The Art of Leaders

Politics is intrinsic to any society and the ways in which politicians have been visually represented through the medium of art is vast and varied. Ranging from perfect ideological images of political leaders to opinionated and outspoken portrayals. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries politically charged artwork has become candid and controversial, often causing debates as to whether particular pieces of artwork can be shown to the public. Here are just few of the politically charged artworks that have made the headlines in some shape or form.

 Maggie, Marcus Harvey, 2009

Best known for his painting of Myra Hindley, in 2009 Marcus Harvey portrayed Britain’s first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the same style. In Myra, Harvey composed his image with plaster casts of children’s hands. In a similar fashion Harvey portrays Margaret Thatcher in a black and white portrait composed from plastic casts of masks, (such as of herself and Tony Blair) skulls, vegetables and hands. The allusion to vegetables was inspired by Thatcher being the daughter of a green grocer, and the reference to Tony Blair might seem quite random. However, it could perhaps be interpreted that one of Thatcher’s legacies was in fact the former Labour Leader, and Prime Minister, Tony Blair; By Thatcher removing the domination of trade unions, it forced Labour to reinvent itself and to become New Labour with Tony Blair, seen by some as more right wing than left wing, to lead the party. Alongside these main images, the painting also refers to various parts of British history.

Finding modern visual representations of Margaret Thatcher proved a hard task, making Harvey’s image one of the very few portraits of the former Prime Minister. In stark contrast to the formal and very conventional portraits of Thatcher, Harvey has produced an image that is thought provoking, provocative and highly interesting. The use of monochrome colouring provides the image with a melancholy feeling, being further intensified through the various inclusions of plaster cast items.

Ultimately, an image that is a personal representation of Margaret Thatcher, but also an exploitation of her role as Prime Minister, this image never fails to be fascinating.

Mao, Andy Warhol, 1972

Using the silkscreen technique, Andy Warhol moved on from the popular celebrities of his time to this portrayal of the Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong. In his Mao series of 1972, Warhol transforms a once politically charged image to one that became a part of the mass-produced consumer products that is Andy Warhol’s ‘work’.

It was after President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China that Warhol created his Mao series. Warhol creates a mix between Communist propaganda and American media, to create his vibrant series. Using the main image of Mao from the former leader’s ‘Little Red Book’ which contained the writings and thoughts of Mao, Warhol uses this form of propaganda to create a highly colourful and graphic set of images transforming Mao into a worldwide celebrity icon.

In 2012 Warhol’s Mao series continued to stir controversy, as his portraits of the former Chinese dictator were excluded from being exhibited in China. It is understood that the Chinese authorities found the portraits disrespectful. This denial of displaying the Mao series serves to show how politically charged art, whether charged consciously or unconsciously, can be seen as a source of anxiety in today’s society. 

Che Guevara Portrait, Jim Fitzpatrick, 1968

Jim Fitzpatrick’s portrait of the Revolutionary figure Che Guevara has become an iconic image, enduring through the years and being a source of inspiration for other political artworks. The image of  Che Guevara was taken from a photo called Guerrillero Heroico which shows the political revolutionist wearing a black beret. Through the use of stencil-like technique, Fitzpatrick transforms the controversial leader into a widespread image that became prevalent within popular culture. The Che Guevara portrait is said to be one of the world’s most famous images, which is emphasised by it being mass reproduced on a variety of mediums and objects. It was Fitzpatrick’s aim for the “image to breed like rabbits”, and safe to say it has. The Che Guevara Portrait has thus become an enduring image of the notion of revolutions. 

 

The Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster, Shepard Fairey

The Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster became an iconic image during the American Presidential campaign of 2008. The use of bright colours, alongside the stylised stencil graphic design of Obama, made the ‘Hope’ poster highly original and unique. This design also became one of the most recognised images of Obama’s campaign, and can be found on various types of different media – such as mugs and clothing.

This poster is somewhat reminiscent to the stylised image of Che Guevara made by Jim Fitzpatrick, and carries on the tradition of inventive and new ways for political candidates to produce campaign publicity. Since its creation in 2008 has become a source of inspiration for many different parodies, even becoming part of the anti-Obama campaign.

Obama Bust, Wangechi Mutu

Once again Obama makes another appearance in ‘The Art of Leaders’ – but for a different reason. Obama is fast becoming one of the most visually represented Political Leaders, and this sculpture by Wangechi Mutu shows the variety of ways which the leader is being depicted.

Currently there is an exhibition in the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, called ‘Visions of Our 44^th President’.  ‘Visions of Our 44^th President’ aims to celebrate and recognise the historical significance of the first African American President of the United States of America, and hopes to inspire present and future generations with its messages of diversity, hope and possibility.

The exhibition displayed the work of 44 contemporary African-American artists, all which were based on a blank bust of President Barack Obama. Each artist had their own bust to create their own individual interpretation of what Barack Obama meant for them.

Wangechi Mutu’s Obama Bust invites the viewer to encounter the bust on a personal level. At first, what seems predominately black sculpture is in fact made up of a variety of different colours. As the viewer gets closer to the Obama Bust the proximity and the lighting reveals shades of red, blue and green. By bringing out different hues each time, Mutu makes her bust a personal and temporal sculptural – each encounter is different. This experience mirrors the way that each individual view of Barack Obama is different, subjective and entirely personal. 

The Thames

This term I have been studying 'The Modern Metropolis: Representing the city in France and London, c.1850 - 1920', and have thoroughly enjoyed it. From looking at Manet and his 'A Bar at the Folies-Bergère' to the 19th century artists of London - the Camden Group.

But one thing that has really interested me throughout this module is the representations of one of the most enduring and time-withstanding symbols of London: the Thames. In one of our lectures we studied the work of James Abbot McNeill Whistler, and safe to say he is now one of my favourite artists. Before this module I was of course already well aware of Whistler's works, and studied him during my A-Level Art days (oh how I miss them!). However, it was really nice to study him more in-depth, especially with regards to his Thames scenes and Nocturnes. Basically - this blog post is a collection of a few of my favourite Thames paintings. From Turner, to Whistler to more contemporary artists, the Thames will always be a fascinating subject matter for artists to visually represent. 

Joseph Mallord William Turner, The Confluence of the Thames and the Medway, 1808, Oil on canvas, Tate

Joseph Mallord William Turner, The Thames above Waterloo Bridge, 1830-5, Oil on canvas, Tate

Whistler, Nocturne in Blue and Silver, Chelsea, 1871

Whistler, Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Old Battersea Bridge, 1872-5, Oil on canvas. 
(Image from the Tate website)

Monet, Houses of Parliament, London, 1900-1901, Oil on canvas, The Art Institute of Chicago

Julian Trevelyan, Thames Regatta, 1951, Lithograph on Paper, Tate

Roni Horn, [no title] From Still Water (The River Thames, for Example), 1999, Lithograph on paper, Tate

Roni Horn, [no title] From Still Water (The River Thames, for Example), 1999, Lithograph on paper, Tate

Exhibition review: Mark Hearld: A First Book of Nature, York Museum, York

Having just finished his solo exhibition Birds & Beasts at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in February, Mark Hearld’s latest exhibition can be found in the heart of York City at the Yorkshire Museum. Mark Hearld: A First Book of Nature showcases a selection of illustrations from Nicola Davis’ ‘A First Book of Nature’ around a small exhibition space.

Although Mark Hearld might not be widely known, his mix-media and illustrations have a charming and enduring quality. Composed of over 30 pieces of artwork from Davis’ book, Mark Hearld: A First Book of Nature provides a modest selection of some of Hearld’s finest artworks.

Published in 2012, ‘A First Book of Nature’ evokes a child’s first experience of nature. Combining anecdotes, poetry, recipes and facts with illustrations, this book is a delicate and beautiful reminder of the world around us. Mark Hearld: A First Book of Nature brings the images and text from the page out into the open space, creating a delightful synthesis for the senses. Displaying a few of the illustrations alongside with Nicola Davis’ text, this is a modest and enchanting exhibition. 

Recognised for his mix-media collages and brightly coloured prints, this exhibition explores the cyclical seasonal changes and how these transformations are engaged by animals and people. Influenced by the world around him, Hearld’s main interests lie within landscape, plants and animals, which can be clearly seen throughout this exhibition. Varying from depictions of cold winter nights, where foxes track the snow covered fields to delightful scenes of lambs frolicking in the spring.

Hearld’s intricate and visually stimulating illustrations engages with various forms of media. Through the use of collaging, Hearld creates movement and a graphic quality to his work intensified by vibrant colours. Hearld has been able to capture inspiration of landscapes and nature through the multi-media form and plays off the tension between the different mediums. 

Yorkshire Museum’s website included taxidermy and a variety of illustrations, prints, drawings and ceramics from the York Art Gallery’s collections within this exhibition – however, these were not to be found. What would have been an interesting juxtaposition did not hinder my experience of the exhibition. In fact, the absence of such named items made the exhibition even more endearing to me as they might have taken the focus away from the artworks displayed.

Mark Hearld: A First Book of Nature provides the viewer with the opportunity to observe illustration work at its finest. Showcasing a wide range of media, Hearld works with collage, printing, paper-cutting, watercolours and lithograph to create attractive and exquisitely coloured pieces of artwork.  Moving away from the traditional forms of medium, such as oil and acrylic, Mark Hearld: A First Book of Nature allows the viewer to enter into a world where the unconventional and simple are often better.

It seems a pity that this exhibition has not been as well publicised as it could have been, as it offers visually stimulating and vibrant artworks proving that such illustrations can open the door to the world around us no matter what our age. Each artwork having its own story, I found this exhibition extremely engaging and enjoyable (as did my Mum!). Both art fans and children will enjoy this exhibition. 

Exhibition review: Manet: Portraying Life, Royal Academy

The Railway, 1873, Oil on canvas

Lauded as an exhibition that produces a ‘blast of fresh air’, making the public ‘sit up and pay attention’, Manet: Portraying Life at the Royal Academy has been causing quite a stir in the art world. Devoting a whole exhibition to the works of Edouard Manet, the Royal Academy explores his portraiture work, and the various themes within it. Comprised of an introduction, eight rooms, and a conclusion, the visitor is taken on a journey through the works of the Father of Impressionism and Modernity, seeing the people of 19th century Paris through Manet’s eyes.

With rooms dedicated to The Artist and his Family, along with Manet’s Cultural Circle, the exhibition’s arrangement is highly interesting. Combined with the dark setting and spot lighting, the overall experience allows for a deep contemplation of the artwork.

Containing just over 50 artworks, the Royal Academy could have offered visitors a wider range, as the lack of Manet material undermines the exhibition’s blockbuster label. Nevertheless it is interesting to be offered many personal portraiture pieces of Manet’s that have never been displayed before, such as ‘Mme Manet in the Conservatory’ (1879), which were kept in Manet’s home.

When thinking about Manet one cannot escape such iconic pieces as ‘A Bar at the Folie-Bergère’ (1882), ‘Olympia’ (1863), The Railway’ (1873) and ‘Berthe Morisot With a Bouquet’ (1872). However, a newcomer experiencing Manet’s work may be underwhelmed at the number of unknown and unfinished pieces of artwork.

Mme Manet in the Conservatory, 1879, Oil on canvas

Borrowed from the National Gallery, ‘Music in the Tuileries’ normally resides next to other paintings. However, in Manet: Portraying Life, the curators have given the painting a room of its own. This curation has stirred up debate about the exhibition, as the size of the painting is small relative to the vast space it occupies. With a group-portrait containing the artist himself, Baudelaire, and fellow painter Ignace Fantin-Latour, this space allows a crowd to engage more easily with the painting. Regardless, the way in which a whole room is dedicated to a painting that normally shares an exhibition space with numerous other artworks seems at the very least unorthodox. Call me cynical, but this is perhaps a way for the Royal Academy to enlarge and pad out Manet: Portraying Life.

Moving away from the artwork, Manet: Portraying Life provides the viewer with a brief historical interlude. In Room three the exhibition changes focus in an effort to contextualise the work of Manet, offering a huge map of Paris during the 19th century. The inclusion of tables where the visitor can take time to sit and read through the exhibition catalogues containing Manet’s work seemed slightly surreal. Taking the viewer away from the original work of Manet to the copied works within the medium of book was unusual and somewhat pointless. Although the map of Paris describes happenings of the 19th Century, such as Haussmannisation, as well as showing the various places where Manet painted, this room is unnecessary and only really serves to pad out the exhibition further.

After queuing for over 20 minutes to see this exhibition, I was a little disappointed. Displaying some of Manet’s best, and not-so good works of art, Manet: Portraying Life offers an interesting insight into the portraiture work of Manet. Even though the exhibition seems limited in terms of quantity, it is still enough to offer the viewer a glimpse into the world of Manet, allowing for a deeper appreciation of his lesser known work and the sheer variety of his portraiture.

Music in the Tuileries Gardens, 1862, Oil on canvas

You can see my exhibition review here on Nouse: http://www.nouse.co.uk/2013/03/13/manet-portraying-life/

Exhibition review: The Bigger Splash, Tate Modern, London

A Bigger Splash, David Hockney, 1967, Acrylic on Canvas

A Bigger Splash: Painting after Performance aims to bring together two forms of artistic practice that are normally thought as opposites, and aims to explore the development of painting after performance.

Beginning with ‘a big splash’ with two well-known pieces, David Hockney’s A Bigger Splash (1967) and Jackson Pollock’s Summertime (1948), the Tate explores the creative thinking and processes behind the paintings, highlighting the similarities and differences.

Hockney may seem a random inclusion when compared to the energetic works of Pollock, however, teamed up with a short BBC documentary film behind the making of the artwork, it becomes aware to that A Bigger Splash is a perfectly captured moment of movement and velocity, almost enticing the viewer to jump into the pool. The illusion of the splash of water suggests a performance quality behind the work, perhaps similar to that of Pollock’s Summertime. Set on opposite sides of the first room, Summertime is an ‘arena in which to act’ as argued by the critic Harold Rosenberg, with the canvas becoming the literal tracks of Pollock’s movement across the surface. Deemed to be one of the earliest pieces of performance work, the painting seems only appropriate for this exhibition and is teamed up with Hans Namuth’s film, depicting the artist’s movement and splattering of paint onto the canvas beneath him. Bringing together the notion of painting and performance, with the help of video documentaries, the viewer is able to understand the relationship between the artist and their work. Each, though completely different, created a performance throughout the process, with Pollock quite literally performing.

The ’performance’ side of painting can be seen throughout the exhibition through the use of various video recordings depicting the creative processes of particular artworks. The juxtaposition of video performance and artwork is compelling, allowing the viewer to jump into the world of the artist, and transforming the still and static paint of the canvas into a piece full of life and history.

Shooting Picture, Niki de Saint Phalle, 1961, Plaster, paint, string, polythene and wire on wood

The first half of Painting after Performance takes the viewer on a whirlwind exploration through a wide range of performance artworks and themes. The work of Yves Klein, an organiser of public events in which nude models were covered in paint and became ‘live brushes’ to create pieces of artwork on blank canvases, advocates the idea of paint no longer being confined to the canvas, but also being applied to the human body. A notion also explored through the world of Viennese Actionism, a group of Austrian artists reacting to the political events in their country; experimented with paint on walls, floors, as well as using animal carcasses and blood. In addition, the exhibition explores the idea of painting as an agent of transformation, challenging views of gender and beauty, such as through Cindy Sherman and Sanja Iveković in the 1970s and how the artist can transform themselves through the medium of make-up, costume and drag.

In the second half of the exhibition there are rooms dedicated to individual artists and contemporary groups. Exploring and proposing how these present-day artists have been influenced by previous performance art, the individual rooms are some-what overwhelming. With several spaces made up from room-sized installations of stage sets, they become detached from the notion of painting, with the exhibition focusing more on performance, when really it should be perhaps the other way round. Karen Kilimnik’s  romantic and emotionally charged melodramatic space of Swan Lake (1992) is static and motionless, presenting anything but a performance. The inclusion of such set designs creates a tenuous link to the exploration of painting after performance, and intensifies the exhibition’s haphazardness in its display pieces and the premise behind its own title.

                                                       

An exhibition that starts strongly, Painting after Performance doesn’t seem to flow as well as intended. Using highly theoretical aims, the show fails to come to any neat conclusion, especially when attempting to explicitly answer the principle behind  its own title. However, overall Painting after Performance provides an interesting insight into performing art, and offers the viewer plenty of artworks to come up with their own interpretations regarding the creative process of art in the past and present-day. 

Untitled (Self-Portrait with Blood), Ana Mendieta, 1973, Photograph on colour paper

You can see my review on Nouse: http://www.nouse.co.uk/2013/02/17/review-a-bigger-splash-painting-after-performance/

The Art of Love

Whether Valentine’s day is a day to enjoy with one’s significant other, or just a commercial creation conjured up by corporate conspiracy to make money; there is no denying the impact that it has on our society.  

How love is visually represented is wide and varied; from traditional depictions of couples sharing a moment of intimacy by embracing and being intertwined almost as one, through the written form, to the tragedy of a doomed romance. From Renaissance paintings to Contemporary Art, love is an emotion universally explored and understood.

To celebrate the day I have come up with my favourite paintings, sculptures and artwork that represent the notion of ‘love’.

  The Kiss, Gustav Klimt, Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 1907-1908

Where does one start when describing and commenting about this iconic painting? The organic representation of a couple embracing is my favourite image of love. The characteristic combination of oil paints and gold leaf of Klimt’s The Kiss, creates an intense and extravagant image. The use of gold leaf, especially on the couple’s form, highlights the notion of intimacy and closeness. Even though the flesh tones seem cold, to me there is warmth that radiates from this image. Ultimately a symbol of love, and one of my all-time-favourites.

  

Romeo and Juliet, Frank Bernard Dicksee, Oil on canvas, 1884,

In 2012 survey of the most Romantic pieces of artwork on display in the UK, Frank Bernard Dicksee’s Romeo and Juliet came in top place, making it a worthy inclusion in ‘The Art of Love’. Depicting the last time that the star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, will see each other alive, this painting is full of rich colour and heightened emotions. A story of tragedy and sorrow, Dicksee perfectly captures a moment of raw emotion and passion. The painting creates the impression that even death won’t ruin love, and that it is an emotion that will continue through the ages.

 The Kiss (Le Baiser), Auguste Rodin, Pentelican Marble, 1901-04

This marble sculpture of an embracing couple has become an iconic representation of love. Its blend of passion, intimacy and romance, makes The Kiss a perfect addition in this article on ‘The Art of Love’.   The rendering of a nude couple refers to the classical tradition, and makes the sculpture not overtly sexual. The Kiss depicts a 13^th century Italian noblewoman from Dante’s Inferno who fell in love with her husband’s younger brother. Upon discovering the couple’s secret the noblewoman’s husband kills them. The Classical style and technique used in a modern piece of sculpture intensifies the idea of love as a universal emotion and experience, just like Valentine’s Day, that has endured throughout the centuries.

 Hercules and Deianira, Jan Gossaert, Oil on panel, 1517

This early Renaissance painting represents a harmonious embrace between Hercules and his wife Deianira. However, not all may seem well in this encounter, as the silver cloak that Deianira sits on is the cloak that will eventually engulf Hercules in flames when he wears it, causing him to die.  Even though this is a slightly deformed and some-what weird depiction of the human form, there is no denying the love presented between the two mythological characters. A love that can be seen back in Greek mythological tales has lasted throughout the years.

  

The Meeting on Turret Stairs, Frederick William Burton, Watercolour, 1864

Named Ireland’s favourite painting, Burton’s The Meeting on Turret Stairs tells of a stolen moment between two lovers, similar to Dicksee’s Romeo and Juliet. The subject matter originated from a famous Medieval Danish ballad, and shows the final parting of Helellil and Hildebrand before both are eventually killed by the results of their tragic affair. A fusion of romance and tragedy, The Meeting on Turret Stairs expresses a hopelessness and forbidden love, emphasised by the ‘x’ of Hildebrand’s arms and the lack of eye contact. A representation of the forbidden and doomed aspect of love that may still be experienced today.

 Bourgeois Bust – Jeff and IIona, Jeff Koons, White Marble, 1991

Using the style from Classical busts and statues, Koons Bourgeois Bust represents a couple embracing. Wanting to create something that was ‘very romantic’, by placing the male’ hand toward the female’s heart, and the couples body positioning creates the shape of a heart, intensifying the love portrayed.

Bourgeois Bust is a reflection of Koon’s own marriage to porn star Ilona Staller, which was created the year they got married. Seems a little sad however to find out that they later divorced in 1998.

Although some-what kitsch, this marble bust has an endearing quality linking the notion of classical goddesses of love with modern forms of romance.

We Two Boys Together Clinging, David Hockney, Oil on board, 1961

A Young David Hockney completed We Two Boys Together Clinging towards the end of his second year the Royal College of Art. This deconstructed, crude and raw painting is a political statement above love, with this particular subject matter and execution being specifically chosen for its effects. The breaking down of visual representation and traditional stylistic qualities for an abstract portrayal, Hockney comments on the way in which society forces and expects people to respond and experience love. During a time when homosexuality was still illegal in England, Hockney takes his inspiration for the subject matter from lines from Walt Whitman’s poem, which he then uses as the title to the piece: We Two Boys Together Clinging. This portrayal of a passionate kiss between the lovers suggests love that was forced to be a secret and hidden from the world, but through the medium of paint is now visible to all.

I promise to Love you, Tracy Emin, Clear red neon lights, 2007

Tracy Emin - an artist full of controversy and the power to created mixed reactions just by the sound of her name – has used the medium of neon lights to portray particular emotions and feelings, and her notion of love. This particular piece by Emin has been included in this article for numerous reasons. The brightness of the illuminated red neon lights with the words slowly glowing to spell themselves out and the eventual building up of red lighting portrays the power of love, and the promise that the many throughout the world make. This almost soul-bearing confession links effortlessly with the idea of love and Valentine’s Day, as millions of couples across the world celebrate their intimate love for one another. The fact that on Valentine’s Day 2008, Emin donated I promise to Love you to a charity auction ‘(Auction) RED’ to raise money for The Global Fund to help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa, was a message that to me that means ‘love’. Raising over £100,000, I promise to Love you emphasises the different forms of love that can be experienced not only on Valentine’s day, but throughout the years and world.

                                                                                                                                                                               

Whether you like Tracy Emin or not, I promise to Love you offers an endearing idea of the emotions and feelings experienced through love. Urgh someone hand me the bucket, I’m getting too soppy. 

You can see my article here on HardZine: http://www.hardzine.com/the-art-of-love/

Exhibition review: Constable, Gainsborough, Turner and the Making of Landscape, The Royal Academy, London

Romantic Landscape, Thomas Gainsborough, 1783, Oil on Canvas

Gallery: Royal Academy of Arts, London
Dates: 8th December 2012 – 17th February 2013
Rating: 3 stars

Highly anticipating this exhibition, I couldn’t wait to be faced with the works of Constable, Gainsborough and Turner in one showing. Three artists which most of the British public will be aware of, they exemplify Britain’s most loved landscape painters of the 18th century. This exhibition aims to explore the development of landscape painting, and how Constable, Gainsborough and Turner influenced this particular genre of painting in Britain.

A small exhibition containing only a handful of rooms, you first encounter contemporary works of art that are inspired by the work of the three protagonists. Continued from here we regress back into the 18th century, creating a somewhat ambiguous and disjointed chronology to the exhibition. Displaying around 150 works of art, mostly of engravings, it seems to take a while for the show to ‘pick up’: eventually presenting works by Constable, Gainsborough and Turner in Room 3. Perhaps this prolonged concealment of the main works allows the viewer to engage with the works of art by previous, less known artists, and to understand the progression of Landscape painting during this time. However, I felt let down and slightly turned off with this curtation.

The idea of curating with a ‘trio’ in mind may seem contrived and unoriginal, having been previously curated this summer at the Tate Liverpool with ‘Turner, Monet and Twombly’ and with Turner and Claude Gellee at the National Gallery in ‘Turner Inspired: In the Light of Claude’ back in March 2012. However, it highlights the understanding that ultimately artists are inspired by other’s work around them, past and present artists alike. Perhaps the world of art can never be ‘original’, as just with 18th century Landscape painting and contemporary art today, artists are constantly copying, manipulating and recycling old ideas.

The lack of any major artworks from Constable, Gainsborough and Turner is however made up for with unique objects that related to the individual artist’s lives. Material belongings, such as a marble grinding slab and glass mullet alongside a palette with colours still on, from Constable, intensifies the reality of these men going out into the Landscape and painting the natural scenes before them. Belonging to Turner is the inclusion of a set of used watercolours and a watercolour test page showing all the colours used within his paintings. Another item owned by Turner was a fishing rod that he would use during times of leisure and entertainment. The placement of this object seems somewhat random, under a series of works that did not relate to him personally. One additional item that I found intriguing was a series of letters written in Gainsborough’s hand to a fellow artist, Joshua Reynolds. The inclusion of such objects brings their artistic practices to life, transforming the name written on a canvas to life. Adding realism and background context to the exhibition that was previously lacking until the final room.

This short exhibition, both frustrating and modest, alludes to the impressive collection of Constable, Gainsborough and Turner, however ultimately emphasises the inclusion of only a few paintings by the trio making the exhibition sound more impressive and extravagant than it actually was. Nevertheless, it is a show that investigates the minor and some unknown artists working at the same time, providing an insight into how Landscape art transformed and developed during the 18th-19th centuries making the viewer aware that there were other artists painting the Landscapes of Britain.

The Leaping Horse, John Constable, 1825, Oil on Canvas

Review can also be viewed here: http://www.nouse.co.uk/2013/01/21/review-the-making-of-landscape/