National Gallery Revisited
I noted in Part 81 that a favourite haunt of mine is the National Gallery in Edinburgh. I visited again, choosing to spend time among the European art. I only have so much time over lunch, so didn’t make the Scottish section. However, I did make sure to go upstairs and marvel at the ‘Olive Trees’ by Van Gogh painted in 1889. He painted this while in the asylum at Saint-Remy in Provence. You can see how thick the paint has been applied in the strokes of paint with much of it applied directly from the tube itself.
Another highlight for me is a painting by William Dyce, ‘View of the South Door and Aisle, Rosslyn Chapel. There is not an accurate date for the painting, but is believed to have been sometime in the 1830’s. Rossyln belonged to the Sinclair family and is associated with tales of the Holy Grail, and the Knights Templar. It’s amazing to think that even two hundred years ago this was already a popular destination for tourists. The Chapel features in the closing scenes of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, published in 2003, and this further helped to boost its popularity world-wide. The painting does not contain any people but does feature an old leather-bound book and rosary beads in the foreground. Sunlight streams through an open door on the right, illuminating the dark interior. There is the impression that something is about to happen.
If you are interested in Rossyln, there is another painting worth seeking out by Julius Caesar Ibbetson from 1803. It is called ‘View of Rosslyn Castle from the Grounds of Sheriff Clerk’ and is painted from the view from the grounds of Clerk’s home at Mavisbank House. It provides a view of the Castle as it was over two hundred years ago.
For me, no visit is complete without going to admire one of my favourite paintings in the gallery. A full-length portrait of Anne Emily Sophia (‘Daisy’) Grant, who became Mrs William Markham. Painted in 1857 by Sir Francis Grant, this painting of his daughter was completed just before her marriage. A wintry scene, the trees in the background have shed their leaves, the ground white with heavy frost and snow, in contrast to Daisy’s black attire. Daisy is well-wrapped up against the cold, with hat, gloves and a long cape over a black dress which is worn over a red skirt which finishes just above black laced boots. The flash of red just sets the painting off. I don’t know whether she is in the process of putting her gloves on or taking them off. A necklace of large black beads and a black cross is clearly visible.
Paintings on show are rotated and I recall a few years back it wasn’t on display which was disappointing. At the time of writing it is available to view so I will be sure to visit again next month. However, there are many great works to admire and there is always something new to discover, even in paintings I’ve seen many times before. That’s one of the wonderful things about these art works. There is always some detail that catches your eye for the first time, providing you with a new perspective on the painting. No two visits are ever the same.
The Fiction Factory 