Pure Pleasure

I wrote a post about this exhibit from the Royal Academy that Helen and I went to in February, but I can't find it anywhere.



It was just superb! Room after room of gorgeous paintings of gardens--just pure pleasure. They were all framed but without glass so you could really see the lovely textures. Helen and I enjoyed comparing the frames and talking about the suitability to the painting.

I bought the catalogue to send to Ania for a birthday gift. But before I sent it I took photos and wrote about them for the lost post. Alas  I found the photos but have forgotten what I wrote about them and not sure I remember who painted what. But here are a few that I do remember.

I do remember being impressed by a Spanish painter Joaquin Sorolla. His paintings just made me feel as if I were under his hot sun. They radiated heat and were quite wonderful to look at on this cold wintry day in London. They made me a little homesick for southern summertime.

 

This one was huge and is Louis Comfort Tiffany painting and painted by Sorolla.


By a German painter, I believe, and this garden is in Wannsee. There was a photograph also and the birch trees really are growing out of  the pavement!


Another German garden in  Wannsee. Kevin would have loved this one for the snow.

There was an entire section with photographs of the artists as horticulturists and  gardeners. This is a handsome Wassily Kadinsky followed by some of his colorful paintings in exhibit.

Munch's Garden!

 Here is Money painting in his garden in Argenteuil.

There was an entire room dedicated to Monet's horticultural interests--receipts for seed orders, plant catalogues, botanical books from his library, correspondence, etc.

This bright green is the color he painted the famous bridge which was grayish before.

The end was a huge Triptytch, Agapanthus, which he was unable to place in his lifetime. It eventually landed in American midwest in three different museums. This is the first exhibit to display the three parts together.

Helen and I enjoyed it thoroughly. We then went over to Camberwell where we enjoyed a lecture by Griselda Pollack, an art historian whom I greatly admire.

Ania and Monica came for the exhibit  in April and said it was the best ever. Hoping Ania will begin painting a series of her beautiful garden!