I took loads of photos inside the National Gallery, London - All without flash of course and only where allowed.
There is something thrilling about being surrounded by original masterpieces some of which I have been studying in books for years. Yes you can see some of this stuff on the web, but that experience only goes so far.
Below are a few of my shots from inside the National Gallery.
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| The Toilet of Venus by Diego Velazquez | | |
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| The Immaculate Conception by Diego Velazquez |
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| A wall of Velazquez paintings |
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| Detail of Philip IV hunting Wild Boar by Diego Velazquez |
I rather like Diego Velazquez!
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| A wall of Rembrandt paintings |
The National Gallery is open late on Friday nights, but gets too crowded and a bit too dark to see properly in places.
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| The National Gallery London on a Friday evening. |
Of course you cannot go to the National Gallery London without marveling at (for the better part of an hour) some of the quintessentially British paintings in the collection:
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| The Fighting Temeraire by JMW Turner |
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| Detail of The Fighting Temeraire by JMW Turner |
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| Dido building Carthage by JMW Turner |
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| The Hay Wain by John Constable |
I have been to my share of art museums both large and small. Of what I consider to be the "big three" that I have visited, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the National Gallery in Washington D.C. and the National Gallery in London, the National Gallery London is my favorite.
Whenever I am in one of these places I always fantasize about living in there for a week straight. I would have all the basic necessities of life - superior fine art, food, clothing, shelter and wash rooms. What could be better?
