Beyond Caravagio

I saw a Stom exhibition at the Uffizi gallery. His work with light is incredible and the works being in the Uffizi just brought them to life more.

Hoping to go along in a few week's time.

Did you hear Start the Week with Andrew Marr on Monday evening this week? He was talking to the curator Letizia Treves about Caravaggio. Very interesting. It's on the iPlayer.

P.S. How big is the exhibition? Just wondering how much time one ought to allow for it.

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you.

There are 49 paintings in all, and the exhibition fills the usual rooms in the basement of the Sainsbury wing. As to how much time you need, it really depends on how long you tend to linger in front of paintings, and how long before your feet, lower back and/or people-tolerance says Enough.

I am lucky in that (a) I have an annual membership so I don't pay for visits to exhibitions, and (b) I work five minutes away, so I did the exhibition in just over an hour, in the knowledge that I can pop back over any number of lunch-times till January to concentrate on one or two paintings at a time when I feel like it, especially now that I've now read the guide.

Crowds are always an issue, of course, so I always try to get there at opening time to have at least 20 minutes before it gets too crowded, but perhaps that too is a thing of the past.


Call me Ishmael...

There are a lot of unsung heroes, often overshadowed by the big names. I like this exhibition for drawing attention to some of the very fine Caravaggists and tenebrists who ran with Caravaggio's innovations, but took them in different directions.


Call me Ishmael...

Thank you. That's useful to know, much appreciated. I can only really go at weekends which means battling with the crowds unfortunately.

Here's an interview with Letizia Treves where she talked us through a few of the paintings. Very illuminating for non-artists like myself.

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/arts/beyond-caravaggio-at-the-national-gallery-curator-letizia-treves-offers-a-glimpse-into-one-of-a3367976.html