Unexpected Views: Sharon Walters on 'Saint Margaret of Antioch' | National GalleryArtist Sharon Walters talks about her work with portraiture and images of women in relation to Francisco de Zurbarán's 'Saint Margaret of Antioch'. Sharon Walters is a London-based artist and project curator whose series entitled ‘Seeing Ourselves', is an exploration of identity, beauty standards, and race through intricate paper cut-outs and hand-assembled collages. With over 20 years’ experience of...
The Last Caravaggio: Amy Key and Naomi Kimpenu’s Artists on Artists with Dr Francesca Whitlum-CooperWhat do women today think of ‘The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula’? And why did Caravaggio paint himself in such a violent scene? Author and poet Amy Key and singer songwriter Naomi Kimpenu join curator Dr Francesca Whitlum-Cooper to discuss all this and more, in our latest Artists on Artists film. The Artists on Artists series from the National Gallery is available to watch free on YouTu...
Who pioneered perspective in Renaissance art? Piero's 'Baptism of Christ' | National GalleryFind out why National Gallery Director, Gabriele Finaldi, has chosen Piero della Francesca's 'Baptism of Christ' for his Picture of the Month, as we mark the beginning of the Gallery's Bicentenary year in May 2024.
The Story of Ultramarine from the Silk Road to Renoir: The Chemistry of Colour | National GalleryHow did ultramarine go from being more expensive than gold to one of the cheapest pigements for artists? Follow the journey of this vibrant blue colour, ultramarine, one of the most celebrated and sought-after pigments in art. Joanna Russell from our Scientific Department looks at the use of this blue in 'The Wilton Diptych' and Renoir's 'Umbrellas'. The Chemistry of Colour series explores...
Uncovering restoration secrets of Rubens's 'The Judgement of Paris' | National GalleryBritta New shows how science and new technology improve our understanding of conservation changes that have been made to Rubens's 'Judgement of Paris' over its lifetime. Using non-invasive imaging techniques, including XRF scanning, today, we can see the changes Rubens himself made to the composition and size of his picture, as well as the effects of more recent conservation treatment. Britta tells us...