go before it closes on the 11th of October. Many of the paintings were familiar to me, coming from both the National Galleries in Edinburgh and London, but it was good to see them with other works from the same place in history.

The exhibition is spread over seven different themed rooms. I really enjoyed the 'Colour and Light' room with British artists such as Sir David Wilkie and Arthur Melville who had been inspired by visits to the country. I had a holiday in Spain for the first time this year and some of their paintings really captured the happy memories I have of the landscape and buildings, and most of all the extraordinary light. It was a rainy August day in Edinburgh so it did make me want to escape to the sunshine once again!

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