Painting History at National Gallery
When
24 February 2010 -
23 May 2010
10am - 6pm
Where
National Gallery, The
Cost
£8.00
Age Restrictions
n/a
Painting History at National Gallery explores the world of 19th century French painter Delaroche and his fascination with depicting scenes from English history. Taking history painting to new and impressive levels, some of Delaroche's most impressive work can be seen in this fascinating exhibition.
Painting History at National Gallery
Featuring seven major paintings, the Delaroche exhibition at National Gallery invites visitors into the world of beautifully painted, tragically cast historical figures from 16th and 17th century England. Mostly with royal themes, the art on show in Painting History at National Gallery centre around poignant scenes of death and martyrdom, and include the very famous depiction of the execution of Lady Jane Grey.
Lady Jane Grey
The Queen who ruled for only nine days, the Protestant Lady Jane Grey was executed in the Tower of London after a coup by her Catholic cousin Mary, who deposed her from a politically unstable throne in 1553. The most famous of all Delaroche's paintings, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey is a huge canvas, that shows the young Queen stumbling as she approaches the block. One of the gallery's most popular paintings, it has also been described as one of the nation's favourites.
French painters and English paintings
Post Revolutionary France saw a rise in the popularity of Royalist and Monarchist themed art, and painters such as Delaroche were captivated by the stories of doomed English Kings and Queens. Depicting the lives and deaths of Lady Jane Grey, Charles I, and the Princes in the Tower, Delaroche captured the French obsession with English tragedy and art. On show in Painting History at National Gallery, you can see these monumental artworks along with a series of prepartory sketches that will shed light on just how the artist underwent his mammoth tasks.
Theatrical inspiration
Asides from being inspired by the history of tragic figures, Delaroche was a great fan of the theatre. Creating large scale pieces that could be used theatrical performances, he also drew on the same kind of pictorial forms that 19th century theatre relied upon. Two paintings on show in Painting History at National Gallery appeared on the stage as part of live performances, and Delaroche actually became involved with the actress Mademoiselle Anais, who is is thought to have been his model for The Execution of Lady Jane Grey.
The Delaroche exhibition, Painting History at National Gallery, takes place from 10am - 6pm, Wednesday 24th February - Sunday 23rd May 2010.
Tickets are £8.00 or £7.00 concession. Under 12s are free. For more information or to book tickets for this event, click on the link below.
National Gallery Official Website
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What's near The National Gallery?
Below are the nearest 5 venues within 500 metres of The National Gallery.
The Box
11-12 Walkers Court, Brewer Street, Soho, London, W1F 0ED
Luxx
3 New Burlington Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 2JF
Covert
65 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London, SE1 7TP
Content updated: 02/06/2012 07:23