Tuesday 28 October 2014

Art Tuesday: Manchester Gallery // Inspire Me

Art Tuesday. Remember these? Remember when they were a consistent weekly feature? Remember when I was a good consistent blogger? To be fair to me, I have posted pretty regularly these past two months. In the long haul between the October holiday and Christmas, this will change.

But I digress. 

You may (or probably won't) remember that in my September round-up post I alluded to a trip to the Manchester Gallery when I went to see my grandparents for the September long weekend. Today I'm going to share just a few of the amazing paintings I saw whilst I was there.

view from hampstead heath, looking twoards harrow 1821 j constable manchester gallery - Google Search
View from Hampstead Heath, looking towards Harrow by John Constable, 1821
I confess. I'm a bit obsessed with landscape paintings. They are just gorgeous, OK?? The thing I love about this one is - obviously - the sky. Wow, wow, wow.


caernarvon castle by moonlight - joseph wright
Caernarvon Castle by Moonlight by Joseph Wright c1870-75

jane austen in e17 grayson perry - Google Search
Jane Austen in E17 by Grayson Perry, 2009
This was an extremely cool vase I saw.
I don't know how it was made, but it had these "Jane Austen" illustrations over its surface ...
jane austen in e17 text - Google Search
... with text and photographs and newspaper headlines superimposed behind them. The above pictures may not be the most impressive, but like everything else in this post, it looked way better in real life. It was very clever and interesting, both as art and social commentary.

winter fuel john everett millais - Google Search
Winter Fuel by John Everett Millais, 1873

ophelia 1852 arthur hughes - Google Search
Ophelia by Arthur Hughes, 1852
Seen a few days after seeing Hamlet in the Manchester Round Theatre, this was one of my very favourite pieces in the gallery. This is exactly how I imagine Ophelia and I was still stunned by the amazing performance I'd seen the actress who played at her deliver a few nights earlier.
There is a willow grows aslant a brook
That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream.
There with fantastic garlands did she come
Of crowflowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples,
That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,
But our cold maids do “dead men’s fingers” call them.
There, on the pendant boughs her coronet weeds
Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke,
When down her weedy trophies and herself
Fell in the weeping brook.

oak trees in sherwood forest 1877 - Google Search
Oak Trees in Sherwood Forest by Andrew MacCallum, 1877
Like everything else in this post, this looked waaay better in real life. It was absolutely gorgeous.

File:John Everett Millais - Glen Birnam.JPG
Glen Birnam by John Everett Millais, 1891

on the tilt, perthshire edwin landseer - Google Search
On the Tilt, Perthshire by Edwin Landseer, 1830-35

girl with beret lucian freud - Google Search
Girl With Beret by Lucian Freud, 1951-52

hylas and the nymphs john william waterhouse - Google Search
Hylas and the Nymphs by John William Waterhouse, 1896
Now this is absolutely stunning. It's very big in real life. The colours are incredible. And their expressions ... the whole mood. Wow. 

paolo and francesca george frederick watts - Google Search
Paolo and Francesca by George Frederick Watts, 1870
This. 

man's head self portrait I lucian freud - Google Search
Man's Head (Self Portrait I) by Lucian Freud, 1963


Which of these is your favourite? What kind of paintings do you like best? Have you been to any galleries/exhibitions recently? And please tell me: do you even like picture posts? Do you want some of my Pinterest to stray onto le blog? I want to know these things.

Emily x

10 comments:

  1. Wow! These are amazing! I really like Hylas and the Nymphs, Glen Birnam, and Winter Fuel. :)

    I had the chance to go to The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes when it was at COSI in Columbus, Ohio. That was a great exhibit!

    I think you should do more posts like this! :)

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    1. Aren't they?? I love Hylas and the Nymphs aaarrgghhh .... and the Millais. I am a big fan.

      Ooh that sounds cool .... I bet I would enjoy that!

      Maybe I will! :)

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  2. Ugh, I can't choose a favorite! Okay, my favourites are Caernarvan Castle by Moonlight, Winter Fuel, Oak Trees in Sherwood Forest, Glen Burnam, and On The Tilt, Perthshire. (As you can see, I like landscapes)

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    1. Haha, I am just the same! I love the landscapes a lot. Oak Trees might be my favourite of them ... but really, who could say?? I love them all!

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  3. I love the painting by Glen Birnam - absolutely beautiful! The colours and the whole sort of 'emotion' of it reallu summarises the Autumn months for me.... I love it!

    Amy;
    My blog, The Blog Hermit
    Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'

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    1. It's gorgeous! Very autumnal/wintery. It was so lovely in real life. The artist is John Everett Millais though, Glen Birnam is the name of the painting haha! :L

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  4. I love the first two and that last portrait. The colours and brush work in the portrait is spectacular.
    The last gallery I was in was the Louvre ( that sounds pretty impressive...!) in Paris. It was absolutely amazing! It was so huge that I barely saw any of it.
    One of my favourite galleries is the one in London though. I could spend hours just wandering through with a pencil and sketchbook..... heaven!
    Yes! Yes! I love picture posts. A lot of writing can be tedious sometimes and i'm also a very visual person.
    I'd love to see stuff from pinterest here. Your pinterest account really shows what time of art style you like. It's so cool!
    Marian ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! That brushwork is amazing O.o
      Aaaahhh I'm jealous, I really want to go to Paris and see the galleries!
      Do you mean the V&A? It's so stunning, I absolutely love it!
      Yes! Yes! I'm glad! I think I'm going to post about Singapore some time soon!
      Haha, thanks! Your Pinterest is very cool. It always makes me happy when you repin something of mine! <3

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  5. Wow, great post! Thanks so much for sharing these:)

    I love that Jane Austen E17 one, annnnnnnd I really like Glen Birnam. Eeee! I love them all; there's so much emotion and feeling in them. I find so much inspiration in art in general, but especially these types of paintings.

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    1. You're welcome; thanks for stopping by!

      I love that one too, it's so clever and rich. I spent a long time walking around and around the display case looking at all the things on it!

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Thanks for commenting! :)