pre-raphaelite exhibition at tate britain

Yesterday, Moira+I went to see the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition yesterday - it was very good to get to the Tate before the exhibition finishes next week. I think the Pre-Rapaelites were the first artists to impress me as a young teenager – I was very fortunate that Birmingham Art Gallery housed so many wonderful examples. So, it did seem a little strange (but, obviously, very predictable) to see so many of the “Birmingham” pictures featured yesterday. I know the works and techniques of the “major” artists ( ie. Holman Hunt, Rossetti, Madox Brown, Burne-Jones and Millais), pretty well and still feel confident about recognising their paintings(!). It was an impressive exhibition – although, like most of the major exhibitions these days, pretty crowded. If I’m honest, the work no longer invokes the utter excitement in me in the way it did in the early 1960s… but it was lovely to see the huge body of work again.

PS: After battling our way through the crowds, it did seem somewhat ironic to be able to amble through deserted rooms full of Turner’s stunning paintings at the end of the afternoon… such a privilege to be able to see these and, of course, the bonus is that it was entirely free. We are so lucky, aren’t we?
PPS: The other huge bonus of our trip to London was being able to meet with up with lovely Diana – a work colleague from Brocklehurst Architects. Somewhat frightening, it was 17 years since we last met! She was in very good form and looking stunning (really didn’t seem to have changed at all!). Happy times.